DANDENONG Stingrays bottom-ager Emily Shepherd has earned the Draft Central NAB League Girls Player of the Week Award for Round 3 after a best on ground performance against Western Jets. In a fitting handover from Round 1 where Western Jets’ Charlotte Baskaran took out the honour, a player on the opposition team won it the next week. Shepherd picked up 23 disposals, three marks, eight inside 50s, laid six tackles and booted 2.2 on the day to be the clear best on ground and earn a nomination for the award. Running simultaneously was Under 16s talent Alyssia Pisano who booted four goals from 14 disposals in Eastern Ranges’ massive win over Gippsland Power who was the other incredible individual effort nominated this round. Shepherd thrived in the Stingrays’ first game of the year after a bye in Round 1 and then the five-day Victorian lockdown forced her, and her teammates to wait another week. She was ready to go once the ball was bounced though, putting out her career-best game. In 2020, Shepherd averaged 11.3 disposals, 2.0 marks, 2.7 tackles and 1.7 inside 50s and looms as a crucial mover having taken over the role from now St Kilda AFL Women’s player Tyanna Smith in the midfield. New Dandenong Stingrays coach Nick Cox said Shepherd was among the top performers over the preseason, saying most of the list had “come back in a really good spot”. The NAB League Girls fixture is set to be flexible this season, but at this point, the Stingrays head to Ballarat to take on Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels at MARS Stadium on Sunday. NAB League Girls Player of the Week: Round 1: Charlotte Baskaran (Western Jets) Round 2: Emily Shepherd (Dandenong Stingrays)   >> Dandenong Stingrays 2021 season preview >> Emily Shepherd player page  

DANDENONG STINGRAYS AT THE COMBINE INTERVIEWS: