Cunning Clarke runs away with NAB League Girls Best & Fairest
ONLY a few days removed from her best afield Grand Final performance, Dandenong Stingrays speedster Amber Clarke has taken out the 2022 NAB League Girls Best & Fairest medal, at the elite talent pathway’s yearly award ceremony on Tuesday night. During the online event, recipients of the NAB League Girls Community Award and Team of the Year honours were also announced.
>> SCROLL for all award winners and Team of the Year
Clarke’s teammate, Sarah Hosking took out the Community Award for her outstanding displays of leadership and contribution to the community. The 19th-year prospect overcame a long-term knee injury in 2021 to make this year’s Vic Country squad and enjoy a breakout season with the ‘Rays.
But for her outstanding top-age campaign, Clarke was the star of the show and earned the Best & Fairest nod with 20 votes – one more than Team of the Year captain Charlotte Baskaran. Northern Knights bottom-ager Ava Jordan placed third with 14 votes, while Hawthorn AFLW draftee Bridget Deed (10) and top Tasmanian talent Claire Ransom (nine) rounded out the top five.
All five leading vote getters featured in the 2022 NAB League Girls Team of the Year, which is lead by Baskaran (captain) and Ransom (vice-captain). Aside from Ransom, fellow Tasmanian Georgia Clark, and New South Wales pair Zarlie Goldsworthy and Zara Hamilton, the 24-player squad is essentially a Vic Country and Metro mashup.
Baskaran is joined by premiership teammate Montana Ham on the followers line, with the pair proving inseparable throughout their NAB League Girls careers. Western was among five regions to boast three representatives in the side, along with grand finalist Dandenong, Eastern, Murray, and Sandringham.
In a glimpse towards the future, Jordan was the sole bottom-ager to feature, while Bendigo’s Lucia Painter is the sole 2006-born prospect in the team. A remarkable effort. As far as over-agers go, Deed, Elizabeth Dowling (Geelong) and Erin Woodford (Oakleigh) made the most of another go in the top talent pathway.
Earlier today, Goldsworthy was named the 2022 Rookie Me Central Medal winner, taking out this year’s count with 34 votes ahead of Baskaran (32). Painter, Ham and Deed rounded out our top five, and all players are also set to feature in the Rookie Me Central NAB League Girls Team of the Year.
2022 NAB LEAGUE GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR
B: Molly Walton (GWV) – Erin Woodford (Oakleigh) – Laura Elliott (Western)
HB: Abbey McDonald (Calder) – Mackenzie Eardley (Dandenong) – Mia Busch (Eastern)
C: Zara Hamilton (Murray) – Zarlie Goldsworthy (Murray) – Claire Ransom (Tasmania), VC
HF: Jasmine Fleming (Oakleigh) – Bridie Hipwell (Sandringham) – Amber Clarke (Dandenong)
F: Ava Jordan (Northern) – Georgia Clark (Tasmania) – Charley Ryan (Dandenong)
FOL: Mia Austin (Eastern) – Montana Ham (Western) – Charlotte Baskaran (Western), C
INT: Lucia Painter (Bendigo), Bridget Deed (Eastern), Keeley Skepper (Murray), Sofia Hurley (Sandringham), Georgia Foran (Sandringham), Elizabeth Dowling (Geelong)
2022 NAB League Girls Best & Fairest: Amber Clarke (Dandenong Stingrays)
2022 NAB League Girls Community Award: Sarah Hosking (Dandenong Stingrays)
2024 AFLW Week 10 Preview: Saturday
TODAY is one of the most important days thus far in the AFL Women’s season, with the top eight potentially locked in by tonight.
Crows take home points, but not all goes their way
KUWARNA has booked an AFL Women’s top four berth after it held off a fast-finishing Geelong last night at GMHBA Stadium. Geelong pushed hard in the final few minutes to keep its season alive, but the Crows held firm to come away victorious. After a tough second quarter for his side, Crows’ coach Matthew Clarke […]
2024 AFLW Week 10 Preview: Friday
THE FINAL round and second half of Indigenous round in the 2024 AFL Women’s (AFLW) season kicks off tonight with a match with plenty on the line for both sides. Hosts Geelong are looking to pull off a minor miracle and make finals this season, while the travelling Crows will be looking to get some […]
WA names 2024/25 Summer squads
WESTERN Australia’s brightest footballing prospects over the next couple of years will be put through their paces in the coming months after the state named both its male and female Under 18s Summer squads. The squads, comprised of 84 athletes will take part in a three-month program that runs from the end of November – […]
Jordan’s journey brings great rewards despite obstacles
INJURIES are never fun, and that was something Collingwood AFLW utility Jordan Ivey learnt the hard way. Heading into last season things were looking promising for Ivey as her stint at Melbourne was starting to develop heading into its second season after crossing from Geelong, then things got derailed thanks to a chronic plantar fasciitis […]
Waratah down Saints in NTFL upset
DESPITE their respective two different starts to the NTFL Men’s Premier League season, Waratah has reminded fans the title is a wide open race, downing reigning premiers St Mary’s by 11 points at Gardens Oval last weekend. The ‘Tahs booted four goals to one in the opening term, and held the Saints at bay throughout […]
Tiwi keeps in touch with top NTFLW sides
A FAST start against Darwin Buffettes ensured Tiwi Bombers remained within striking distance of the top NTFL Women’s Premier League sides after four rounds. The Bombers booted four goals to one in the opening term and held Darwin at arms-length after that to record a 30-point victory at TIO Stadium on Saturday. The Bombers boast […]
Cox’s near-perfect score lights up Combine
AN INCREDIBLE athletic performance from Bendigo Pioneers’ Lavinia Cox saw her record a near-perfect Physical Performance Rating (PPR) across the four National and State Draft Combines that took place earlier this month. Following in the footsteps of now-Swan Holly Cooper who won with a score of 95 last year, Cox dazzled her way to a […]
