AS THE AFL Women’s season starts to wind down, clubs are starting to award their club best and fairest awards, recognising the stars of the season.

In this new series from Rookie Me Central, we take a look at the seasons of these club champions and what led them to have such stellar seasons.  

Next up in the series, we take a look at the season of the first time Fremantle Best and Fairest winner ruck Mim Strom.

Taking the mantle as the AFL Women’s ruck of the season, Strom took home Fremantle’s top gong with 256 votes from her 13 games, which included finals.

New recruits impressed this season with Aisling McCarthy the runner-up, with Gabby Newton finishing third. Ever-reliable defender Emma O’Driscoll and inaugural Docker Gabby O’Sullivan placed fourth and fifth respectively.

Strom went from strength to strength this season, finishing the year as the All-Australian ruck, while also receiving the Players’ Award at the Dockers which denotes the player that the squad believes lives out the Club’s values the best. She also took home the medal at the Western Derby against West Coast earlier this year.

She has been credited with being one of the most hardworking and consistent players at the club, underscored by her time on ground across the season which was just under 90 per cent. Playing over 60 games, she has now settled at the level but also continues to show how she’s evolving her game and striving to be better.

The 22-year-old has played six seasons in the league, but it has felt like she has truly improved year-on-year, this season she had a career-best average of 17 disposals and 36.8 hit-outs.

Considering some of their best midfield and forward talent that Fremantle have, Strom will continue to be a key piece to their side going forward.