VICTORIA’S top state league talent will be rewarded on Monday night, with the annual Victorian Football League (VFL) and VFL Women’s Awards Night taking place. A host of accolades will be handed out, with the best men’s and women’s footballers from the state recognised at the Crown Palladium on Monday, September 18 from 7pm.

Hosted by Nigel Carmody and Jess Webster, the event will be livestreamed, and most importantly, will reveal the J.J. Liston Trophy and Lambert-Pearce Medal winners for 2023. The event – similar to the AFL men’s Brownlow Medal night the following week – takes place post-preliminary finals.

Among the awards that will be announced are:

•    J.J. Liston Trophy (VFL Best and Fairest)
•    Lambert-Pearce Medal (VFLW Best and Fairest)
•    rebel VFLW Team of the Year
•    Smithy’s VFL Team of the Year
•    rebel VFLW Coaches MVP
•    Smithy’s VFL Coaches MVP
•    Rohenna Young Medal (VFLW Leading Goalkicker)
•    Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal (VFL Leading Goalkicker)
•    Debbie Lee Medal (VFLW Rising Star)
•    Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal (VFL Rising Star)
•    Ann Rulton VFLW Volunteer of the Year
•    Alex Gillon VFL Volunteer of the Year
•    Life Membership
•    VFL/VFA Games Record Special Presentation
•    Umpires of the Year

Four teams remain in contention for the VFL premiership, with Gold Coast Suns hosting Box Hill Hawks in the first preliminary final from 3pm on Saturday, September 16 at Heritage Bank Stadium on the Gold Coast. In the earlier game at 12pm on the same day, Werribee locks horns with Brisbane Lions at Avalon Airport Oval.

The VFL Grand Final venue has already been confirmed as Ikon Park, with the match to be played on Sunday, September 24. However, in the scenario that both Queensland teams win their respective preliminary finals, then the match will take place at the same venue as last year’s AFL Women’s Grand Final, Brighton Homes Arena in Springfield.

For the VFL Women’s, the competition wrapped up in July, with Port Melbourne defeating minor premiers Collingwood in the decider, taking home the flag at North Port Oval, the Borough’s first women’s flag in that competition.