WEST Adelaide’s Zoe Venning is officially a SANFL Women’s League Best and Fairest winner after pipping South Adelaide’s Soriah Moon in the final game of the count to secure the win by one vote. Venning polled 24 votes with Moon on 23, while retiring superstar and past winner Jessica Bates (20 votes) finished third.

The 21-year-old Venning described her love for the Bloods and admitted she had not planned a speech not expecting to win. “I’m in shock. I did not expect it one bit, not at all,” she said upon accepting the medal.

Venning trailed by one vote heading into the last round but after Moon failed to poll in a loss to West Adelaide, it came down to the Bloods’ win over Glenelg. With baited breath around the room, Venning was awarded the two votes to just clear Moon in an enthralling finish.

The West Adelaide midfielder actually shared the lead at the first break with Eagles gun Christina Leuzzi, while Moon and Bates were just two off the pace with Sturt star Isobel Kuiper also in the mix. The quartet all polled prominently throughout teh night until Leuzzi departed the SANFLW for the Crows.

After 11 round its was essentially between Venning and Moon (20 votes apiece) and Bates (16), with thw Glenelg champion drawing closer but still being one vote short of a potential win heading into the final round. In the end Venning took home the medal, with all the other aforementioned players rounding out the top five. Venning’s West Adelaide teammate Hannah Button and North Adelaide’s Julia Clark were other players in the teens votes.

The medal capped off a big night for Venning who was named in the SANFLW Team of the Year on the wing, while Moon, Leuzzi, Bates and Kuiper made up the midfield. Leuzzi was named captain with Bates vice-captain.

Eagles young gun and South Australian skipper Imogen Trengove was awarded the Breakthrough Player after an ultra-consistent season that included 10 goals for the ladder-leading Woodville-West Torrens. Trengove was nominated in Round 3 after booting three goals in a dominant nine-goal victory over Central District.

Former SANFLW Best and Fairest winner and Glenelg champion Bates took out the Leadership Award, with the retiring midfielder being among three nominees from their respective clubs. West Adelaide’s Sarah Campbell and Norwood’s Jazmine Egan were the other nominees.

2025 SANFLW BEST AND FAIREST

1. Zoe Venning (West Adelaide) – 24 votes
2. Sorian Moon (South Adelaide) – 23 votes
3. Jess Bates (Glenelg) – 20 votes
4. Isobel Kuiper (Sturt) – 19 votes
5. Hannah Button (West Adelaide) – 16 votes
6. Christina Leuzzi (Woodville-West Torrens) – 14 votes
7. Julia Clark (North Adelaide) – 12 votes
8. Leah Cutting (Woodville-West Torrens) – 9 votes

2025 SANFLW TEAM OF THE YEAR

B: Jaslynne Smith (South Adelaide) – Jamie Parish (North Adelaide)
HB: Laela Ebert (North Adelaide) – Tiffany King (South Adelaide) – Maia Freemantle (WWT Eagles)
C: Zoe Venning (West Adelaide) – Christina Leuzzi (WWT Eagles) (c) – Monique Bessen (Sturt)
HF: Imogen Trengove (WWT Eagles) – Katelyn Rosenzweig (Central District) – Jade Halfpenny (Norwood)
F: Lucy Waye (West Adelaide) – Klaudia O’Neill (WWT Eagles)
R: Soriah Moon (South Adelaide) – Jess Bates (Glenelg) (vc) – Isobel Kuiper (Sturt)
INT: Taya Maxwell (South Adelaide) – Emma Charlton (South Adelaide) – Hannah Button (West Adelaide) – Kiana Lee (Norwood) – Lucy Moore (WWT Eagles)

Coach: Narelle Smith (WWT Eagles)

AWARD WINNERS:

SANFLW Best and Fairest:
Leading Goalkicker: Katelyn Rosenzweig (Central District) 27 goals
Breakthrough Player: Imogen Trengove (WWT Eagles)
Leadership Award: Jess Bates (Glenelg)
Coaches Award: Christina Leuzzi (WWT Eagles)