The eighth edition of the Club’s AFLW Best & Fairest will be held on Tuesday night as the Pies celebrate the 2023 season.
While finishing 11th wasn’t the outcome set out at the start of the season, there were plenty of positives including the strong returns of Bri Davey and Brittany Bonnici, and the strong first season in Pies colours from Nell Morris-Dalton.
With plenty of contenders in the running for all the awards on offer, here is a full run down on what to expect.
What awards are being presented?
- AFLW Best & Fairest, Runner Up and Third Place: Presented to the top three in the B&F count.
- Best First Year Player: Presented to the player adjudged to have had the best maiden season in black and white.
- Players’ Player Award: Voted on by their peers, this is presented to the player/s adjudged to have had the best season across the board.
- Side-by-Side Award: Presented to the staff member who best represents the team’s values and puts others first.
How can I follow along?
While the event is not being live streamed, Collingwood’s AFLW social channels will provide constant updates and award winners throughout the night.
Make sure to follow @collingwoodaflw on X (formerly Twitter) for live updates.
Who are the B&F contenders?
Sarah Rowe: Rowe’s sixth season in Collingwood colours was arguably her best, patrolling the wing in all 10 games. The 28-year-old averaged 18 disposals including an average of 15 kicks per game, while she recorded 43 tackles for the year. Celebrating her 50th game in Round Seven against Carlton, Rowe confirmed her status as one of the side’s most pivotal players.
Brittany Bonnici: Having not played for 18 months coming into this year’s Round One clash with Melbourne, few could have expected Bonnici would immediately reach the heights of her already storied career. But the courageous midfielder hit the ground running, averaging 18 disposals across the season and leading from the front in the midfield. The Vice-Captain reached her 50-game milestone in Round Three against Gold Coast, while a 22-disposal, one-goal effort against Carlton was crucial.
Bri Davey: Much like Bonnici, Davey had been absent from the game for over 18 months. You wouldn’t have known it though, with the Pies skipper recording a whopping 35 touches in her return game in Round One. The ever-reliable Davey was strong throughout all 10 games, while also hitting the scoreboard in five separate games in 2023.
Mikala Cann: Known as the ‘bull’ in the midfield, Cann continued to be at her contested best in 2023. Averaging 18 touches a game to go with seven tackles. A match-winning goal in Round Six against Brisbane – which was also her 50th game – was Cann’s season highlight.
Sabrina Frederick: Adopting a new role full-time in the ruck in 2023, Frederick produced one of the best seasons of her career. Averaging 29 hit outs per game, Frederick gave silver service to the midfield and made her way forward at times as well. 39 hit outs and two goals against the Swans in Round Nine was the tall’s best performance of the year.
Past winners:
2017: Nicola Stevens
2018: Chloe Molloy
2019: Jaimee Lambert
2020: Jaimee Lambert
2021: Brianna Davey
2022 (S6): Jaimee Lambert
2022 (S7): Jordy Allen
