FRIDAY night will see the Blues come together to celebrate a rollercoaster campaign and give awards to the standout performers.
With so many great talents discovered in the VFLW, the best and fairest for the 2022 season is set to be a close count.
This year’s count is set to have a wide variety of vote getters following a season where 41 players pulled on the navy-blue jumper throughout the 14 games.
From AFLW-listed players like Poppy Schaap and Imogen Milford, to young stars from the Northern Knights like Brooke Plummer and Rylie Wilcox, there were plenty who took their game to the next level in 2022.
Nadia Moore proved to be a stalwart in defence this season alongside Bryannen Gurr who got better with every game.
The midfield duo of Amelia Klingbeil and Lily Goss were stellar throughout the campaign with great support from the likes of Madeleine Di Cosmo and Ashlee Thorneycroft, with all four among the contenders for the award.
It’s sure to be a fascinating count.
Friday night will see the following awards presented:
Best and Fairest Award:
The award reserved for the best-and-fairest player over the course of the season is the Club’s highest individual honour.
Across the course of the season, the Senior Coach, along with three assistants, vote for as many players as they feel warrant a vote for each game on the following scale:
4 votes – outstanding performance
3 votes – excellent performance
2 votes – above expectation performance
1 vote – expected performance (trademark game)
A player can receive a maximum of four votes from four coaches, giving a maximum of 16 possible votes each round.
2021 winner: Akayla Peterson
Rookie of the Year Award
The best first-year player is awarded to the individual that has had the biggest impact during their first season.
As voted by the coaching group, this player must have made an impact on performance and standards both on and off the field.
2021 winner: Paige Trudgeon
Coaches’ Award:
Voted by the Senior Coach in conjunction with the entire coaching group, the Coaches’ Award is presented to the player that has the greatest impact on team performance and has also had a positive impact on those around them throughout the course of the season.
2021 winner: Steph Lawrence
Most Valuable Bluebagger Award:
The Most Valuable Bluebagger award is voted by the players and awarded to the player who lives the club and team values most consistently throughout the season.
2021 winner: Jen Lew
Benjamin Hann is a student at La Trobe University, undergoing his Bachelor of Media and Communications (Sports Journalism). He is currently undertaking an internship at the Carlton Football Club as part of its partnership with La Trobe University.
