List of AFL Women's best and fairest winners

The AFL Women's best and fairest is awarded to the best and fairest player in the AFL Women's (AFLW) during the home-and-away season, as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game. It is the most prestigious award for individual players in the AFL Women's. It is also widely acknowledged as the highest individual honour in women's Australian rules football.

Erin Phillips was the inaugural winner of the award in 2017, and won it again in 2019.

The award has been awarded every year since 2017. Erin Phillips of the Adelaide Football Club was the inaugural winner of the award.[1]

List of winners

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From left to right, top to bottom: 2018 winner Emma Kearney, 2020 winner Madison Prespakis, 2021 joint winners Kiara Bowers and Brianna Davey, season 6 winner Emily Bates, season 7 winner Ally Anderson and 2023 winner Monique Conti
Season Player Team Other accolades won during the same season Votes Ref.
2017 Erin Phillips Adelaide 2017 AFL Women's premiership (c)
2017 AFL Women's Grand Final best-on-ground
2017 AFLW Players' most valuable player
2017 AFL Women's All-Australian team
2017 Adelaide Club Champion
2017 AFL Women's Goal of the Year
14 [2]
2018 Emma Kearney Western Bulldogs 2018 AFL Women's premiership
2018 AFL Women's All-Australian team
2018 Western Bulldogs best and fairest
14 [3]
2019 Erin Phillips (2) Adelaide 2019 AFL Women's premiership (c)
2019 AFL Women's Grand Final best-on-ground
2019 AFLW Players' most valuable player
2019 AFLW Coaches' champion player of the year
2019 AFL Women's All-Australian team (c)
2019 Adelaide Club Champion
19 [4]
2020 Madison Prespakis Carlton 2020 AFL Women's All-Australian team
2020 Carlton best and fairest
2020 AFL Women's 22under22 team
15 [5]
2021 Kiara Bowers Fremantle 2021 AFLW Coaches' champion player of the year
2021 AFL Women's All-Australian team
2021 Fremantle best and fairest
15 [6]
Brianna Davey Collingwood 2021 AFLW Players' most valuable player
2021 AFL Women's All-Australian team (c)
2021 Collingwood best and fairest
2022 (S6) Emily Bates Brisbane 2022 season 6 AFLW Players' most valuable player
2022 season 6 AFLW Coaches' champion player of the year
2022 AFL Women's season 6 All-Australian team
2022 season 6 Brisbane best and fairest
21 [7]
2022 (S7) Ally Anderson Brisbane 21 [8]
2023 Monique Conti Richmond 2023 AFL Women's All-Australian team 23 [9]

Voting system

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The voting system for the award has remained the same since its inception in 2017, and is the same as that which has been used for the Australian Football League (AFL)'s Brownlow Medal from 1931–1975 and 1978–present. In this system, the three field umpires confer after each home-and-away match and award three votes, two votes and one vote to the players they regard as the best, second-best and third-best in the match, respectively.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Lovett, Michael (ed.). AFL Record – 2022 NAB AFLW Season 7 Season Guide. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-6484651-8-8.
  2. ^ Navaratnam, Dinny (28 March 2017). "Simply the best: Phillips named AFLW finest". afl.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. ^ Navaratnam, Dinny (27 March 2018). "W Awards: Dogs star named League B&F". afl.com.au. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Phillips crowned AFLW's best for a second time". womens.afl. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. ^ McGowan, Marc (28 April 2020). "Young Blue caps incredible rise with top gong". womens.afl. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  6. ^ Black, Sarah (20 April 2021). "History makers: Magpies co-captain, Dockers superstar share AFLW B&F". womens.afl. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  7. ^ Black, Sarah (5 April 2022). "LION QUEEN: Bates crowned AFLW's best in nailbiting count". womens.afl. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  8. ^ Smith, Martin (22 November 2022). "Lions Queen: Anderson crowned the league's best after a thrilling count". womens.afl. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  9. ^ Vinall, Marnie (27 November 2023). "Cross-code superstar Conti wins the AFLW's biggest award; Garner 'officially invisible'". The Age. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  10. ^ "AFLW Awards". womens.afl. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
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