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.

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

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]
2021	Brianna Davey	Collingwood	2021 AFLW Players' most valuable player 2021 AFL Women's All-Australian team (c) 2021 Collingwood best and fairest	15	^[6]
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

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

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

External links

AFLW Awards

[S7Guide-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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