After a successful season on-field, check all the winners from our Season 7 Best & Fairest.
MVP for Best Lion Afield – Presented by Bond University
Every week of the AFLW season fans were given the opportunity to select their most valuable player of the AFLW round. This was proudly sponsored by Bond University.
At the end of the season, the player with the most votes is awarded the MVP for the Best Lion Afield.
Midfield machine, Cathy Svarc is the Season 7 recipient after a sensational year. Averaging 9.3 tackles a game and 11.1 disposals, the 31-year-old didn’t take a backwards step, often lifting her team through her physicality and attack on the contest.
Rising Star Award
This season the Best First Year Award has been renamed to be the Rising Star Award. The new criteria for the award is that any player who has played under 25 games no matter their age is eligible to win.
After cutting her teeth in Season Six, this season saw Ruby Svarc go from strength to strength, with the pressure forward being rewarded with the Best First Year Player Award for Season 7.
A tackling queen like her older sister, Svarc impressed the league with her heroic effort in the Lions win over North in Round 7.
The 29-year-old dashed off the half-back, showcasing her lightning pace before laying a superb tackle deep in the forward half, earning herself a free kick before kicking her side into the lead with a crucial goal.
Svarc played every game of the season and brought a level of X-Factor to the Lions side that will excite fans heading into next year.
All for One Award
The All for One Award is awarded to the player that demonstrates all the Club values of High Performance, Cutting Edge, Care and Connected.
Following a standout year, it’s little surprise that rising star, Jade Ellenger, is Season 7’s recipient.
Popular amongst the group and consistently improving, the 22-year-old took her game to another level this season. Averaging 10.4 disposals and 2.9 tackles a game, Ellenger brought an important versatility to the side, played across half-back, wing and half-forward at various times.
Her stand-out game came in Round 1, where the speedster collected a career-high 17 disposals and three clearances alongside three tackles.
Most Relentless Player Award
Formerly known as the ‘Most Courageous Award’ is awarded to the player who overcomes adversity and never gives up, is courageous and lionhearted.
It should come as no surprise that Season 7’s recipient is fearless defender, Kate Lutkins.
After a cruel ACL injury cut her Season 6 campaign short, the determined veteran recovered in just eight months and became a key cog of the Lions defensive machine.
A leader through her actions, Lutkins return in Round 6 was the spark the Lions needed. Coming off the back of a shock loss to Richmond the week prior, Brisbane would go on to win every game in the rest of the home and away season and earning themselves a place in the Grand Final.
In better news for Lions fans, Lutkins announced to the playing group that despite speculation, she would continue her career in 2023.
Most Competitive Player Award
The most competitive player award is given to the player who displays a ruthless, merciless, aggressive, and fierce attitude throughout the season.
With previous winners including the likes of; Kate Lutkins, Nat Grider, Dakota Davidson, Belle Dawes, the coveted award speaks volumes of a players ferocity at the contest and hunger to win.
In Season 7, Courtney Hodder’s tenacious hunt for the footy was unmatched, earning her the Most Competitive Award.
Averaging 5.3 tackles a game, Hodder’s forward-half pressure was a standout for fans and experts alike, highlighted by her career-high 10 tackle performance against Hawthorn in Round 9.
A force to be reckoned with when the ball hits the deck, Hodder kicked 11 goals in Season 7 and laid 69 tackles.
Trademark Player Award
Much like the AFL Players Association’s annual MVP, the Trademark Player of the Year Award (formally the Players' Player Award) is voted on ‘by’ the players ‘for’ the players. This award is very proudly supported by the Brisbane Lions Supporters Club Sunshine Coast Inc.
Each week, the players were asked to vote on who they felt best reflected the values they strive for as a group. There was a great emphasis placed on acts that benefited the team as a whole and not necessarily the individual.
The player with the most votes each week wins, then the player who accumulates the most votes over the season is the overall winner of the award.
It would come as little surprise to most that Bre Koenen was voted Trademark Player of the Year by her teammates.
The Brisbane Lions captain naturally personifies all that this award is about.
Koenen leads by example in living by the team values and is someone who always puts her team and teammates first.
The 27-year-old plays the same way, which has led her to being one of the most respected and highly rated defenders in the competition.
Receiving awards would likely make Koenen feel uncomfortable, as she does what she does for the benefit of the team, and that’s why her teammates voted for.
Best Finals Player
The Best Finals Player recognises the player who has polled the most votes across the finals campaign with the same criteria that the AFLW Best & Fairest is awarded.
Star midfielder Emily Bates has been named Best Finals Player after continuing her stellar form from home and away season into the finals.
Bates started the finals in blistering form as she led from the front in the Qualifying Final win over Richmond, gathering 21 disposals and eight tackles.
After a week off, the reigning Club Best and Fairest winner was a standout against Adelaide in the Preliminary Final as he 22 possessions helped the Lions book a spot in the Grand Final.
Desperate to help Brisbane win its second AFLW Premiership, Bates picked up 15 touches and applied her relentless pressure with seven tackles.
It was again Bates’ work-rate and consistency that saw her named Best Finals Player.
Best & Fairest Runner-Up
When deciding on the Best & Fairest winner, the Senior Coach and Assistant Coaches allocate votes based on the player’s overall performance, influence on the game, team contribution/role and compliance with our Team Values and the core areas of the Game Plan.
After an incredible season, Ally Anderson has taken out Runner-Up honours in this season’s count.
Having been named the AFLW Best & Fairest just last week, the proud Ghangalu woman rarely put a foot wrong in Season 7, leading her team to a Grand Final berth with her ruthless work rate and multiple best on ground performances.
The 28-year-old averaged 21.4 disposals, including a career-high 31 touches against Hawthorn and laid an average of 5.3 tackles a game, a credit to her balance of attacking and defensive work.
The star midfielder previously won the Lions Best & Fairest Award in 2019 and 2021 and has finished third in 2018 and in Season 6.
