Ally Anderson has capped off a dream season by claiming the Lions Best and Fairest just days after an historic AFLW premiership triumph in an Indigenous guernsey she designed.
She follows in the footsteps of Club legends Michael Voss and Simon Black to have been named best and fairest in a premiership season.
Irish import Orla O’Dwyer underlined her rapid improvement with a second-place finish in the tightest vote count in the Club’s AFLW history.
Anderson was presented the award by coach Craig Starcevich and Chairman Andrew Wellington at an intimate function at Mirra in The Valley.
The 2019 winner capped of a stunning season by also being named the Club’s best finals player.
Anderson, at 27-years-of-age, is already an All Australian, the Club’s second dual Best and Fairest winner and is now an AFLW premiership player.
Lions’ AFLW Head of Football Breeanna Brock said she deserved every platitude that came her way because of her incredible consistency and commitment to continuous improvement.
And, she has given a warning to the rest of the competition that the clever midfielder’s best is yet to come.
“It was another fantastic season for Ally, she is the epitome of professionalism,’’ she said.
“She just keeps on getting better and better every season is probably only just now hitting the peak of her career.
“It was the closest count we’ve ever had, it came down to the last game.’’
Brock said the entire Club were thrilled for Anderson who had just completed the kind of season dreams are made of.
“It is a great honour to win it in a premiership year,’’ she said.
“But that is fitting, because Ally plays consistently week in and week out,
and that reflects what we stand for as a team.
“And it is great that she gets to win a premiership in a guernsey she designed and then follow it up with a Best and Fairest, it was just an amazing year for her.’’
