Midfielder Amy McDonald claimed her third consecutive Geelong AFLW best and fairest on Friday night.
McDonald took out the award with 127 votes to finish ahead of Georgie Prespakis (123) and Nina Morrison (67).
McDonald took her game to another level in season seven, averaging 24.8 disposals a game, including 34 disposals in round 5 and round 10 – setting a new club record.
The accolade comes as no surprise in a season where she averaged 7.4 tackles and 6.8 clearances a game, with her ability to dodge and weave through traffic and break tackles a standout.
McDonald’s finest season to date was also capped off with her first All Australian selection and finishing fifth in the AFLPA MVP Award.
The star Cat is only the second player in Geelong’s history across men’s and women’s programs to win three consecutive Club Best and Fairest awards, after Dick Grigg won four awards from 1910-1914 (no award was presented in 1913).
AFLW senior coach Dan Lowther congratulated McDonald on another outstanding season.
“For Amy to be awarded her third best and fairest is an incredible achievement and something she should be really proud of,” he said.
“Amy looks at refining her game each week, so it’s no surprise that she has improved her output and ability to influence games across the season.
“In another consistent season, Amy was able to perform her role to an outstanding level while winning her own footy and driving her teammates to new levels.”
Other award winners on the night were Georgie Prespakis, taking home the AFLW Fan MVP Award after fans cast their votes for the player they deemed most valuable after each game during the home and away season.
Prespakis was also announced as the winner of the Grit Award, as voted by her teammates. Throughout the season, Cats players voted each week on who they believed showed the most ‘grit’ during games, throughout acts such as tackles, smothers, intercepts, gut running and pressure acts, with Prespakis receiving the most votes over the course of the season.
Mikayla Bowen won the Hoops award, which is awarded to the player making the best values-based contribution to the club, and voted on by players, AFLW staff and coaches.
Recipient of the award and in her first season at Geelong, Bowen was awarded for her commitment and dedication to the Club and her teammates.
Kate Darby and Georgie Rankin were announced as joint winners of the Carter Family Community Champion award.
