Adelaide superstar Ebony Marinoff has capped off a stellar season by winning her first AFLW Best and Fairest.

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Just an hour after claiming her seventh All-Australian blazer, Marinoff, a three-time premiership player and the AFLW’s all-time games record holder, added to her glittering resume with the competition’s top individual honour.

In a tight count, Marinoff (23 votes), the hot favourite going in, narrowly beat out North Melbourne’s Ash Riddell (20), who was seen as the Crows star’s biggest threat.

With it, Marinoff became the first Crow since dual winner Erin Phillips (2017 and 2019) to take out the major award.

It came after a career-best season for the 27-year old, averaging personal best numbers across the board in disposals (30.5), contested possessions (16.5), tackles (12.4), clearances (6.5) and pressure acts (26.7) and polling votes in 11 home and away games.

As expected, the star Kangaroos double-act of Riddell and Jasmine Garner were again their own worst enemies on the league’s night of nights, with Garner – despite managing only 10 votes – outpolling Riddell in the final rounds to ensure victory for Marinoff.

AFL boss Andrew Dillon had to pause the count during Round 5 when the perpetually overlooked Garner finally polled her first votes, prompting a wave of prolonged cheers from across the room at Crown Palladium.

Marinoff acknowledged both Garner and Riddell for their fantastic seasons, but pointed out she had a similar vote-pinching arrangement with teammate Anne Hatchard.

“One day Jassy (Garner) will be up here, and Ash (Riddell) you had an amazing year,” Marinoff said after accepting the medal.

“To go into battle with the best, that’s what I love doing.”

The Adelaide product from the inner-west suburb of Lockleys, who joined the Crows as a foundation player, thanked her family and friends – particularly her mum for allowing her to switch from netball to football as a kid.

“I played netball how I played footy … too many contacts,” she said.

“I’m a proud South Australian, to be able to play for the club I support and be there for the success … for the crew watching back home, I wish you could be here, because I’m sure we’ll party hard with Hannah (Mungard) winning goal of the year as well.”

Marinoff was open in her disappointment at the Crows losing to Brisbane in their preliminary final 48 hours earlier.

“To be standing up here is not where I want to be, I want to be back in Adelaide preparing for a grand final, so I’m envious of Brisbane and North Melbourne for sure,” she said.

“You’re proud, but you’re disappointed. Make sure that we grind away in the off-season, because you don’t play to be up here, you play to win premierships.

“I think (the medal) just goes to hard work. I’m a really competitive person and I have incredible drive to get the best out of myself, both on and off the field. Head down, bump up, get to work.”

Essendon’s Madi Prespakis finished third with 18 votes followed by Hawthorn’s Emily Bates, Richmond’s reigning winner Monique Conti and Bomber Georgia Nanscawen in equal fourth with 17 votes.

Prespakis and Nanscawen were the big surprises of the count as they consistently stood out for the 2024 finalists.

2024 AFLW Best and Fairest results

Ebony Marinoff – 23 votes

Ash Riddell – 20

Madison Prespakis – 18

Emily Bates – 17

Monique Conti – 17

Georgia Nanscawen – 17

EARLIER ….

Munyard kicks Goal of the Year

Adelaide’s Hannah Munyard claimed the Goal of the Year award for her epic goal against St Kilda in Week 6.

Munyard received a handball from a teammate out on the boundary on the half forward flank. She then ran towards goal and nailed the banana kick from the boundary line through the big sticks before celebrating with gusto.

She beat out fellow finalists Gemma Houghton (Port Adelaide) and Deanna Berry (Western Bulldogs).

The 23-year old received a $500,000 prize, with $10,000 also donated to Munyard’s community club, Mt Barker Football Club.

Scholz adds to big night with Mark of the Year

Rising Star winner Matilda Scholz continued here big night, taking out Mark of the Year honours.

Scholtz took her huge screamer against Collingwood in Week 7, soaring above a huge pack at the top of the goalsquare and clunking the ball before kicking the goal.

She beat out fellow finalists Mattea Breed (Hawthorn) Rachel Kearns (Geelong Cats) to claim the $50,000 prize.

Garner, Marinoff lead All-Australian team

Star midfielders Jasmine Garner (captain) and Ebony Marinoff (vice-captain) lead this year’s AFLW All-Australian team with their seventh selections.

Garner and Marinoff join Emma Kearney as the only other AFLP player to be named in seven or more All-Australians.

Just eight players retained their spots from the 2023 team, with Richmond’s Monique Conti and Had Hawthorn duo Eliza West and Emily Bates overlooked.

B: Chelsea Biddell (Adel), Brenna Tarrant (Syd)

HB: Tilly Lucas-Rodd (Haw), Emma O’Driscoll (Frem), Maddison Gay (Ess)

C: Sophie Conway (BL), Ash Riddell (NM), Ella Roberts (WCE)

HF: Aisling McCarthy (Frem), Aishling Moloney (Geel), Aileen Gilroy (Haw)

F: Caitlin Gould (Adel), Taylor Smith (BL)

FOL: Mim Strom (Frem), Jasmine Garner – C (NM), Ebony Marinoff – VC (Adel)

INT: Chelsea Randall (Adel), Charlie Rowbottom (GC), Ally Anderson (BL), Isabel Dawes (BL), Alice O’Loughlin (NM)

Club representation: Adelaide Crows (4), Brisbane Lions (4), Essendon (1), Fremantle (3), Geelong Cats (1), Gold Coast Suns (1), Hawthorn (2), North Melbourne (3), Sydney Swans (1) and West Coast Eagles (1)

READ MORE HERE.

Scholz named Rising Star

Port Adelaide’s Matilda Scholz was crowned the AFLW Rising Star winner, receiving 57 out of a possible 60 votes to beat out teammate Shineah Goody (48 votes) and Essendon’s Amy Gaylor (26) on the podium.

The 19-year old ruck averaged 13.4 disposals, 22.2 hitouts, 4.6 clearances and 3.7 tackles per game to play a key role in Port’s run to a preliminary final.

2024 Telstra AFLW Rising Star voting

1st. Matilda Scholz (Port Adelaide) – 57 votes

2nd. Shineah Goody (Port Adelaide) – 48 votes

3rd. Amy Gaylor (Essendon) – 26 votes

4th. Lucy Cronin (Collingwood) – 22 votes

5th. Beth Schilling (West Coast Eagles) – 12 votes

Other major award winners

AFLW umpires Rising Star Award – Jordyn Pearson

Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award – Madeleine Scanlon (Fremantle)

BHP Community Coach of the Year Award winner – Malcolm Hales