The high achievers of the 2019 South Eastern Women’s Football (SEWF) season have been acknowledged at a unique event held at The Last Piece Café in Mulgrave on Tuesday night.
The setting – overlooking Hawthorn’s training ground at the previously named VFL Park – provided the perfect backdrop for a cocktail-style event that toasted this year’s award winners.
Best and fairest winners from all three divisions were announced, with the division two award producing a tie with Hastings’ gun Zoe Mitchell locked on 25 votes with Kate Thompson from Tyabb.
Mitchell has a great league best and fairest record, finishing runner-up in the division three award in 2017 before the claiming the trophy last year.
The step up to division two didn’t stop the Hastings number three, tying with Thompson who has bigger fish to fry in this Sunday’s grand final battle against Murrumbeena.
Division One Best and Fairest winner Alex Whitehead, centre, with AFLW stars Georgia Gee and Tyla Hanks. Pictures: Gary Bradshaw/Frankie Photography
Joint Division Two Best and Fairest winners, Kate Thompson, left, and Zoe Mitchell, with Georgia Gee.
Division Three Best and Fairest winner Lauren Hojnacki, right, with Melbourne AFLW player Tyla Hanks.
The division one and division three winners will also be prominent at Shepley Oval on Sunday with St Kilda’s Alex Whitehead polling 19 votes to win the division one award, while Pakenham midfielder Lauren Hojnacki polled the same total to take out the division three award.
Whitehead’s Sharks take on back-to-back reigning champions Eastern Devils in the division one season-decider, while Hojnacki will lead the Lions’ midfield into battle against Karingal.
Leading goalkickers were also acknowledged across all divisions with Georgia Harris, Aisling Muir and Alisha Rees taking home top honours, while Bass Coast star Sophie Bolding took home the coveted MVP Award.
Seaford trainer Wi Tua was acknowledged for his years of service to the Seaford Women’s Football Club by being crowned Volunteer of the Year, while the 2019 Team of the Year showcased the quality on show in SEWF on a weekly basis.
John Law from the Eastern Devils was announced as Team of the Year coach, while Seaford’s Bronwyn Rogan rubber-stamped a great season of football – being named as captain.
Murrumbeena player Ash Gardner did a wonderful job as MC, with AFLW players Tyla Hanks (Melbourne) and Georgia Gee (Carlton) interviewed before handing out awards.
Grand Final Schedule
Sunday September 8 – Shepley Oval, Dandenong
11am – Division Three
Pakenham (1) v Karingal (2)
1pm – Division Two
Tyabb (1) v Murrumbeena (2)
3pm – Division One
Eastern Devils (1) v St Kilda Sharks (2)
SOUTH EASTERN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL – AWARD WINNERS | |||
BEST AND FAIREST WINNERS | PLAYER | CLUB | VOTES |
Division One | Alexandra Whitehead | St Kilda Sharks | 19 |
Division Two | Zoe Mitchell | Hastings | 25 |
Kate Thompson | Tyabb | 25 | |
Division Three | Lauren Hojnacki | Pakenham | 19 |
LEADING GOAL KICKERS | PLAYER | CLUB | GOALS |
Division One | Georgia Harris | St Kilda Sharks | 34 |
Division Two | Aisling Muir | Murrumbeena | 27 |
Division Three | Alisha Rees | Frankston | 17 |
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – MVP | Sophie Bolding | Bass Coast | |
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR | Wi Tua | Seaford | |
SEWF TEAM OF THE YEAR | PLAYER | CLUB | |
Back Pocket | Cassandra Papadopoulos | Eastern Devils | |
Full Back | Jas Rolland | Mornington | |
Back Pocket | Sarah Fraser-Jones | Seaford | |
Half Back | Belinda Ousley | Port Melbourne | |
Centre Half Back | Meg Macdonald | Seaford | |
Half Back | Claire Burgess | Cranbourne | |
Wing | Sophie Bolding | Bass Coast | |
Centre | Alex Whitehead | St Kilda Sharks | |
Wing | Sarah McNamara | Eastern Devils | |
Half Forward | Jess Gardner | St Kilda Sharks | |
Centre Half Forward | Alice Nagtzaam | Cranbourne | |
Half Forward | Nayely Borg | Port Melbourne | |
Forward Pocket | Olivia Aing | Eastern Devils | |
Full Forward | Georgia Harris | St Kilda Sharks | |
Forward Pocket | Tahlia Fellows | Cranbourne | |
Ruck | Natalie Bjelan | Eastern Devils | |
Ruck Rover | Amanda Walsh | St Kilda Sharks | |
Rover | Bronwyn Rogan | Seaford | |
Interchange-1 | Charlotte Bolding | Bass Coast | |
Interchange-2 | Morgan Bain | Mornington | |
Interchange-3 | Taylah Watson | St Kilda Sharks | |
Interchange-4 | Danielle Lawrence | Seaford | |
Captain | Bronwyn Rogan | Seaford | |
Coach | John Law | Eastern Devils |