2023 Awards Season

[dejavoodoo44]

Laura Gardiner did manage to finish second in the overall coaches votes, behind Jasmine Garner of North Melbourne. She scored a 10 in the final match against Fremantle and was judged equal BOG against Collingwood with Sophia Hurley.

Best of the best: Garner secures legacy with unique triple crown - Best of the best: North Melbourne Jasmine Garner secures legacy with unique triple crown AFLCA Champion Player (https://www.afl.com.au/news/1062305)

I was a bit disappointed that Tanya Kennedy didn't poll against Collingwood, because I thought her defensive efforts against their mids were very strong. Oh well, at least she got a vote in the final game.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Laura Gardiner did manage to finish second in the overall coaches votes.
She has an extraordinary season Laura Gardiner | AFLW Stats (https://aflwstats.com.au/players/537) - she has to be this years Swans Moneyball recruit of the year.

[dejavoodoo44]

She has an extraordinary season Laura Gardiner | AFLW Stats (https://aflwstats.com.au/players/537) - she has to be this years Swans Moneyball recruit of the year.
Yes, while I didn't watch much of Geelong last season, I don't recall her being rated as a potential star. So the recruitment staff must be overjoyed with her development.

[liz]

Five Swans feature in AFLW 22Under22 squad (https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1462714/five-players-feature-in-aflw-22under22-squad)

The headline pretty much tells the story.

We have such a young team, and have performed so well, that it's not a surprise to see a healthy representation in the squad. I was, maybe, surprised to see Hamilton's name there. She's had a good season, and it's gotten better as the season progressed, but I think Hurley has had a better season. I guess it comes down to positions. There is probably more competition for spots in the midfield (for Hurley) than the forward line (for Hamilton).

I have to keep reminding myself how young McEvoy is, young enough to qualify for recognition like this. I guess it's in part because she looks older than she is, but also because she plays like a veteran, not a younger player.

[liz]

Yes, while I didn't watch much of Geelong last season, I don't recall her being rated as a potential star. So the recruitment staff must be overjoyed with her development.

From everything I've read, her ball winning ability at VFL level was always there. As an 18yo she made the VFL team of the year. And while she did break into the Cats' AFLW side, she wasn't getting a run in their stacked midfield.

I've linked the article below as a good summary of the kind of impact she was having at the lower level early in her career. It highlights her as one to watch for the upcoming 2022 AFLW season. But while she did manage to play all ten games for Geelong in the 2022 AFLW season, her stats (which you can see on her page on the Swans site) indicate she wasn't playing in the midfield.

2022 AFLW 10 under 10 to watch: Laura Gardiner - Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central (https://central.rookieme.com/afl/2022/08/01/2022-aflw-10-under-10-to-watch-laura-gardiner/)

[stellation]

Five Swans feature in AFLW 22Under22 squad (https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1462714/five-players-feature-in-aflw-22under22-squad)

The headline pretty much tells the story.

We have such a young team, and have performed so well, that it's not a surprise to see a healthy representation in the squad. I was, maybe, surprised to see Hamilton's name there. She's had a good season, and it's gotten better as the season progressed, but I think Hurley has had a better season. I guess it comes down to positions. There is probably more competition for spots in the midfield (for Hurley) than the forward line (for Hamilton).

I have to keep reminding myself how young McEvoy is, young enough to qualify for recognition like this. I guess it's in part because she looks older than she is, but also because she plays like a veteran, not a younger player.
I'm with you on McEvoy- I know she's young, but still did a little double take seeing here there given just how mature she seems when playing.

[Mel_C]

Yes, while I didn't watch much of Geelong last season, I don't recall her being rated as a potential star. So the recruitment staff must be overjoyed with her development.

I asked my brother the other week whether Gardiner was this good when he watched Geelong games last year, and he said she didn't stand out like she has with us. But as Liz said, she is playing a different position with us.

[Mel_C]

Five Swans feature in AFLW 22Under22 squad (https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1462714/five-players-feature-in-aflw-22under22-squad)

.....

I have to keep reminding myself how young McEvoy is, young enough to qualify for recognition like this. I guess it's in part because she looks older than she is, but also because she plays like a veteran, not a younger player.

I was also surprised at how young McEvoy is.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Chloe Molloy, Laura Gardiner and dah-de-dah-dah Ally Morphett are in the AFLW AA squad.

[liz]

Four Swans named in 22Under22 team (https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1467993/four-swans-named-in-22under22-team)

Four of our women have made the final 22 and under team of the year - Morphett, Heads, McEvoy and Gardiner. Of those nominated only Hamilton missed out.

Congratulations to them.

[liz]

Molloy, Morphett and Gardiner all recognised in the AA team tonight. That’s especially remarkable for Morphett given she missed three games.

Molloy finished equal second in the B&F count on 16 votes but a long long way behind Richmond’s Monique Conti (who had no one on her team taking votes away from her).

Other Swans to poll votes were Morphett, Gardiner, Privitelli and Cyn Hamilton.

Morphett was pipped by one single vote for the Rising Star award, which was won by GWS's Goldsworthy. That makes it a clean sweep for NSW - not just as host clubs but as state of origin (I think Goldsworthy is from Albury). The two of them split the 5 and 4 votes from the individual voters, but with Goldsworthy getting the odd-numbered five voter to pip Morphett. Again, quite remarkable that nearly half the judges thought Ally was the deserved winner based on just seven games out of ten.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Goldsworthy played all 10 games this season, so Morph's one vote loss after playing only 7 (or 6 is you discount the wrist game) was remarkable. So glad she's signed on for four years now.

Chloe finishing second was ood too. The press made comment about some of the AFLW voting, mainly regarding Norths Garner - who won the coaches award.

On the other hand the Coaches award only had 1 single Swan in the top 20 (Laura Gardiner) - so I guess perception is everything.
How a 28 posession, 8 mark and 6 clerance game for a ruck is worth only 1 of 30 votes had me wondering about that award back in round 5.

[liz]

And now Gowans has been recognised as AFLCA AFLW coach of the year, sharing the award with Starcevich.

This might be churlish, but I'm a little surprised he didn't win it outright. I know Brisbane lost a couple of players coming into this season but their list didn't take much of a hit the year before so they've not been too badly affected by the rapid expansion. And yes, they're into another grand final - an admirable achievement - but they didn't have the most consistent season, losing a couple of games they wouldn't have expected to lose given the depth and quality on their list.

So yes, another excellent season from Brisbane, but not unexpectedly so compared to the gains Gowans achieved with our women coming off their debut season and with a list still far inferior to the "Big Three" (now a "Big Five").

Gowans & Starcevich crowned AFL Coaches Association AFLW Senior Coach of the Year (https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1471612/gowans-starcevich-crowned-afl-coaches-association-aflw-senior-coach-of-the-year)

[Ruck'n'Roll]

I was critical of his public pronouncements/trashtalk prior of the Giants prior to that GWS game, but if the coach cops the heat when a team underperforms then he should bask in the glory when they achieve a bucketload. Good on you Scotty.

[liz]

Unsurprisingly, Gardiner just won the Swans' 2023 B&F in a canter. Molloy was second, while Morphett managed third place despite only playing seven of twelve games (and one of those under duress).

For those who didn't watch the count, they used a very different voting system to that used for the men's team. Five coaches each vote 5-4-3-2-1 for each game, and then those votes are added together for the total votes for a player for that round. It meant that the aggregate votes awarded for each game were the same - whether we were smashed by Brisbane or Adelaide or we smashed the Western Bulldogs. It also meant that a lot of players didn't score a vote all season because none of the coaches deemed them in the best five for any particular game. But that doesn't mean they didn't make worthwhile contributions.

Gardiner also won the Players' Player award. Brenna Tarrant won the Best Player in the Finals, which probably reflects - in part - that against Adelaide the ball was pretty much parked in our defence. But she was certainly instrumental in stopping the scoreline get out to an even crueler margin.

Hurley was awarded the Rising Star award. The criteria required a player to have played 12 or fewer games before the season started, while ruled Morphett out of eligibility.

Best Clubperson was awarded to Maddy Collier.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Full Top #10 for B&F
1 Laura Gardiner
2 Chloe Molloy
3 Ally Morphett
4 Sofia Hurley
5 Lucy McEvoy
6 Tanya Kennedy
7 Brenna Tarrant
8 Rebecca Privitelli
9 Ella Heads
10 Cynthia Hamilton
Only possible surpise there for me was the absence of Lisa Steane, who had a better season than last year (when she came 9th) - but of course the bar rose considerably.