Davey, Bowers share AFLW best and fairest, Magpies dominate All-Australian team

For the first time in AFLW history, the two best players in the competition couldn’t be split with Collingwood co-captain Brianna Davey and Fremantle star Kiara Bowers tying for the league’s best and fairest with 15 votes apiece.

Davey didn’t poll in round one but then polled the maximum three votes in every game between rounds two and six, while Bowers polled consistently and landed a vote in round nine to force the tie.

Early leader and Western Bulldogs captain Ellie Blackburn and GWS young gun Alyce Parker had 14 votes apiece, while Melbourne gun Karen Paxman finished on 13.

Davey was named captain of the All-Australian team earlier in the night, recognising a season where she averaged 23.1 disposals and booted six goals.

Brianna Davey of the Collingwood Magpies has been named captain of the All-Australian AFLW team. Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Meanwhile Bowers was vice-captain after averaging 21.2 disposals and 10.3 tackles per game.

The Docker came close to being ineligible for the award after she was suspended for a dangerous tackle on Melbourne’s Eden Zanker but had her one-match ban overturned at the AFL tribunal.

The 29-year-old was one of Fremantle’s first signings but missed the first two AFLW seasons through knee injuries before coming to the fore, finishing second behind Maddison Prespakis in last year’s best and fairest.

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Earlier in the night, Melbourne young gun Tyla Hanks has been named the 2021 AFLW Rising Star.

Hanks won the award with 48 votes, ahead of Richmond’s Ellie McKenzie (32), West Coast’s Mikayla Bowen (22), St Kilda’s Tyanna Smith (19) and Brisbane’s Nat Grider (10).

Pick No.6 in the 2018 AFLW draft, Hanks had previously played seven games in 2019 and another seven in 2020 but reaped the rewards of shifting into the midfield in 2021.

The 21-year-old played every game for the Demons and was nominated for the Rising Star in round two when she collected 19 disposals and laid five tackles against Richmond.

Across the regular season, Hanks averaged 19.1 disposals and 4.9 tackles, becoming a crucial part of the on-ball mix that ultimately pushed the Demons into a preliminary final.

Hanks finished 11th in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year, was named in the 40-player All-Australian squad and also named in the AFLPA’s 22 under-22 team.

To be eligible for nomination for the AFLW Rising Star, a player must be under 21 years of age on January 1 of that year and not have been previously nominated.

2021 AFLW ALL-AUSTRALIAN TEAM

FB: Sarah Allan (Adelaide), Meghan McDonald (Geelong)

HB: Ruby Schleicher (Collingwood), Kate Lutkins (Brisbane), Janelle Cuthbertson (Fremantle)

C: Monique Conti (Richmond), Kiara Bowers (Fremantle), Georgia Patrikios (St Kilda)

HF: Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne), Katie Brennan (Richmond), Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs)

FF: Erin Phillips (Adelaide), Chloe Molloy (Collingwood)

FOLL: Breann Moody (Carlton), Brianna Davey (Collingwood), Alyce Parker (GWS)

I/C: Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide), Brittany Bonnici (Collingwood), Darcy Vescio (Carlton), Karen Paxman (Melbourne), Emma Kearney (North Melbourne).