Roos star in rare air after latest gong
North Melbourne superstar Jasmine Garner has joined Brent Harvey as the only Kangaroos in club history to claim five best and fairest awards to cap her superb season.
Garner was again overlooked by the umpires to finish a shock equal ninth in AFLW best and fairest voting, but added a club champion award in a premiership season to her long list of accolades after edging out teammate Ash Riddell by 18 votes in Thursday night’s count.
It came after the 30-year-old midfielder followed her seventh All-Australian medal with the best on ground honours in Saturday night’s grand final triumph over Brisbane.
Garner, who booted 14 goals in her 14 games and averaged 27 disposals, eight tackles and six clearances, also claimed the Roos’ fan-voted “next level performer” award for the fifth time and was voted by her teammates as Shinboner of the Year.
It was her third consecutive club champion award, as runner-up Riddell followed well clear of veteran defender Sarah Wright in third and young midfielders Mia King and Ruby Tripodi in fourth and fifth.
Kangaroos coach Darren Crocker said after the maiden premiership win that Garner would be remembered as one of the first greats of the competition.
“You’ve just got an insight into the humility that Jas has, the unflappable nature. She just gets on with it, she’s one of the easiest players to coach that I have ever coached,” Crocker said.
“She’s just a generational player. We’ll look back in 50 years time (to) this period of AFLW, and Jas Garner will be right at the very, very top of the tree as just one of the best players in the AFLW’s infancy.”
Fourth-year Carlton midfielder Keeley Sherar was rewarded for her consistency as a clear winner of the Blues’ best and fairest after what president Luke Sayers described as a “gruelling season”.
Sherar played every game as she averaged 22 disposals, seven tackles and kicked a career-high four goals for the season.
The 21-year-old was given more opportunities as an inside midfielder after coach Mathew Buck shifted Mimi Hill to halfback to begin the season.
“Keeley has had an outstanding season: she was classy at stoppages, and quick
thinking at ground level,” Buck said.
“Keeley has incredible maturity, practices elite standards and leads by example on and off the field.
“She is a player our members and supporters should be excited about in the next few seasons.”
Abbie McKay finished runner-up with 73 votes to Sherar’s 109, as she was followed by ruck Jess Good and Hill and Maddy Guerin in equal fourth.
Popular key defender Harriet Cordner won the best clubwoman and coaches awards
