AFLW: Jasmine Garner wins AFLW MVP, full list of awards revealed

Jasmine Garner appeared snubbed to some in the vote counting for the AFLW B&F award, but her peers have declared her the definitive best player in the league.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 29: Jasmine Garner of the Kangaroos celebrates a goal during the 2023 AFLW Round 09 match between The Adelaide Crows and The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos at Norwood Oval on October 29, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Jasmine Garner’s stellar season in North Melbourne’s midfield might have gone unlauded by umpires — but not by the players.

The Kangaroo, who will be a vital cog in the team’s push for its first premiership on Sunday against Brisbane, has claimed the AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player award for the second time.

Garner edged out league best and fairest winner Monique Conti to claim the honour, with Sydney skipper Chloe Molloy finished in third place.

The award was announced on Tuesday night, 24 hours after Garner — who was expected to poll strongly in previous seasons but has also previously been snubbed — was declared “invisible” in league best and fairest voting, which is conducted by the umpires.

North Melbourne AFLW star Jasmine Garner has been named AFLW MVP. Picture: Eleanor Armstrong.

She polled five of a possible nine votes in the first three rounds before finishing on 14 votes, with her final three-vote game which came in Round 10 receiving Bronx-style cheers from within the room at Crown Palladium.

“Can we get Jammin (Garner) some fluoro yellow boots or (something),” Kangaroos player Tess Craven wrote on social media.

Retired Essendon forward Jess Wuetschner declared Garner “officially invisible”.

Garner, 29, averaged 30 touches per game this season and 542 metres gained.

She said she was “honoured” to be voted the players’ MVP, less than a month after she was anointed as the best player in the competition by AFLW coaches.

“To be recognised by your peers is a special privilege,” Garner said.

“These are the players you battle against every week and, as the competition continues to go to new levels, this means a lot.

“Congratulations to all those nominated and the other award winners – they’re all worthy recipients.”

Kate Hore was named the competition’s best skipper. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Courtney Hodder was named the most courageous player. (Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Brisbane’s Courtney Hodder — who was on Monday night recognised for her mark of the year — claimed the competition’s Most Courageous Player award, ahead of five-time winner and Adelaide captain Chelsea Randall.

All-Australian captain and joint competition leading goalkicker Kate Hore was named the competition’s best captain ahead of Molloy and Essendon forward Bonnie Toogood, while Geelong mature-aged recruit Aishling Moloney claimed the best first-year player award.

Moloney, 25, was a standout for the Cats in their finals push, after she was recruited last off-season from Tipperary in Ireland.

Geelong skipper Meg McDonald funded her own way to Ireland last summer alongside Cats coach Dan Lowther in a bid to secure the towering forward — and it worked.

“The minute I first met them – and you hear what the Irish guys have to say about the club – and since I’ve been here, it really says what it is on the tin,” Moloney said earlier this year.

“Mum and Dad were involved in that decision process as well, they met Dan and Meg and it was just a no-brainer, really, when they came over and sold it to us.

“I’m delighted with my decision in the end.”

Originally published as AFLW: Jasmine Garner wins AFLW MVP, full list of awards revealed