AFL Cairns women’s top 25 players from 2021 season ranked
There was heaps of top-end talent in the AFL Cairns women’s competition, but there can be only one. SEE OUR TOP PLAYERS HERE >>>
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The Cairns Saints women’s team dominated the 2021 home and away season, much like their seniors and reserves counterparts.
The teams’ premiership win capped off a huge year for the competition, as teams continued to grow in participation and the South Cairns Cutters welcomed back their program.
With the season well and truly over, the Cairns Post has ranked the top 25 players from the season who showed grit and finesse week after week.
Let us know if you think any player was left out of the elite list, or if a player was ranked higher/lower than they should have been.
You can leave your thoughts in the comments below, or email sport@cairnspost.com.au.
SEE THE FULL LIST BELOW
25. Molly McNamara
Cairns Saints
One of many Saints to shine in 2021, McNamara stands a prime example of the team’s ability to out-run their opponents and showed great awareness across the field.
24. Ruby Leete
Cairns Saints
The AFL Cairns women’s journeywomen played a critical role in lending her hard-nosed experience to the Saints back end.
23. Hadassah Nicholson
North Cairns Tigers
If this list ranked played based on celebration style alone, Nicholson would easily be number one.
The Tigers forward had another great season for the team despite missing significant time from a head injury.
22. Freya Reilly
Cairns Saints
Another player who dealt with injuries throughout the season, Reilly split captain duties with teammate Poppy Boltz.
Her experience came in handy during finals; she’ll depart the Saints to travel in 2022.
21 Isa Matthew
South Cairns Cutters
Re-entering the competition and building a team from scratch was no easy feat for the Cutters, but Matthew’s speed and ball handling helped serve as a benchmark for Souths to work towards next year.
20. Kate Fowles
Cairns Saints
One of many Saints to make the team, the on-ballers ability to find the ball and press the attack helped fuel the goal-heavy, premiership-winning squad.
19. Iadakul Bowie
Cairns Saints
Every Saints win started with success in the centre, and ‘Ida’ led the way in ruck with her athleticism and a-grade distribution.
18. Christine Pike
Manunda Hawks
Pike was no stranger to getting the hard ball in 2021, fighting for every possession in the midfield and half back to keep the side in every contest.
17. Nancy Matthew
Manunda Hawks
The tackling machine with a great boot, Matthew was another Team of the Year player to be reckoned with this season.
16. Melissa Kelly
Manunda Hawks
Lining up in ruck and centre half back for the Hawks and Team of the Year, this Manunda skipper steered her team through a great season before meeting the Saints buzz saw in the final.
15. Denisha Chillman
North Cairns Tigers
Coming from a great footballing pedigree, Chillman favoured the wings to feed the ball through to half forward.
14. Tiarna Ahwang
Cairns Saints
Ahwang continues to build her resume as one of the top footballing talents not only in the Far North, but the state.
The 2020 Jo Butland medallist and Suns Academy product showcased her athleticism in the midfield once more in 2021.
13. Mya Cozzuol
Cairns City Lions
The Lions best and fairest and another Suns Academy player, Cozzuol’s dominance at back knew no equal as she continued to build on her impressive playing resume.
12. Alinta Batten
North Cairns Tigers
A regular standout in the Tigers roster, Batten’s continual display of skill had her named Norths’ players’ player for 2021.
11. Kat Fatnowna
Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs
Fatnowna helped lay the ground work for Centrals’ women’s program, and has supported many a young player in realising their playing potential.
She was runner up best and fairest for the Bulldogs, and awarded a life membership after hanging up the boots for good this season.
10. Millie Stephen
Cairns Saints
No one had a surer boot in 2021 that Stephen.
The veteran full forward led the competition in goals with 36 and was named to the Team of the Year.
9. Jennifer Wren
Manunda Hawks
To say Wren’s presence on the field was vital to the Hawks’ success would be an understatement.
The runner up Hawks best and fairest and Suns Academy product was a clutch player for Manunda in 2021, particularly during their finals push.
8. Akayla Peterson
Cairns Saints
Carlton (VFLW) conscript Peterson made a huge impact for the Saints’ midfield in 2021.
The Team of the Year player’s frame allowed her to make contested marks with ease and chase down opposing mid with little trouble making her one of the most impactful players on this list.
7. Courtney Jones
Cairns Saints
Another player to make the journey from the Blues, Jones could line up anywhere for the Saints but excelled tremendously at half forward flank, where she was placed in the Team of the Year.
6. Brooklyn Lancaster
Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs
The Bulldogs best and fairest regular as well as tied leading goalscorer for 2021 with nine majors, Lancaster’s imposing presence across the field continued to make her the centrepiece for Centrals this season.
5. Laquoiya Cockatoo-Motlap
Cairns City Lions
The Lions’ best and fairest runner up made her mark across the ground throughout 2021.
The AFLW hopeful and state representative led Cairns City in goals with 16 on the season.
4. Kareena White
Manunda Hawks
To be playing at White’s level after more than 200 games is an achievement unto itself.
The Hawks forward pocket supremo and former coach led the club in majors with 34, was named to the Team of the Year and was awarded a life membership after retiring at the end of the season.
3. Regina McGee
Centrals Trinity Beach Bulldogs
What makes McGee such a threat to other teams is her game IQ at such a young age.
Speedy McGee was runner up best and fairest for the Doggies, coaches award recipient and Team of the Year player has an incredibly bright future ahead of her given the accomplishments she’s already accrued.
2. Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap
Cairns City Lions
While either of the Cockatoo-Motlap twins could have taken silver on this list, Litonya edges out her sister thanks to her overall consistency in 2021.
Another player with AFLW aspirations, Cockatoo-Motlap’s instincts and decision-making in 2021 served as the staple for the rest of the league, save one player.
1. Poppy Boltz
Cairns Saints
It’s hard to believe Boltz had the season she did, but she did.
The Jo Butland medallist made everything look easy in 2021, dashing through contests, shoving any player aside with ease and feeding the ball with pinpoint accuracy.
Her ability to come out of nowhere made her impossible to defend, and made life for the already talent-laiden Saints very easy.
Naturally, she earned her club’s best and fairest award, and captained this season’s Team of the Year.
Boltz has plans to continue her footy as she moves to the Gold Coast.
For the Cairns competition in 2021, Boltz was simply in a league of her own.
Originally published as AFL Cairns women’s top 25 players from 2021 season ranked
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