AFLW 2024: Captains predict premiers, ladder-leaders, best and fairest, rising star

If you ask the skippers across the W, it’s going to be a Roos double this year. Check out who has been backed in the annual captains survey.

North Melbourne has been backed to win it all this AFLW season and star Roo Jasmine Garner is the early favourite for the league best-and-fairest, according to club captains.

Each club skipper was polled ahead of the league’s captain’s day on Tuesday, with nine leaders predicting the Roos would go one better after a grand final loss to the Brisbane Lions in December.

Roos champ Jasmine Garner celebrates a goal. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

No captain picked the Lions to win it all last year but eight skipper backed them to go back-to-back, with Geelong (one vote) the only other side to poll.

Garner earned eight votes to win the league best-and-fairest, ahead of Richmond star and defending winner Mon Conti (three votes) and Adelaide six-time All Australian Ebony Marinoff (two).

Demon Kate Hore tied with teammate Eden Zanker to win the league goalkicking with 20 majors last season and Hore received five votes to win it again, with Zanker only securing one.

Brisbane forward Dakota Davidson claimed three votes.

Kate Hore is expected to kick plenty more goals. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Pre-draft signing Shineah Goody is the early favourite to win the rising star award, having picked up four votes, ahead of Giant Kaitlyn Shroj and Bulldogs Elaine Grigg (two each).

Sydney will start with a lead in the race for the McClelland Trophy – which is handed to the club that has the most combined premiership points across its male and female sides – but the Lions were favoured to come over the top and claim the $1m prize.

The AFLW season kicks off on August 30.

CAPTAIN’S PICKS

Which team aside from your own is most likely to reach the grand final?

9 votes – North Melbourne

8 – Brisbane Lions

1 – Geelong

Which club is most likely to win the McClelland Trophy?

8 – Brisbane Linos

6 – Sydney Swans

3 – Geelong

1 – Western Bulldogs

Who will win the league best-and-fairest?

8 – Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)

3 – Monique Conti (Richmond)

2 – Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide)

Five players received one vote

Who will win the league goalkicking?

5 – Kate Hore (Melbourne)

3 – Dakota Davidson (Brisbane)

2 – Bonnie Toogood (Essendon)

Eight players received one vote

Who will win the rising star?

4 – Shineah Goody (Port Adelaide)

2 – Kaitlyn Srhoj (Western Bulldogs), Elaine Grigg (Western Bulldogs)

10 players received one vote