AFLW 2023: Erin Phillips Medal? League boss says no rush on name

AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone has had her say on whether Erin Phillips could be honoured with the league’s best and fairest award.

AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone says the league is still in its infancy and will not rush to name an award after Erin Phillips despite her significant achievements. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

Retiring AFLW champion Erin Phillips could be honoured with an award named after her but boss Nicole Livingstone says there is no rush to name the league’s top gongs.

The Port Adelaide captain will leave the AFLW as its most decorated player when she hangs up the boots following Saturday’s final round clash against GWS at Alberton, but Livingstone says the competition should be allowed to evolve further before a decision is made on how to recognise its top achievers.

Phillips, who switched to football following a decorated basketball career including two WNBA championships and a World Cup gold medal, won three premierships at Adelaide and is a two-time league best and fairest winner.

Along with Daisy Pearce, who retired at the end of last season, Phillips is the AFLW’s most recognisable name, although Pearce’s case to have an award named after her would hinge more on her legacy from a trophy-littered 12-year VFLW career before the creation of the national competition.

Erin Phillips in her former Adelaide colours with AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone ahead of the competition’s second season. Livingstone says more time should pass before the league’s best and fairest medal is named. Picture: Michael Willson / AFL Media

“We congratulate Erin on a wonderful career, not only as an Olympian but also as a player in AFLW,” Livingstone said.

“What she has done for the league is just incredible. We’ll celebrate Erin this weekend at Port Adelaide and I’d encourage everybody to get to Alberton.

“The South Australians have even thrown the challenge out to Adelaide Crows supporters that they should go to Alberton to be able to say farewell to Erin.”

Livingstone said the AFLW was still in its infancy and should be patient before moving to name its main awards, which also include the medal for best on ground in the grand final and the premiership coach medal.

“In terms of our naming in awards in AFLW, we are very young and I continue to say that we’re only seven years old and eight seasons old,” she said.

Phillips, pictured with her wife Tracy Gahan and baby London, will play her final game for Port Adelaide on Saturday at Alberton before ending her 21-year professional sporting career. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“How quickly can we forget we also had Daisy Pearce (who) also retired just recently.

“The naming of awards is something that we will just hold our pen dry at the moment, and work our way through the continuing evolution of the history as we forge it, the history of this competition.”

Speaking at the AFLW’s Pride Round launch, Essendon forward Sophie Alexander said she was eager to see the best and fairest medal take on the name of a former player soon.

“Absolutely, I think our game is leading towards that way, and if you look at the Brownlow (Medal) and who that’s named after and the things they’ve done for the game,” Alexander said.

“Whatever it looks like, we just want to see these people like Daisy, and we’ve just had Jess Weutschner retire for our team, whoever gets the namesake, that will be really exciting.”