Madison Prespakis wins AFLW league best and fairest, Isabel Huntington named Rising Star

The AFL Women’s league best and fairest winner has been announced amid a flurry of video calls and plenty of tears. So who took out the honours, and which player feels like a “toolie” to have claimed a major gong?

Prespakis has become a genuine star of the competition, despite her young age. Picture: Michael Klein

Madison Prespakis is the first AFL Women’s player to claim the league best and fairest medal and rising star award.

And she has done it in just 12 months.

The Carlton midfielder — who has played just two seasons in AFLW — sat alongside league superstar and two-time medal winner Erin Phillips after last year’s gong, with the Crow saying quietly “don’t worry kid, this’ll be you one day”.

And just a year later, it was, with Prespakis edging out Docker Kiara Bowers and 2018 recipient Emma Kearney to become just the third player to claim the medal.

“I still remember it all, and it’s crazy,” Prespakis said.

Prespakis, 19, took up football when she was four, now the “baby” who is a bona fide star.

“(People say) ‘you’re still a baby’, and I’ve heard that a lot,” she said.

“I hear it every day from the girls around me … it’s incredible, to think that there’s only two other girls that have actually won it.

Madison Prespakis receiving her award from her sister Georgie at home. Picture: Tony Gough

“I’m so shocked.

“To think that I’ve come from Auskick to now is pretty crazy. When I played with the boys (from Under 10s), they always said they wanted to get drafted and win a Brownlow, and I never used to be able to say that when I was playing with them.

“But I think once they watch the awards I’ll get a few messages off them. It’s just insane. Everyone that’s been a part of my football career will be very excited for me and I know that my parents — out of everyone in the world — will be even happier.”

Prespakis notched five best-on-ground performances from six matches to poll 15 out of a possible 18 votes, and failed to hold back tears as league boss Gillon McLachlan read her name as the winner last night.

Coronavirus measures meant it was a throwback to years gone by, with Prespakis the first league best and fairest winner to claim her award at home since Kevin Murray won the Brownlow in 1969, before it became a televised event.

She had been told to “look nice” by her manager for a video call as part of the virtual awards ceremony, with her younger sister and hopeful future AFLW draftee Georgie on hand as part of the ruse.

Prespakis has become a genuine star of the competition, despite her young age. Picture: Michael Klein

“They said I was supposed to do an interview with her, and then next minute she presented me with the medal,” Prespakis said.

“I just heard Gillon announce the votes and then next minute it was my name. It was insane, and they all knew and I didn’t know.

“There was confetti everywhere ... I’m so shocked.

“I just started crying … it’s pretty emotional, I think, to think that it could happen in my second year. But it’s unreal.”

She said she had worked hard on the mental side of her game in anticipation of the added attention that predictably came her way via opposition teams.

Parents Damien — who coached Prespakis as a junior at Romsey — and Judy were quickly informed via FaceTime, at work and in the car respectively, and struggled to contain their emotion.

In a stunning twist, hot favourite AFLPA and AFL Coaches Association MVP and North Melbourne best and fairest winner Jasmine Garner polled just four votes to finish outside the top 10, with first-year Saint Georgia Patrikios inside the top 10.

Emma Kearney finished third in the umpires’ votes. Picture: AFL Photos

Western Bulldog Isabel Huntington claimed the Rising Star award after two seasons plagued by injury.

Huntington, 21, scraped into contention by just one game and claimed 33 selector votes ahead of Saint Caitlin Greiser, joking that she “felt like a bit of a toolie” to win ahead of younger players.

The award had all the hallmarks of life amid the coronavirus crisis, with an initial glitch in the video call leaving her unsure of the outcome.

“The call cut off halfway between (Prespakis) saying my name,” she laughed.

“I didn’t know if I’d won … they called back, but it was a bit of a shock. I was shaking a little bit.

“Going into the season, I just wanted to get a game under my belt. I didn’t really expect this to ever happen.”

AFLW BEST AND FAIREST TOP 10

Madison Prespakis (Carlton) 15 votes

Kiara Bowers (Fremantle) 12

Emma Kearney (North Melbourne) 11

Anne Hatchard (Adelaide) 10

Jenna Bruton (North Melbourne) 10

Karen Paxman (Melbourne) 9

Brittany Bonnici (Collingwood) 7

Georgia Patrikios (St Kilda) 7

Jaimee Lambert (Collingwood) 7

Monique Conti (Richmond) 7

Isabel Huntington claimed the Rising Star award. Picture: AAP Image

RISING STAR AWARD

Isabel Huntington (Western Bulldogs) 33

Caitlin Greiser (St Kilda) 30

Georgia Patrikios (St Kilda) 24

Kalinda Howarth (Gold Coast SUNS) 24

Jesse Wardlaw (Brisbane Lions) 5

Grace Egan (Carlton) 2

Lucy McEvoy (Carlton) 1

Roxanne Roux (Fremantle) 1

CLUB-BY-CLUB VOTE LEADERBOARDS

ADELAIDE

Anne Hatchard (Adel) 10

Danielle Ponter 3

Ebony Marinoff 2

Angela Foley 1

BRISBANE

Kate Lutkins 5

Emily Bates 4

Catherine Svarc 3

Jesse Wardlaw 3

Ally Anderson 2

Emma Zielke 1

CARLTON

Madison Prespakis 15

Tayla Harris 3

Alison Downie 2

Grace Egan 2

Lucy McEvoy 2

Chloe Dalton 1

Natalie Plane 1

COLLINGWOOD

Britt Bonnici 7

Jaimee Lambert 7

Chloe Molloy 3

Stephanie Chiocci 3

Sharni Layton 3

Bri Davey 2

FREMANTLE

Kiara Bowers 12

Philipa Seth 3

Gemma Houghton 2

Hayley Miller 2

Jasmin Stewart 2

Sabrina Duffy 2

Ebony Antonio 1

Gabby O’Sullivan 1

GEELONG

Nina Morrison 3

Olivia Purcell 2

Richelle Cranston 2

Aasta O’Connor 1

Julia Crockett-Grills 1

Meg McDonald 1

GOLD COAST

Hannah Dunn 4

Kalinda Howarth 4

Kate Surman 4

Jamie Stanton 2

GWS GIANTS

Alyce Parker 6

Cora Staunton 6

Alicia Eva 5

Tate Mackrill 2

Rebecca Beeson 1

Rebecca Privitelli 1

MELBOURNE

Karen Paxman 9

Kate Hore 4

Elise O’Dea 3

Eden Zanker 3

Shelley Scott 3

Daisy Pearce 2

Niamh McEvoy 1

NORTH MELBOURNE

Emma Kearney 11

Jenna Bruton 10

Jasmine Garner 4

Kaitlyn Ashmore 2

Vivien Saad 2

Ash Riddell 1

RICHMOND

Monique Conti 7

ST KILDA

Georgia Patrikios 7

Caitlin Greiser 3

Poppy Kelly 3

Rosie Dillon 3

Tilly Lucas-Rodd 1

WEST COAST

Dana Hooker 6

Emma Swanson 3

WESTERN BULLDOGS

Ellie Blackburn 6

Bonnie Toogood 2

Gabby Newton 1

Originally published as Madison Prespakis wins AFLW league best and fairest, Isabel Huntington named Rising Star