Ash Riddell wins AFLW’s Best and Fairest as 15 new faces named in the 2025 All Australian team

She’s been dominant for years and years, and finally Ash Riddell has been recognised with a league Best and Fairest. Plus, see the full AFLW All Australian team, and the rest of the awards.

Overlooked at the second AFLW draft, Ash Riddell has risen to become the cream of the crop by claiming her maiden league best and fairest in a thrilling vote count on Monday night.

With three possible winners heading into the final round, Riddell (23 votes) held off Georgie Prespakis (20) and Ella Roberts (17) to win the medal outright, making her North Melbourne’s first player to do so.

In a season where the 29-year-old had 40 disposals on five occasions, breaking her own record for most disposals in a game three times, Riddell’s victory in the count did not come easily.

She failed to poll in a round 6 win over Carlton despite racking up 44 possessions and booting a goal.

Ash Riddell has won the AFLW Best and Fairest. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Her captain Jasmine Garner, long overlooked by the umpires, was again at times out of favour – in the same clash, she had 31 disposals and 2.2 for zero votes.

“There’s probably been a couple (votes) left out there that we thought we would’ve got,” Roos coach Darren Crocker said from inside the room moments later.

Riddell led by a single vote at the midway mark of the season but fought clear as she continued to tussle with Garner for the maximum votes.

Riddell, from Melbourne’s northern suburbs, played junior football with Marcus Bontempelli before she switched to basketball with aspirations of playing elite sport.

Those same aspirations meant she switched back to football when the AFLW’s formation was announced in 2016.

Riddell credited her husband, now Kangaroos fitness boss Vincent Atkinson, with nudging her to return to football.

“You’re obviously my greatest supporter and you’re the one who got me back into football,” Riddell said as Atkinson became emotional on camera.

“And gosh you annoy me when you try to give me tips on how to play the game, and all you ever played was rugby and you’re the worst football player in the world!”

It only took two years at local level to catch the eye of AFLW recruiters, but it could have been earlier had she been taken in the 2017 draft after an outstanding VWFL season for Diamond Creek.

The primary school PE teacher was encouraged by the Roos to move to their aligned Melbourne University Women’s side and she was taken effectively as a free agent “open-aged signing” ahead of the 2018 season.

Riddell broke the disposals record this season. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Riddell looks on during the count. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Riddell went into business with Garner in recent months, but for years on the field she has been the diminutive 158cm midfield foil to her tall and powerful captain.

She was ahead of the curve when it came to an emphasis on midfielders being able to run hard in transition to get to more contests, and has fiercely attacked any deficiencies in her game to become a more well-rounded player.

Riddell had just eight career goals to her name at the start of the 2024 season but has kicked 11 since, being one of only eight Roos to play every game during their 26-game winning streak.

Earlier in the night, she received her fifth All-Australian blazer after averaging 35 disposals, four tackles and five clearances per game this season.

Riddell had already been recognised by AFLW coaches with her maiden AFLCA champion player of the year gong, which she won ahead of Garner and Prespakis.

She poured praise on North Melbourne, coach Darren Crocker and her family as she also paid special tribute to Garner, who she said “should’ve been up here (on stage) a few more times than me”.

“All the hours spent kicking the footy in the backyard with Dad, pretending I was Nathan Buckley playing for Collingwood,” Riddell said.

“Mum and Dad have been so supportive, they travel every single week … I’m forever thankful.”

FIFTEEN NEW FACES, FIVE IRISH NAMES DOMINATE ALL AUSTRALIAN SIDE

Only four players have held onto their spots in the AFLW all-Australian team, heralding a dramatic overhaul of the competition pecking order during the 2025 season.

North Melbourne stars Jasmine Garner and Ash Riddell, West Coast young gun Ella Roberts and Fremantle ruck Mim Strom formed a quartet of back-to-back representative players as 15 first-time All-Australians were selected.

Among the newcomers were a record five Irish players, with Brisbane’s Jennifer Dunne named on the last line of defence, Carlton speedster Dayna Finn recognised for her breakout season on the wing, Hawthorn’s Aine McDonagh named up forward and Kangaroos revelation Blaithin Bogue and Gold Coast co-captain Niamh McLaughlin on the bench.

Bogue’s selection capped off a stunning rise after she did not play a single game in her first season on the North Melbourne list in 2024.

Blaithin Bogue celebrates a goal during the preliminary final against the Demons. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The Kangaroos were unsurprisingly the most represented team with four players as Tahlia Randall also earnt selection at centre half-forward.

Garner was named captain for the second consecutive year, with Melbourne skipper Kate Hore returning to the side as vice-captain after her controversial omission last year.

Last year’s league best and fairest Ebony Marinoff missed selection amid a squeeze on midfield spots, as did Sydney ball-winner Laura Gardiner.

GWS defender Cambridge McCormick was a surprise first-time selection as she was joined in defence by Carlton veteran Harriet Cordner – an inaugural player who had twice been named in all-Australian squads but earnt her first blazer after leading the competition for intercept marks this season.

Sydney dasher Zippy Fish was a surprise omission after a superb debut campaign at halfback, but the 19-year-old was recognised emphatically by the Rising Star judges with a maximum 50 votes to claim the medal.

The No. 5 pick, who grew up in the Pilbara town of Newman, averaged 21 disposals per game and stood tall against North Melbourne in round 8 with a season-high 34 possessions.

Zippy Fish was the unanimous Rising Star award winner. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

Fish finished well ahead of Carlton tall Poppy Scholz and West Coast goal sneak Lucia Painter (23 votes) in equal second, with Gold Coast’s Havana Harris (19 votes) and Blues forward Sophie McKay (15) rounding out the top five.

Richmond hard nut Sarah Hosking won mark of the year for her stunning back-with-the-flight grab in round 10, beating nominations from teammate Beth Lynch and Melbourne’s Tayla Harris.

Next level courage 🤯

Sarah Hosking has taken out the 2025 @medibank AFLW Mark of the Year.#AFLWAwardspic.twitter.com/FBHqqhH26H

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 24, 2025

Swans midfielder Montana Ham claimed goal of the year for her running finish after a series of give-and-go handballs against Collingwood in round 5, beating teammate Chloe Molloy and Carlton’s Keeley Sherar to the award.

Nobody could stop her 💨

Montana Ham has taken out the 2025 @NAB AFLW Goal of the Year.#AFLWAwardspic.twitter.com/RGreantAuu

— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) November 24, 2025

Retiring Geelong tall Kate Darby won the Jim Stynes Community Award for her dedication to the Cats’ community programs and her significant coaching exploits in local football around Geelong.

“Kate exemplifies the spirit of community – a value that sits at the heart of Australian football, and we have been so lucky to have such a strong role model within the game,” AFL boss Andrew Dillon said.

“Despite announcing her retirement from professional football, Kate’s dedication will be a

lasting legacy, and we wish her all the very best for her future endeavours.”

Originally published as Ash Riddell wins AFLW’s Best and Fairest as 15 new faces named in the 2025 All Australian team