What drives NAB League Girls medallist Georgie Prespakis for 2022
NAB League Girls medallist Georgie Prespakis won’t be sledging her sister Maddie and believes she can take her game to a new level with Geelong.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Back-to-back NAB League Girls best-and-fairest Georgie Prespakis will use the disappointment of this year to fuel her AFLW debut season.
Prespakis and the Calder Cannons bowed out of the premiership race in the elimination final to eventual premier Oakleigh Chargers.
The midfield phenom collected 22 disposals, laid 13 tackles and kicked a goal but couldn’t lift her side across the line.
Geelong pounced with the second overall pick at this year’s AFLW Draft and Prespakis is determined to help the Cats return to the finals.
“It was pretty disappointing, we thought we were capable of going a little bit further,” she said.
“Coming up against the best side in the comp in the first elimination final was always going to be tough.
“I’ve never really allowed myself to have a full pre-season to see how well I can really go.
“That’s something I’m striving for now in the AFLW, so that’s really exciting.”
At the same time she was being crowned the NAB League’s best player, the young gun was having her first training session.
“It was a really good first hit out, it’s so good to be a part of it,” Prespakis said.
“It’s definitely going to challenge me in so many ways, I think I can improve session by session.”
After averaging 23 disposals (second overall), 8.7 tackles (second overall) and booting five goals, the Cannons gun was rewarded with her second straight league medal.
The Sunbury junior polled 21 votes – including seven best-on-grounds in just nine matches – to finish ahead of Northern Knights’ 16-year-old Ava Jordan on 14 votes.
The win created several slices of history.
It’s the first time a player has gone back-to-back, it’s the Prespakis family’s third straight win following sister Maddie’s win in 2018 and continues the Cannons dominance of the award.
A Calder player has won the medal in every season since the NAB League Girls’ inception in 2017.
Prespakis was thrilled just to be playing football and 2021 and said she wouldn’t be rubbing her sister’s nose in it anytime soon.
“It was good just to be back after 2020 with not much footy, it was exciting to get my last (NAB League) season under my belt,” he said.
“I think I’ll just keep that (second win) to myself.
“It’s awesome (the family three-peat) but she’s already upped me with a few other achievements.”
Prespakis was one of three Cannons selected in the NAB League Girls Team of the Year, along with Emelia Yassir (wing) and Tahlia Gillard (ruck).
She will be joined by Calder teammate Zali Friswell at Geelong, while Yassir was taken by Richmond and Gillard drafted by Melbourne.
The Cannons are sure to have a friendly rivalry when they face each other at the elite level.
AFLGF: DEMONS, DOGS’ PATH FROM JUNIORS TO BIG STAGE
LEADER: GET YOUR NAB LEAGUE FOOTY NEWS HERE
KNIGHTS: DRAFT GUN WHO ECLIPSED DANGER, WALSH, ROWELL
“I’ll definitely look forward to playing against my good mate Tahlia Gillard, she went down to the Demons,” Prespakis said.
“She’s my go-to when she was rucking down to me so it will be exciting coming up against her.
“I’m so keen to get the season started.
“I’ve really enjoyed training alongside Nina Morrison, she’s been really good, she’s exciting to train around and look up to.”
MORRISH MEDAL TIE, PRESPAKIS MAKES HISTORY
The Calder Cannons and Prespakis family’s dominance of the NAB League Girls best-and-fairest continued on Thursday night.
Phenom Georgie Prespakis claimed back-to-back league medals, polling 21 votes – including seven best-on-grounds in just nine matches – to finish ahead of Northern Knights’ 16-year-old Ava Jordan on 14 votes.
The win makes it three straight for the Prespakis’s following sister Maddie’s win in 2018.
Incredibly, a Cannons player has taken home the top honour in every season since the competition’s inception in 2017 with Chloe Molloy winning the inaugural award.
Prespakis was taken second overall in the AFLW Draft by Geelong after averaging 23 disposals (second overall), 8.7 tackles (second overall) and booting five goals.
The Sunbury junior also stepped out for Essendon VFLW, making five appearances, including three finals, averaging 17.2 possessions and 10.2 tackles.
No. 1 AFLW draft pick, Oakleigh’s Charlie Rowbottom, finished tied with Greater Western Victoria Rebels’ Nyakoat Dojiok in third on 12 votes.
Prespakis (centre) and Cannons teammates Emelia Yassir (wing) and Tahlia Gillard (ruck) were selected in the Team of the Year.
Rowbottom was named captain and one of four Chargers premiership players selected, a league best.
Calder then completed a historic double when Flynn Lakey was crowned the Morrish Medallist.
The Cannons midfielder tied with Greater Western Victoria Rebels’ power forward Josh Rentsch for the NAB League Boys’ highest honour.
The pair polled 12 votes apiece to finish ahead of Rentsch’s Rebels teammate Marcus Herbert on 10 votes in third.
Lakey is the Cannons’ first Morrish Medallist since Fort Caruso won back-to-back medals in 2005-06, while Rentsch follows Hugh McCluggage’s 2016 win as the latest Rebel.
It was also the first tie since Jacob Chisari (Bendigo Pioneers), Ben Cavarra (Eastern Ranges), George Cameron (Geelong Falcons) and Josh Scott (Gippsland Power) finished in a four-way split in 2013.
Gisborne junior Lakey averaged 23.8 disposals and 6.1 tackles in eight matches, earning three best-on-ground votes.
AFLGF: DEMONS, DOGS’ PATH FROM JUNIORS TO BIG STAGE
LEADER: GET YOUR NAB LEAGUE FOOTY NEWS HERE
KNIGHTS: DRAFT GUN WHO ECLIPSED DANGER, WALSH, ROWELL
Rentsch, who hails from Penshurst, averaged 11 touches, eight hitouts and kicked 14 goals – second most in the competition – to earn votes in six of eight matches, including two BOGs.
Rentsch was one of four Rebels selected in the Team of the Year, the most in the competition, while Lakey was joined by Cannons teammate Zac Taylor.
Nick Daicos and Joel Trudgeon, who finished equal fourth in the Morrish Medal with GWS Academy’s Sam Frost, was named in the centre and interchange respectively.
Trudgeon’s Northern Knights’ teammate Josh Ward was named captain and rover.
Originally published as What drives NAB League Girls medallist Georgie Prespakis for 2022
Ablett family reveal details of son’s condition
Jordan and Gary Ablett had been reluctant to discuss many details about their little boy’s heartbreaking condition until now.
Injury-hit Demons stun Crows in Norwood thriller
Struck down by a host of injuries across their team, the Dees have managed to keep their AFLW season alive by pulling off a thrilling victory over the Crows.
Make me a Giant: The deal that will make Stringer’s wish a reality
Jake Stringer wants to play for GWS next season, but how can the Bombers and Giants get a deal done? One young gun at GWS could be the key. Recap day three of the trade period here.
Clubs demand MCG games as 100-year celebration plans begin
More clubs want more games at the MCG next year and three teams are plotting once-in-a-century moments in 2025. See what fixture requests are coming the AFL’s way.
AFLW players in ‘push’ for major change
A leading broadcaster says AFLW players are lobbying the league for a radical overhaul of the competition.
AFLW Agenda: Thank you Maddy, you’re more than enough
From a stirring celebration pointed at keyboard cowards to the rapid rise of a young gun, ELIZA REILLY runs through the hits and misses from Week 6 in the AFLW Agenda.