Nina Morrison crowned Geelong’s 2024 AFLW best and fairest medallist

A former number 1 draft pick has capped her dominance in the league with her first Geelong club best and fairest award, finishing ahead of an Irish game changer.

Nina Morrison has capped her ascent from former number 1 pick to Geelong club champion after her most consistent AFLW season to date.

Morrison was a comfortable winner on 138 votes during Saturday’s best and fairest count - 40 ahead of runner-up and second-year Irish talent Aishling Moloney (98), with reigning champion Georgie Prespakis (74) rounding out the podium places after a strong finish to her year.

Aishling Moloney, Nina Morrison and Georgie Prespakis finished top 3 in Geelong’s best and fairest count. Picture: Geelong Cats

Morrison, who brought up her 50th game in the last round of the season, said a focus on playing predominantly as an inside midfielder had help developed her game this year.

“The way it panned out over the year, a few injuries and things, I had to step up in that position but I guess every year you’re looking to develop your craft in different ways and that was an area I tried to bolster this year,” Morrison, 23, said.

Taken with Geelong’s first ever draft pick in 2018, Morrison was forced to overcome two ACL injuries across her first three seasons at Kardinia Park.

But since her return, she’s become one of the league’s toughest and most influential midfielders, as well as a leader at Geelong after taking on the vice-captaincy at just 20-years-old.

Morrison felt the award was a “reflection of a lot of hard work” but at the same time, believed she had “plenty more to give”.

“That feels exciting too,” she said.

Nina Morrison leads the Cats out in her 50th game earlier this month. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Cats senior coach Dan Lowther, who made up part of the voting panel alongside three assistant coaches, described Morrison as “tough, ruthless and jammed-packed full of grit”.

“It’s something I knew she’d always reach,” Lowther said of Morrison’s latest achievement.

“The way she prepares and drives this group and she wants to win everything, she brings everyone along with her on the ride.

“That’s why her individual success is going to lead to team success.”

Described as one of the most professional players, with her preparation “second to none”, Lowther said Morrison’s approach to football rubbed off on everyone around her.

“She loves the club, she loves playing footy, she’s competitive so that kind of exudes what she does all the time,” he said.

“It’s infectious and then you can’t help but get caught up in the standards she drives.”

Julianne, Nina and Dougal Morrison arrive on the blue carpet. Picture: Mark Wilson

Morrison was quick to thank her parents, Julianne and Dougal when accepting her award, revealing the pair often opened their home as a place for Morrison’s Melbourne-based teammates to stay this season.

“Their general presence around the club is huge and something I’m grateful for,” Morrison said.

“I feel really proud they’re someone people ask about and know about, we speak about it a lot, Geelong's a family club... I’m really happy they’re a part of that culture.”

After the Cats missed finals this year, Morrison said she was “very, very hungry to go again” in 2025.

“The season didn’t finish the way we’d hoped in any sense,” she said.

“They’re is plenty to be proud of no doubt but we’re ultimately aiming to play finals football and looking forward to hopefully doing that again in 2025.”

Both Morrison and Moloney were this week named in a 42-player All-Australian squad, with the former praising her Irish teammate on her incredible season, which included the joint league leading goal-kicking title for her 21 majors.

“To see the impact she’s having on the competition already is just something I love being a part of it, she’s got so much energy on game day... I really enjoy being able to play footy with her,” Morrison said of Moloney.

Defenders Becky Webster and Rachel Kearns made up the top 5 in the vote count, with Jackie Parry, Amy McDonald, Mikayla Bowen, Julia Crockett-Grills and Anna-Rose Kennedy rounding out the top 10.

Lowther and three line coaches voted on a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis after each game, with a maximum 20 votes for any one player.

In earlier awards, Mikayla Bowen won the peer-voted Hoops Award, while Kate Darby’s work in the community was recognised with a fourth-straight Carter Family Community Champion Award.

Originally published as Nina Morrison crowned Geelong’s 2024 AFLW best and fairest medallist