West Adelaide’s Zoe Venning crowned 2025 SANFLW best and fairest medallist

West Adelaide sets a league record with their fourth medal as a Bloods star midfielder was named the 2025 SANFLW best and fairest in a thrilling count at Adelaide Oval.

Andrew Capel

@andrewcapel

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July 22, 2025 - 3:42PM

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Team of the Year revealed

West Adelaide midfield ball magnet Zoe Venning has become the fourth Bloods player to be crowned a SANFLW medallist.

The star 21-year-old on Monday night joined current teammate Hannah Button (2018), Rachelle Martin (2020) and Lauren Young (2021) in winning the SANFLW’s highest individual honour.

In a thrilling best and fairest count at Adelaide Oval, Venning polled 24 votes to edge South Adelaide ruck Soriah Moon by one, with retiring Glenelg veteran Jessica Bates third on 20.

West’s fourth SANFLW medal was a league record, surpassing Glenelg, which has won three.

Venning – the Bloods’ joint vice-captain – trailed Moon by one vote leading into the final minor round.

West Adelaide’s Zoe Venning. Picture Cory Sutton

She polled two votes in the 18-point win against the Tigers, while Moon failed to poll in the Panthers’ eight-point loss to the Eagles.

Named on the wing in the 2025 The Advertiser SANFLW Team of the Year, Venning polled votes in 10 of the 14 minor round series, illustrating her wonderful consistency.

She polled the maximum three votes as best on ground in six matches – rounds 1, 2, 5, 7, 9 and 10 – while also receiving two second preferences (two votes) and two third (one vote) preferences.

Moon polled in nine games, with six first preferences.

2022 medal winner Bates also registered votes in nine matches.

A three-time state player, Venning is one of the hardest-running players in the SANFLW.

This season she posted the super-impressive averages of 26.4 disposals, 5.1 clearances, 5.8 tackles and four marks and only dipped below 18 disposals once, having 10 against South in round 11.

Remarkably, Venning had 24 or more disposals in 12 of her 14 games.

Starting her football journey with Mitcham before moving to Blackwood Football Club for most of her junior career, Venning made her SANFLW debut for West in 2019 and has played 85 league games.

Following Moon (23 votes) and Bates (20) in the medal pecking order were Sturt midfielder Izzy Kuiper (19), Button (16), Woodville-West Torrens’ Christina Leuzzi (14) and North Adelaide’s Julia Clark (12).