Well with no football for the next couple of months at least, there’s going to be some time to get some pieces done for the site, whilst I’m continuing to work on my studies at home. It is a weird time to be alive that’s for sure, but I’m glad I can still devote myself to writing about football for a little bit, even if it’s once every week or so.
Today, I thought I’d bring back the yearly post-season AFLW top 50. It is very sad to see it come to an abrubt end over the weekend, but without question, it was the right call to make. Compiling this list over the past few days, this was without question the hardest top 50 I’ve ever had to make in the history of the women’s game.
If you want to know how hard it was, here is 51 to 55 in order: Gemma Houghton, Darcy Vescio, Grace Egan, Kirsty Lamb and Eden Zanker - in seasons gone by, all of them would’ve been in, but you can’t fit 55 into 50. Players will be stiff to miss out.
Part of why this was so difficult is due to the four new expansion clubs who played their first-ever season. Out of the four clubs, it should come as no surprise to see the Gold Coast Suns - as the only finalist - have the most players make the list, with five players, led by the brilliant Kalinda Howarth (29) who broke out after a few years struggling at the Brisbane Lions. She makes her top 50 debut, alongside Kate Surman (46), Jade Pregelj (47) and Lauren Bella (49), whilst Jamie Stanton (42) has been a regular feature in the 50 for a few seasons now.
St. Kilda are the next best of the expansion crop, with three players in. The Saints have two that feature in at the back-end of the top 50 in first-year players Georgia Patrikios (43) and Olivia Vesely (48), but both should be regulars in the years to come, but it was the emergence of Caitlin Greiser (16) that has her up higher. Some might argue too high, but the impact she’s had in games this year will say that she’s either dragged the Saints over the line or have come bloody close to doing so. Add in winning the league’s goal-kicking in her first year and no doubt an All-Australian in-waiting, she’s earned her spot.
Richmond and West Coast have two entrants apiece here - The Tigers have Monique Conti (15) who tried everything in her power to make things click in a midfield that struggled horribly, whilst Phoebe Monahan (34) makes her top 50 debut after a stunning breakout year across half-back. The Eagles are represented by midfield guns Dana Hooker (33) and Emma Swanson (41) - arguably the best two Eagles during the season.
So you’re probably wondering who got the number one spot this year? Given the absence of Erin Phillips as she was fighting to return from an ACL injury that she suffered in the Grand Final, the fight to be the best player in the competition was up for grabs. I had it narrowed down to four players: Kiara Bowers, Jasmine Garner, Jaimee Lambert and Karen Paxman. All four players were instrumental for their respective clubs.
I gave the top spot to Garner. Once a key position forward, Garner elevated her game to heights that were nearly Phillips-esq. Her ability to push as not just a midfielder but make such an impact in there and still provide good value as an option up forward is why she’s up there. Bowers was an unlucky second, because she is the centerpiece of a Fremantle game-plan that focuses on crippling sides with their tackling and contested ball, anyone that averages 14 tackles per game in an AFLW season is purely out of this world.
Paxman I've got in third over Lambert who rounds out the fab four - based purely on her consistency not just this year, but in years gone by. Paxman turns 32 in November this year, but you wouldn’t know it, the way she continues to churn out stunning performances in the middle. Come to think of it, when have you ever seen her play a bad game? Lambert has shown how far she’s come as a player. Two years ago, she barely scraped in the top 50 and last year she was named just inside the front half of the list. She finds plenty of the footy and she knows how to use it.
North Melbourne and Fremantle were the two best sides in the competition. The Dockers went through the year unbeaten, but only have the four players named inside the 50 - Bowers, Sabreena Duffy (9), Ebony Antonio (30) and Gabby O’Sullivan (40) all named after big years for the Dockers. The Kangaroos have five players named and all of them are inside the top 25. Alongside Garner at number one, they have Emma Kearney (10), Jenna Bruton (18) and Kaitlyn Ashmore (22), whilst Ash Riddell makes her top 50 debut, named in at 14.
Of the other two sides that won their finals game this weekend, Melbourne have five players of their own represented. Alongside Paxman, the Demons have the returning Daisy Pearce slotting in at 24, whilst Libby Birch (22) makes her return to the top 50 after a stunning year in defence at her new club, whilst Shelley Scott (20) and Kate Hore (37) are first-timers this year after playing key roles up forward. Carlton are headlined by Maddy Prespakis (8) and co-captain Kerryn Harrington (13) after big seasons in the middle and defence respectively - the Blues are also represented by Tayla Harris (25), Breann Moody (34) and Georgia Gee (39).
I could go on and on, but I’ll conclude by speaking about my Bulldogs. It wasn’t the greatest year, winning only once in six outings. But if there’s a positive to take out that doesn’t include mentioning the first-year players, it’s the transition of Izzy Huntington (19) from key forward to intercept defender. Her reading of the play was first-class and so were her marking hands. I wanted to put Ellie Blackburn (31) higher than her given place, but I couldn’t put herself ahead of the other midfielders, who have had great years.
The Full Top 50
50. Rebecca Privitelli - GWS Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 6 Average Disposals: 9 49. Lauren Bella - Gold Coast Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 5.3 Average Hitouts:18.6 48. Olivia Vesely - St. Kilda Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 15.6 47. Jade Pregelj - Gold Coast Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 11.9 46. Kate Surman - Gold Coast Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 3 Average Disposals: 13.7 45. Jesse Wardlaw - Brisbane Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 9 Average Disposals: 6.4 44. Rebecca Beeson - GWS Last Year’s Ranking: 35 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 16 43. Georgia Patrikios - St. Kilda Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 15.7 42. Jamie Stanton - Gold Coast Last Year’s Ranking: 38 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 2 Average Disposals: 17.1 41. Emma Swanson - West Coast Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (2nd time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 17 40. Gabby O’Sullivan - Fremantle Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 4 Average Disposals: 9.6 39. Georgia Gee - Carlton Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 8 Average Disposals: 10.1 38. Sarah Allan - Adelaide Last Year’s Ranking: 31 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 12.5 37. Kate Hore - Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 5 Average Disposals: 12.7 36. Brittany Bonnici - Collingwood Last Year’s Ranking: 47 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 19.6 35. Phoebe Monahan - Richmond Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 17.2 34. Breann Moody - Carlton Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (2nd time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 7.3 Average Hitouts: 16.7 33. Dana Hooker - West Coast Last Year’s Ranking: 12 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 19.7 32. Stacey Livingstone - Collingwood Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 9.9 31. Ellie Blackburn - Western Bulldogs Last Year’s Ranking: 20 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 2 Average Disposals: 17.3 30. Ebony Antonio - Fremantle Last Year’s Ranking: 43 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 4 Average Disposals: 12.1 29. Kalinda Howarth - Gold Coast Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 9 Average Disposals: 10.1 28. Chloe Molloy - Collingwood Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (2nd time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 6 Average Disposals: 13.3 27. Alyce Parker - GWS Last Year’s Ranking: 36 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 21.1 26. Sharni Layton - Collingwood Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 3 Average Disposals: 10.1 Average Hitouts: 17.1 25. Tayla Harris - Carlton Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (3rd time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 8 Average Disposals: 10.4 24. Daisy Pearce - Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (3rd time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 14.9 23. Ally Anderson - Brisbane Last Year’s Ranking: 4 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 18.3 22. Libby Birch - Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (2nd time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 12.1 21. Kaitlyn Ashmore - North Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (2nd time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 9 Average Disposals: 7.7 20. Shelley Scott - Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 5 Average Disposals: 11.1 19. Izzy Huntington - Western Bulldogs Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 5 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 13 18. Jenna Bruton - North Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: 17 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 17.4 17. Olivia Purcell - Geelong Last Year’s Ranking: 39 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 4 Average Disposals: 20.2 16. Caitlin Greiser - St. Kilda Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 10 Average Disposals: 9.7 15. Monique Conti - Richmond Last Year’s Ranking: 11 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 19.8 14. Ash Riddell - North Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: N/A (1st time in the top 50) 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 21.3 13. Kerryn Harrington - Carlton Last Year’s Ranking: 28 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 13.7 12. Emily Bates - Brisbane Last Year’s Ranking: 45 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 19.9 11. Ebony Marinoff - Adelaide Last Year’s Ranking: 2 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 23.2 10. Emma Kearney - North Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: 10 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 3 Average Disposals: 20.6 9. Sabreena Duffy - Fremantle Last Year’s Ranking: 29 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 12 Average Disposals: 8.3 8. Maddy Prespakis - Carlton Last Year’s Ranking: 6 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 3 Average Disposals: 21.3 7. Kate Lutkins - Brisbane Last Year’s Ranking: 26 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 13.3 6. Brianna Davey - Collingwood Last Year’s Ranking: 21 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 0 Average Disposals: 20.5 5. Anne Hatchard - Adelaide Last Year’s Ranking: 14 2020 Games: 6 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 25.3 4. Jaimee Lambert - Collingwood Last Year’s Ranking: 25 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 3 Average Disposals: 22.3 3. Karen Paxman - Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: 8 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 21.3 2. Kiara Bowers - Fremantle Last Year’s Ranking: 5 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 1 Average Disposals: 17.6 1. Jasmine Garner - North Melbourne Last Year’s Ranking: 32 2020 Games: 7 2020 Goals: 8 Average Disposals: 20.1