Brisbane Lions vice-captain Emily Bates took out the AFLW's Best and Fairest award at the W Awards on Tuesday night, finishing just one vote ahead of Adelaide star Anne Hatchard.

In a thrilling count, the pair were tied on 18 votes apiece heading into the final round where Bates polled three votes - her sixth best on ground - while Hatchard polled two.

Hatchard's teammate Ebony Marinoff, who finished third with 18 votes, polled three votes in the final round.

The award caps a stellar season for Bates, who was last month named the AFLCA's Champion Player of the Year.

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Hatchard again finished in second place, tied with North Melbourne's Ashleigh Riddell, while Marinoff finished in fourth.

Bates, 26, was the Lions first-ever draft pick in the inaugural AFLW draft and spoke of the tight bond between her and her teammates.

"Sisterhood is definitely what it feels like at the Lions and I love these girls like sisters," she said.

Her coach, Craig Starcevich, stole the show, sending social media into overdrive when drinking a "shoey" during Bates' acceptance speech.

Earlier in the night, Carlton young gun Mimi Hill was crowned the AFLW's Rising Star - pipping Gold Coast's Charlie Rowbottom but a solitary vote.

North Melbourne's Mia King finished in third.

Fremantle's Ebony Antonio took out the AFLW Goal of the Year while North Melbourne's Tahlia Randall took out the AFLW Goal of the Year.

Perhaps the biggest story of the night was North superstar Emma Kearney, who was named captain of the All-Australian team.

Remarkably, the 32-year-old has been named in all six All-Australian teams since the AFLW competition began.