This year's AFLW best and fairest is set to be another closely contested count, with a host of players in contention for the award.
There are a variety of players who will feature heavily in the count, such as North Melbourne star Jasmine Garner, who has produced another stellar season for the Kangaroos.
Brisbane Lions superstar Ally Anderson, as well as ex-teammate and Hawthorn captain Emily Bates, will also be contenders, both players have had an outstanding year so far for their respective clubs, impacting games and influencing teammates on and off the field.
Here are the contenders to watch heading into the home stretch of the regular season, with all having a case to win the exclusive award.
The aforementioned Garner is considered one of the best players in the league. Following her brief stint at Collingwood, where Garner played just fourteen games before being traded to North Melbourne in 2019, she has been recognised by many as a player who can impact a team in a variety of ways, whether it's on the field or off it.
Garner has gained respect from her peers and is often seen as a role model by the younger players who aspire to reach the heights of the Kangaroos superstar. The first six weeks of this season have been an impactful one for Garner, averaging 26 disposals a game - sitting above average for her career.
Brisbane superstar Anderson - a previous winner of the award - has all the credentials to win a second best and fairest, with her immense skill and consistency all visible in the midfielder's game.
Anderson polled an incredible 21 votes in her winning best and fairest year to be a clear standout, averaging 20 plus disposals.
โShe is one of our most consistent, reliable and competitive players on field and it shows in her performance week in week out,โ teammate Natalie Grider said following her 2023 best and fairest win.
โShe definitely improves every yearโ Grider said.
The Lions superstar is averaging a prolific 28.4 disposals per game in 2024 and is considered one of the top ball winners in the competition. Anderson's high disposal efficiency and consistency assisted in Brisbane winning last year's premiership and remains a key pillar in the success of the Lions' future.
Bates, like Anderson, has won the league's most prestigious award before, claiming her title back in Season 6 with Brisbane. The dynamic and influential captain has won it all, with her best and fairest-winning year touted as her best season to date in an 81-game career.
Since leaving the Lions at the conclusion of the 2022 season, Bates' aim when arriving at Hawthorn was to make an impact from the beginning, which has been felt amongst her teammates and coaching staff.
Bates' impact and presence within the young group are clear as the 28-year-old was appointed captain of the club, setting an example with impressive leadership and performances on field.
The appointment of Bates as captain was seen by the coaching staff as an instrumental one. Bates, after a consistent first year at her new club, has increased her performance with an impressive first six weeks of the 2024 season, averaging 20 disposals per game whilst providing key leadership for a club that is still in its infancy at the AFLW level.
The race for the competition's top prize will go down to the wire as the last month of the regular season gets underway, with North Melbourne sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder along with a fierce Brisbane Lions and a young Hawthorn outfit looking to halt the Kangaroos' momentum and cement their spots in this year's finals series.
