Mon top of the world: Tigers speedster crowned AFLW best and fairest
The winner of the AFLW Best and Fairest Award has been revealed
By Sarah Black
MONIQUE Conti is the Tiger queen, the Richmond midfielder crowned the AFLW's best and fairest player on Monday night.
Such was Conti's dominance and the evenness across the rest of the competition, the star Tiger sewed up the win with a three-vote game against Hawthorn in Cairns, taking her tally to 20, with Adelaide's Anne Hatchard, North Melbourne's Ash Riddell and Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood in equal-second with 13.
The midfielder took out the count on 23 votes, with a four-way tie for second place on 16 votes - Geelong's Amy McDonald, Sydney's Chloe Molloy, Riddell and Gold Coast's Claudia Whitfort.
The speedy 23-year-old showed a clean pair of heels throughout the 2023 season, her agility a clear point of difference from her fellow midfielders in the stoppages.
A dual-sport athlete who has already returned to the basketball court following the end to Richmond's season, Conti started her career at the Western Bulldogs, winning the 2018 Grand Final best on ground medal at just 18.
In a tough, injury-hit year for Richmond, Conti was a clear star, averaging 28.5 disposals, a competition-high 7.3 clearances and 5.8 tackles.
After three rounds, pre-count favourite Jas Garner had polled five of a possible nine votes, with Conti and Marinoff leading on seven.
A superstar till the end, retiring great Erin Phillips polled one last three-vote game, coming against St Kilda in round three.
Quiet achiever Tyla Hanks made her move in round four, jumping out to second place with nine votes, one behind Conti with 10.
Halfway through the count, Conti had a three-vote lead from Toogood, the key forward breaking the midfield dominance around her in second place.
Sydney star Laura Gardiner finished second in the AFLCA count but only polled her first umpires' vote in round seven, as Brit Bonnici jumped up to fourth behind Conti, Hatchard and Riddell.
Garner finished with 14 votes, her final three-vote game in round 10 met with raucous applause from the room.
https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1067667/winner-article