Erin wins top trophy
ADELAIDE premiership cocaptain Erin Phillips has capped her outstanding AFLW season by winning the inaugural AFL Players’ Association Most Valuable Player Award.
Phillips, who was named the AFLW grand final’s best on ground as she led the Crows to a historic premiership, was awarded 204 votes by her fellow players, to finish ahead of Melbourne midfielder Karen Paxman ( 149 votes) and the league’s leading goalkicker, Carlton’s Darcy Vescio ( 132).
The Crows leader accepted the MVP trophy at a private awards ceremony at a Melbourne’s Siglo restaurant earlier this week.
Phillips, 31, also is the favourite to take out the league’s best- and- fairest award tonight.
She will return to the US to resume her basketball career with the WNBA’s Dallas Wings in the coming weeks.
Phillips said she was humbled to win the honour in the competition’s debut season.
“To be recognised by your peers is something all athletes hold in high esteem and this is something I will hold very close to my heart for a long time,” she said.
“I’m so proud of what we, as AFLW players, have been able to achieve over the past eight weeks and look forward to what the future holds for all of us as players and aspiring female footballers right across Australia.”
Phillips said that having completed just one week of the pre- season due to a quad injury from kicking – “I didn’t even know you could get those”, she laughed – she never anticipated she could reach great heights this season.
As it was, she dominated the competition and led the Crows to a flag.
Phillips’ co- captain Chelsea Randall made it a double Adelaide celebration when she received the AFLW Players’ Most Courageous Award.
Randall collected 80 votes to comfortably out- poll Carlton’s Brianna Davey ( 57 votes) and Greater Western Sydney’s Jessica Dal Pos ( 22 votes).
Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce won the Players’ Best Captain Award.
All AFLW players will be invited to the AFL Players’ MVP Awards in September, where male and female winners will be celebrated. AFLW Players’ MVP 1) Erin Phillips ( 204 votes) 2) Karen Paxman ( 149) 3) Darcy Vescio ( 132) Most Courageous 1) Chelsea Randall ( 80) 2) Brianna Davey ( 57) 3) Jessica Dal Pos ( 22) Best Captain 1) Daisy Pearce ( 63) 2) Erin Phillips ( 30) 3) Emma Zielke ( 27)