Gun midfielder Ellie Blackburn has received praise from coaches Nathan Burke and Mick Stinear in round one of the 2022 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award.
Despite going down to Melbourne by 24 points, the Bulldogs’ skipper earned seven votes for her efforts, which included 21 disposals, seven tackles, three marks, four intercepts and a goal.
She was the sole Bulldog to poll.
Since the award was introduced for the 2018 season, Blackburn has not missed a beat in the opening rounds.
Remarkably, Blackburn is the first AFLW player to poll at least seven or more coaches’ votes in five opening rounds, since the award was introduced in 2018.
Polling 7+ @AFLCoaches votes in opening rounds of #AFLW seasons
— Swamp (@sirswampthing) January 11, 2022
1x: 34 players
2x: Kiara Bowers, Ebony Marinoff, Karen Paxman, Ash Riddell, Jamie Stanton
3x: Alyce Parker
4x:
5x: ELLIE BLACKBURN
@BulldogsW @aflwomens
Round 1 – Western Bulldogs v Melbourne
9 votes – Eden Zanker (MELB)
8 votes – Tyla Hanks (MELB)
7 votes – Ellie Blackburn (WB)
3 votes – Kate Hore (MELB)
3 votes – Libby Birch (MELB)
Ellie Blackburn – Round 1 coaches’ votes since 2018
2018: 10 votes
2019: 7 votes
2020: 10 votes
2021: 8 votes
2022: 7 votes
