Western Bulldogs duo Libby Birch and Bonnie Toogood are the NAB AFL Women's Rising Star nominees for round two.
Birch and Toogood were instrumental in the Bulldogs’ nine point victory over the Lions in Brisbane on Sunday.
Birch, in her second season at the Kennel, kept Brisbane star half forward Kaitlyn Ashmore to just four disposals in a terrific defensive display.
A state-level junior netballer, Birch first took up football in 2016 with the Darebin Falcons.
A member of the Falcons’ Premiership winning side she was drafted as a rookie to the Bulldogs for the AFLW’s inaugural 2017 season.
20-year-old Toogood arrived at the club via the 2017 AFLW Rookie Draft, recruited at pick #11. The netball convert has had excellent game sense and solid foot skills in her first two outings for the Dogs.
Players qualify for the Rising Star if they were 21 years old or younger on 1 January 2018 and have not previously been nominated.