Star midfielder Ellie Blackburn has finished equal runner-up in the 2021 AFLW league best and fairest count, polling 14 votes at Tuesday night’s W Awards.
Blackburn led the pack after the first four rounds of the season, recording three consecutive best-on-ground performances in her first three games.
The Bulldogs’ skipper earned another two votes for her 16-disposal efforts in round four to find herself with 11 overall, but did not poll again until round nine – where she again earned maximum votes.
Blackburn shared runner-up honours with Alyce Parker from GWS, equalling her career-best finish of equal 2nd in 2017.
Collingwood’s Bri Davey and Fremantle’s Kiara Bowers both finished with 15 votes apiece, named joint winners of the best and fairest for the first time in AFLW history.
Blackburn also became a triple AFLW All Australian earlier in the night, named on the half-forward line, and was recently named the AFLPA’s Best Captain.
2021 AFLW best and fairest leaderboard
Bri Davey (Collingwood) - 15 votes
Kiara Bowers (Fremantle) - 15 votes
Alyce Parker (GWS) - 14 votes
Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs) - 14 votes
Karen Paxman (Melbourne) - 13 votes
Anne Hatchard (Adelaide) - 13 votes
Monique Conti (Richmond) - 12 votes
Brittany Bonnici (Collingwood) - 12 votes
2021 AFLW Western Bulldogs top 3 vote-getters
Ellie Blackburn – 14 votes
Kirsty Lamb – 5 votes
Bonnie Toogood – 3 votes
