Melbourne skipper Daisy Pearce has shot to the top of the Shadforth Financial Group AFLCA AFLW Champion Player of the Year Award leaderboard after polling nine votes from the coaches in Round 3.
Pearce collected 24 disposals, five clearances and four tackles in her side’s close loss to a spirited Dockers outfit and sits one vote ahead of Adelaide’s Chelsea Randall and the Western Bulldogs’ Emma Kearney who received seven and four votes respectively.
Randall’s fellow skipper and inaugural AFLW Players’ MVP Award winner, Erin Phillips, wasted no time settling into the second AFLW season, polling maximum votes in the Crows victory.
Phillips, in her return match from a quad injury, collected 15 disposals and kicked four of her side’s six goals to get the reigning premiers 2018 campaign back on track after losing their opening two games.
The 32-year-old was unanimously named as the best player on the ground by the respective coaches.
AFL Coaches’ Association votes for Round 3:
adelaide v western bulldogs
10 Phillips (Adel), 7 Randall (Adel), 4 Kearney (WB), 4 Marinoff (Adel), 3 Blackburn (WB), 2 Conti (WB)
carlton v brisbane lions
6 Lutkins (BL), 5 Ashmore (BL), 4 Bates (BL), 4 Kasler (BL), 3 McCarthy (BL), 3 Stanton (BL), 2 Anderson (BL), 2 Conway (BL), 1 Stevens (Carl)
collingwood v gws giants
9 Eva (GWS), 6 Gum (GWS), 4 Staunton (GWS), 3 Farrugia (GWS), 3 McWilliams (GWS), 2 King (Coll), 2 Molloy (Coll), 1 Lambert (Coll)
fremantle v melbourne
9 Donnellan (Frem), 9 Pearce (Melb), 4 Antonio (Frem), 4 Cunningham (Melb), 3 Gooch (Frem), 1 Smith (Melb)
LEADERBOARD
18 — DAISY PEARCE (MELB)
17 — EMMA KEARNEY (WB)
17 — CHELSEA RANDALL (ADEL)
13 — ELLIE BLACKBURN (WB)
13 — EBONY ANTONIO (FREM)
13 — BRIANNA DAVEY (CARL)
13 — KARA DONNELLAN (FREM)
12 — KATE LUTKINS (BL)
12 — CHLOE MOLLOY (COLL)
11 — DANA HOOKER (FREM)