BY KATE RAWLINS
The AFL Cairns Women’s League Presentation Night was held on Monday night to acknowledge the best players for 2013.
After a tight night of voting, Selina Goodman from North Cairns Tigers, beat Monika Duggan for the second year in a row to take out the Best & Fairest Award.
Selina is a current AFLCWL Representative Player, as well as a Queensland State Player.
She has played all twelve matches for North Cairns this season and polled in eight of these matches, proving her consistency to perform throughout the season.
Her ability to play ruck, but act as a fourth on-baller at every contest makes her a nightmare for the opposition.
Selina’s endeavour and effort at each contest is nothing short of exceptional.
The competition was close, but Selina ended up winning the award by one point.
The final leader board tally for the AFLCWL Best & Fairest Award after Round 12 was:
18 Votes – Selina Goodman (North Cairns)
17 Votes – Monika Duggan (Manunda Hawks)
12 Votes – Lauretta Dowling (Centrals TB)
8 Votes – Megan Thomas (Manunda Hawks)
7 Votes – Sodyla Kris (North Cairns)
7 Votes – Kareena White (Manunda Hawks)
The presentation night also saw select members of the community presented with one of AFLCWL’s four special awards.
AFLCWL 2012/2013 Players’ Player Award – Monika Duggan (Manunda Hawks)
This award was introduced in last season (2011/2012) by the AFLCWL Executive for peer recognition.
The award is determined by players at the conclusion of Round 12.
Each club receives 25 votes to go towards a player from an opposing club who they feel possesses great sportsmanship, courage, bravery or skill.
South Cairns’ Ruby Leete was the inaugural winner of this award last season.
This season’s winner Monika Duggan has earned the respect of her peers for many years now.
A clear favourite this season with over 50% of the leagues votes.
Monika has played in all 12 matches this season for the Hawks and is an important player in the teams bid to take home this seasons Premiership.
A club leader, 2012’s AFLCWL Representative Captain, Queensland State Player and Hawks Ruckman, Monika Duggan is a very deserving recipient of this season’s Players’ Player Award.
AFLCWL 2012/2013 Coach of the Year – Jo Butland (North Cairns)
AFLCWL 2012/2013 Coach of the Year was awarded to North Cairns leader at the helm, Jo Butland.
Jo has not only taken North Cairns into the AFLCWL Grand Final for the fifth time as coach, but this time her team were undefeated.
Jo’s coaching premiership record currently sits at three, and she will be looking to make it four from five at the weekend.
A playing coach who has won AFLCWL Best and Fairest four times consecutively, Jo has coached AFLCJ Youth Girls teams and QLD State Teams over the past 6 Years.
She has also coached internationally with PNG at the International Cup in 2011, was awarded Queensland’s Coach of the Year in 2010, and has been Assistant Coach for AFLCWL for five years now.
Jo is a seasoned coach with success.
Her ability to communicate with players, identify strength, and pass down her astute knowledge of the game to all players sees Jo as one of the most accredited and successful female coaches in the country.
AFLCWL 2012/2013 Rising Star Award – Luana Healey (North Cairns)
AFLCWL 2012/2013 Rising Star Award was awarded to Luana Healey from North Cairns.
Luana is a 15 year-old lady who is a key position player.
Luana was a member of the 2012 North Queensland Lions Team in the KooGa U17 Youth Girls State Championships last October.
Her performance at these Championships has earned her a place in the 2013 QLD Under 18 State Team.
Luana is a player with terrific ground skills, great overhead marks and an accurate kick.
She has played in 11 of the 12 home and away matches this season.
Kicking 12 goals and finishing fourth in the league’s overall Goal Kicking List.
In her first season in AFLCWL, North Cairns’ Luana Healey is a worthy recipient of the 2012/2013 Rising Star Award.
AFLCWL 2012/2013 Leading Goal Kicker – Maddie Peeters (North Cairns)
AFLCWL 2012/2013 Leading Goal Kicker is Maddie Peeters from North Cairns.
Maddie is 18 years of age and has played in every home & away match for North Cairns this season.
A brilliant 47 goals this season has seen Maddie average 3.92 Goals per match, which would challenge any reserve grade leading goal kicker.
An impressive season high of eight goals in one Quarter against South Cairns in Round 10 is an obvious highlight of Maddie’s season.
Success is not new for Maddie in this competition after being awarded AFLCWL Rising Star Award last season.
Maddie has also represented AFLCWL in the past three AFLQ State Championships.
The AFLCWL 2013 Representative team was announced that the presentation night.
The team will now compete in the KoogGa AFL Queensland Women State Championships in Brisbane from Friday 26th April to Saturday 27th April 2013.
The 23 players that have been selected to play in the representative side are:
From North Cairns: Rebekka Baggendorf, Jo Butland, Selina Goodman, Breanna Koenen, Sodyla Kris, Tarin Moke, Awena Mueller, T’kehya Nandy, Maddie Peeters, Shelby Peeters, Malita Sagaukaz, Danielle Trindle-Price.
From Manunda Hawks: Meg Pullinger, Monika Duggan, Megan Thomas, Stacey Peach, Jennifer Robinson.
From Centrals TB: Lauretta Dowling, Peggy Lane, Yuka Shiroma.
From South Cairns: Ruby Leete, Asta Naden, Ashleigh Singleton.
Emergencies: Nicole Ewing (Centrals TB), Julie Redpath (South Cairns)
Other regions competing in the State Championships include; AFL Capricornia and two South East Queensland Sides.
At the State Championships, a Queensland side will be selected to compete in division one at the 2013 AFL Women’s National Championships to held in Cairns from Monday June 17th to Saturday 22nd June 2013.
