Abbey Dowrick claimed her first Best and Fairest medal on Friday evening. Image: Matt Sampson.

YOUNG midfielder Abbey Dowrick has been awarded Port Adelaide’s Best and Fairest Medal after a stellar second season in the NAB AFLW competition. 

Dowrick was a convincing winner, finishing the count 13 votes ahead of runner-up Gemma Houghton, while young ruck Matilda Scholz finished in third place, nine votes behind Houghton. 

Retiring skipper Erin Phillips came in fourth, while 18-year-old defender Amelie Borg rounded out the top five.  

Averaging 19.6 disposals and 12.2 contested possessions from 10 games this season, Dowrick took a step up from her debut season in 2022. 

The 21-year-old also averaged 6.3 clearances per game, finishing the season in the league’s top-six for both average and total clearances. 

She ranked third in the competition for average metres gained with 472, finishing only behind experienced midfielders Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne) and Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide).  

“I'd like to start off by thanking the Port Adelaide Football Club, the AFL and the AFLW for giving me the opportunity to play at the top level,” Dowrick said in her acceptance speech.

“To the girls, thank you for making it a great season. Despite the results, I've had an absolute blast from start to finish. 

“To my mum and dad, the biggest thank you for always believing in me and making the sacrifices for me to follow my dreams.”

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2023 B&F: AFLW Best and Fairest winner: Abbey Dowrick | PTV

Abbey Dowrick has won the AFLW Best and Fairest.

In 2022, West Australian product Dowrick came in third in the club’s best and fairest count and was named Rising Star runner-up for the league. 

Scholz was named Best First Year Player, as voted by senior coach Lauren Arnell and her coaching panel, as well as head of AFLW Juliet Haslam. 

The 18-year-old ruck finished eighth in the league for hitouts and third at the club for clearances, with the Glenelg product often praised for her work-rate and aerial contest. 

Matilda Scholz, Gemma Houghton and Abbey Dowrick made up the top three in the 2023 count. Image: Matt Sampson.

Also voted on by the same cohort, the Coaches’ Award for the most improved player went to forward Julia Teakle, while midfielder Maria Moloney was voted by her peers as the Players’ Player. 

AFLW award winners 

Best and Fairest 
Abbey Dowrick 

Best and Fairest – Runner-Up 
Gemma Houghton 

Best and Fairest – Third Place 
Matilda Scholz 

Best First Year Player 
Matilda Scholz 

Coaches’ Award (most improved) 
Julia Teakle 

Players’ Player 
Maria Moloney 

Best and Fairest top 10 

Abbey Dowrick – 106 
Gemma Houghton – 93  
Matilda Scholz – 84  
Erin Phillips – 82 
Amelie Borg – 72 
Ashleigh Saint – 63 
Justine Mules – 61  
Ebony O’Dea – 58 
Ange Foley – 56 
Cheyenne Hammond – 53