2018 AFL Women's Rising Star

The AFL Women's Rising Star is an Australian rules football award given annually to the best young player in the AFL Women's (AFLW) for the year. Two eligible players are nominated each round of the home-and-away season; the players must have been under 21 at the beginning of the year and cannot have been previously nominated. Players suspended during the year cannot win.^[1] After the season's completion, an expert panel votes on the recipient.^[2]

2018 AFL Women's Rising Star
Chloe Molloy, 2018 winner
Sponsored by	National Australia Bank
Date	27 March 2018 (2018-03-27)
Location	Peninsula, Docklands
Reward(s)	$20,000
Winner	Chloe Molloy (Collingwood)
← 2017 · AFL Women's Rising Star · 2019 →

National Australia Bank continued its sponsorship of the award in 2018, offering $20,000 in prize money.^[3] The winner was announced at the AFLW's awards ceremony on 27 March, held at Peninsula, an event space in Docklands, Melbourne, and live-streamed on AFL.com.au.^[4] The ten members of the voting panel were Australian Football League (AFL) officials Nicole Livingstone, who served as the chair, Steve Hocking, Josh Vanderloo and Grant Williams; AFL Victoria's Darren Flanigan; Tim Harrington of the AFL Players Association (AFLPA); St Kilda's Peta Searle; and media commentators Sharelle McMahon, Kelli Underwood and Shelley Ware.^[5]

The winner was Chloe Molloy, a defender playing for Collingwood, who was the first recipient to poll the maximum 50 votes.^[2][3] Molloy also won the AFLPA's inaugural award for the AFLW's best first-year player, as voted by her peers;^[6] was named Collingwood's best and fairest overall and best first-year player;^[7] finished equal-second in the AFLW best and fairest behind Emma Kearney; and was named in the back pocket of the All-Australian team.^[8] The Western Bulldogs accrued the most nominations during the season, with five players (Libby Birch, Monique Conti, Naomi Ferres, Bonnie Toogood and Aisling Utri) selected.^[5]

Nominations

Emily McGuire was Fremantle's sole nominee.

Table of nominees

Round	Player	Club	Ref.
1	Rebecca Beeson	Greater Western Sydney	[9]
	Chloe Molloy	Collingwood
2	Libby Birch	Western Bulldogs	[10]
	Bonnie Toogood	Western Bulldogs
3	Sophie Conway	Brisbane	[11]
	Emily McGuire	Fremantle
4	Monique Conti	Western Bulldogs	[12]
	Aisling Utri	Western Bulldogs
5	Eloise Jones	Adelaide	[13]
	Breann Moody	Carlton
6	Sarah Allan	Adelaide	[14]
	Tahlia Randall	Brisbane
7	Naomi Ferres	Western Bulldogs	[15]
	Anne Hatchard	Adelaide

Table of nominations by club

Number	Club	Player	Nom.
5	Western Bulldogs	Libby Birch	2
		Bonnie Toogood	2
		Monique Conti	4
		Aisling Utri	4
		Naomi Ferres	7
3	Adelaide	Eloise Jones	5
		Sarah Allan	6
		Anne Hatchard	7
2	Brisbane	Sophie Conway	3
		Tahlia Randall	6
1	Carlton	Breann Moody	5
	Collingwood	Chloe Molloy	1
	Fremantle	Emily McGuire	3
	Greater Western Sydney	Rebecca Beeson	1

Final voting

Adelaide's Sarah Allan finished third, polling 15 votes.

Table of votes^[5]

Placing	Player	Club	Nom.	Votes
1	Chloe Molloy	Collingwood	1	50
2	Monique Conti	Western Bulldogs	4	39
3	Sarah Allan	Adelaide	6	15
4	Bonnie Toogood	Western Bulldogs	2	12
5	Breann Moody	Carlton	5	10
6	Tahlia Randall	Brisbane	6	8
7	Aisling Utri	Western Bulldogs	4	6
8	Libby Birch	Western Bulldogs	2	3
	Eloise Jones	Adelaide	5	3
10	Rebecca Beeson	Greater Western Sydney	1	2
	Sophie Conway	Brisbane	3	2

See also

• 2018 AFL Rising Star

References

1. Thomas, Kirralee (7 February 2018). "AFLW: Rising Star Eligibility". afc.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
2. "NAB AFL Women's Rising Star". womens.afl. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
3. Wood, Lauren (27 March 2018). "Collingwood's Chloe Molloy wins 2018 AFLW Rising Star award". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
4. "Watch it LIVE: W Awards from 8.30pm AEDT". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 27 March 2018. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
5. Olle, Sarah (27 March 2018). "AFLW Rising Star 2018: Collingwood's Chloe Molloy claims honour". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 23 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
6. Waterworth, Ben (26 March 2018). "AFLW MVP awards: Courtney Gum crowned best player, but Chloe Molloy best first year". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 12 April 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
7. "AFLW: First-year star takes out Magpies' B&F". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 9 April 2018. Archived from the original on 15 April 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
8. "Emma Kearney named AFLW best and fairest but future with Dogs unclear". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
9. Black, Sarah (6 February 2018). "AFLW: Pie, Giant nominated for Rising Star". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
10. Buxton, Aaron (13 February 2018). "AFLW: Dog duo named round two Rising Stars". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 13 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
11. Buxton, Aaron (20 February 2018). "AFLW: Teenagers win Rising Star nominations". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
12. Saultry, Meg (27 February 2018). "AFLW: Dogs double up again in Rising Star". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
13. Black, Sarah (6 March 2018). "AFLW: Crow and Blue the latest Rising Stars". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 10 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
14. Black, Sarah (13 March 2018). "AFLW: Crow and Lion win Rising Star nominations". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
15. Saultry, Meg (20 March 2018). "AFLW: Dog and Crow win final Rising Star nods". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 20 March 2018.