Dawson, Gogos take out top honours at 2025 VFL/W Awards

Lambert-Pearce Medal winner Ange Gogos and J.J. Liston Trophy winner Jacob Dawson the 2025 VFL and VFLW Awards. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos

Southport Sharks co-captain Jacob Dawson and Darebin Falcons star Ange Gogos were crowned the Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW best and fairest winners at the 2025 VFL and VFLW Awards, which were held at Marvel Stadium on Monday night.

Both players completed the double by also being named the Coaches MVP, with Gogos sharing the rebel VFLW Coaches MVP with Williamstown midfielder Emily Eaves in the first tie in the award’s history.

Dawson’s breakthrough for the J.J. Liston Trophy as the best and fairest player in the Smithy’s VFL followed top-10 placings in each of the past three seasons, including finishing runner-up to Tom Gribble in 2022.

He polled 28 votes to finish five ahead of Casey Demons half back Riley Bonner (23 votes), with 2024 winner Dom Brew in third place on 21 votes.

Dawson polled votes from the umpires in 11 of his 17 matches, which included eight best on ground performances. He received top votes in each of the opening three rounds of the season, before repeating the feat in Rounds 14-16.

Throughout the home and away season Dawson averaged 34.5 disposals, 16.5 contested possessions, 9.3 clearances, 4.5 inside 50m entries and 3.3 tackles.

He also turned in big performances in both the qualifying and preliminary finals to steer Southport into its third Grand Final in four seasons, with the Sharks set to take on the Footscray Bulldogs in the 2025 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final at IKON Park this Sunday.

Dawson was crowned the Coaches MVP for the second time after winning the award in 2022, before finishing runner-up in 2023 and third in 2024.

He received votes in 14 matches to finish with a total of 87 votes, ahead of Box Hill Hawks midfielder Henry Hustwaite (80) and Coburg recruit Jack Bytel (75).

An AFLW premiership player with the Western Bulldogs in 2018, Gogos added to her impressive football resume with the highest individual honour in the rebel VFLW, the Lambert-Pearce Medal as the competition’s best and fairest player.

She polled votes in 11 of 13 matches, to finish with 25 votes. Essendon skipper El Chaston was runner-up for the second-successive season with 21 votes, while dual North Melbourne-Werribee premiership star Maddie Di Cosmo was third on 19 votes.

Gogos was a prolific ball winner throughout the 2025 campaign, averaging 25.5 disposals, 16.8 contested possessions, 9.5 clearances and 3.8 inside 50s per match. She was also outstanding defensively and averaged 10.2 tackles per game.

Her efforts were also recognised by the coaches, with the 36-year-old winning the Coaches MVP for the second-successive season, this year sharing the award with Williamstown’s Emily Eaves after both polled 77 votes.

They edged out Maddie Di Cosmo by a single vote, with El Chaston close behind in fourth on 68 votes.

Collingwood midfielder Tahlia Sanger was awarded the Debbie Lee Medal as the VFLW Rising Star. In her debut season, Sanger was selected in the rebel VFLW Team of the Year, finished fifth the Coaches MVP voting and featured in Collingwood’s Grand Final team.

Frankston recruit Tom Blamires was recognised for an outstanding first season with the Dolphins after joining from Sandringham by claiming the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the most promising player in the Smithy’s VFL aged 24 or under.

VFL life membership was awarded to Bruce Bowles, Martin Carter, Alan Stevens and Tom Wilson.

Wilson qualified for life membership by reaching 175 VFL games as a player for the Northern Blues, Northern Bullants and Collingwood

Bowles, Carter and Stevens were recognised for their outstanding service in long-standing roles at Sandringham, Werribee and Essendon respectively.

Geelong’s Ian Fuller was presented the Alex Gillon Award and Essendon’s Nick Frederiksen the Ann Rulton Award, which recognise VFL and VFLW volunteers who have provided outstanding service to their club or football in general.

The 2025 VFL Umpires of the Year were Joel Clamp (field), Harrison Bell (boundary) and James Rizio (goal).

J.J. LISTON TROPHY (Smithy’s VFL Best and Fairest)
Jacob Dawson (Southport Sharks) – 28 votes
Riley Bonner (Casey Demons) – 23 votes
Dom Brew (Werribee) – 21 votes
Deven Robertson (Brisbane Lions) – 20 votes
Henry Hustwaite (Box Hill Hawks) – 18 votes
Brodie McLaughlin (Williamstown) – 17 votes
Jack Bytel (Coburg) – 15 votes
Ted Clohesy (Geelong Cats) – 15 votes
Harvey Hooper (Port Melbourne) – 14 votes
George Stevens (Geelong Cats) – 14 votes
Click here for full vote listing

LAMBERT-PEARCE MEDAL (rebel VFLW Best and Fairest)
Ange Gogos (Darebin Falcons) – 25 votes
El Chaston (Essendon) – 21 votes
Maddie Di Cosmo (North Melbourne-Werribee) – 19 votes
Emily Eaves (Williamstown) – 17 votes
Dominique Carbone (Collingwood) – 16 votes
Nyakoat Dojiok (North Melbourne-Werribee) – 15 votes
Tahlia Sanger (Collingwood) – 13 votes
Alyssa Mifsud (Darebin Falcons) – 10 votes
Abby Favell (Geelong Cats) – 10 votes
Click here for full vote listing

SMITHY’S VFL COACHES MVP
Jacob Dawson (Southport Sharks) – 87 votes
Henry Hustwaite (Box Hill Hawks) – 80 votes
Jack Bytel (Coburg) – 75 votes
Zac Foot (Southport Sharks) – 69 votes
Deven Robertson (Brisbane Lions) – 67 votes
Joel Trudgeon (Coburg) – 60 votes
Cooper Craig-Peters (Footscray Bulldogs) – 59 votes
George Stevens (Geelong Cats) – 59 votes
Ned Moyle (Gold Coast Suns) – 57 votes
Riley Bonner (Casey Demons) – 56 votes
Brodie McLaughlin (Williamstown) – 56 votes
Click here for full vote listing

rebel VFLW COACHES MVP
Emily Eaves (Williamstown) – 77 votes
Ange Gogos Darebin Falcons – 77 votes
Maddie Di Cosmo (North Melbourne-Werribee) – 76 votes
El Chaston (Essendon) – 68 votes
Abby Favell (Geelong Cats) – 57 votes
Tahlia Sanger (Collingwood) – 57 votes
Dominique Carbone (Collingwood) – 54 votes
Alana Barba (North Melbourne-Werribee) – 53 votes
Abbey McDonald (Essendon) – 51 votes
Ava Seton (Port Melbourne) – 46 votes
Click here for full vote listing

SMITHY’S VFL TEAM OF THE YEAR

rebel VFLW TEAM OF THE YEAR

JIM ‘FROSTY’ MILLER MEDAL (Smithy’s VFL Leading Goalkicker)
Brodie McLaughlin (Williamstown) – 67 goals

ROHENNA YOUNG MEDAL (rebel VFLW Leading Goalkicker)
Nyakoat Dojoik (North Melbourne-Werribee) – 37 goals

FOTHERGILL-ROUND-MITCHELL MEDAL (Smithy’s VFL Rising Star)
Winner: Tom Blamires (Frankston)
Other finalists: Fergus McFadyen (Brisbane Lions), Tobyn Murray (Geelong Cats), Massimo Raso (Richmond) and Harry Scott (Richmond)

DEBBIE LEE MEDAL (rebel VFLW Rising Star)
Winner: Tahlia Sanger (Collingwood)
Other finalists: Amy Trindade (Carlton), Hayley Peck (Geelong Cats), Nyakoat Dojiok (North Melbourne-Werribee), Abbey Tregellis (Sandringham)

VFL UMPIRES OF THE YEAR
Joel Clamp (field), Harrison Bell (boundary) and James Rizio (goal)

ALEX GILLON VFL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Ian Fuller (Geelong Cats)

ANN RULTON VFLW VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Nick Frederiksen (Essendon)

LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Tom Wilson (175 games played for Northern Blues, Northern Bullants and Collingwood), Bruce Bowles (Sandringham), Martin Carter (Werribee) and Alan Stevens (Essendon)