Six Richmond players have been nominated for a range of AFL Players’ Association Awards, with three key Tigers up for the Most Valuable Player.
Ellie McKenzie, Libby Graham and Monique Conti are nominated for the AFL Players’ Most Valuable Player Award.
Conti played in all 12 games this season and led from the front and through the midfield, starting her season strong, collecting 32 disposals in Round 1 against Sydney away from home.
A week later, at IKON Park, she would go on to record a career-high 12 tackles against the Western Bulldogs, also notching up 21 touches and five clearances.
As the weeks piled on, she collected 33 against Melbourne, 26 disposals against Geelong and a season-high 34 touches in Richmond’s Round 8 win over Adelaide.
McKenzie also contributed strongly across the year, playing 10 matches and dominating through the midfield alongside Conti.
The 23-year-old collected a career-high 27 disposals against Geelong in Round 5, notching 26 touches the following week against the Saints.
Against Sydney in Round 1, McKenzie also had a career-high eight clearances.
Key defender Graham had a stand out season in the yellow and black, also nominated for the MVP award.
She averaged 4.8 interceptions per game, the third highest in the team, and led the back six across all 12 matches, averaging a career-best nine disposals and 139 metres gained.
Graham stood tall in the side’s 11-point win over the Crows, limiting their forwards’ impact, whilst recording 12 disposals, four marks, eight intercepts and 122 meters gained.
Excitingly, young gun Sierra Grieves has been nominated for the AFL Players’ Best First Year Player.
The 18-year-old was selected by Richmond with the Club’s first pick, and 11th overall selection, in the 2024 AFLW draft.
Grieves didn’t have to wait long to get her opportunity at the elite level, bursting onto the scene in Round 3 to make her AFLW debut against the Bombers in the annual Dreamtime in Darwin clash.
The inside midfielder shone in her first hit out, recording 18 disposals, four marks, four disposals and five score involvements.
Across nine games, Grieves averaged 13 disposals, three marks, three tackles, with 156 meters gained.
Beth Lynch has been nominated for the AFL Players’ Most Courageous, after her return from in Round 2 saw her play the remaining 11 games of the year.
And it could be said her courageous mark over Bulldogs veteran Ellie Blackburn in Round 2, which is nominated for Mark of the Year, summed up her willingness to put her body on the line for the team.
Lynch also stood tall and highlighted her defensive prowess against Geelong in Round 5, collecting a career-best eight tackles.
She collected 15 disposals, a season-high, against the Saints in Round 6, as well as 14 against North Melbourne in Round 9.
Skipper Katie Brennan has been nominated for the AFL Players’ Best Captain.
Brennan played all but one game this season, standing out with three goals against Collingwood in the Round 10 victory.
She was also prominent up forward against Adelaide, where she kicked another two majors, taking her total to five for the year.
The power forward is now the longest serving captain in the competition, having been appointed her team’s skipper for each season since the competition’s inception.
The award winners will be announced next Tuesday night.
AFL Players’ Most Valuable Player Award nominees: Ellie McKenzie, Libby Graham, Monique Conti
AFL Players’ Best First Year Player Award nominee: Sierra Grieves
AFL Players’ Most Courageous Player Award nominee: Beth Lynch
AFL Players’ Best Captain Award nominee: Katie Brennan