JADE Rawlings has been named the VFL coach of the Year.

The Casey Demons senior coach was named head coach of the best 2018 VFL team on Monday night.

Rawlings has had an outstanding year, since taking over from Justin Plapp, who became Melbourne midfield coach for the 2018 season.

Having previously coached Coburg Tigers, and been caretaker Richmond senior coach, Rawlings became an assistant with the Brisbane Lions, before joining Melbourne’s coaching panel at the end of the 2011 season.

Rawlings has guided Casey to at least this year’s preliminary final - to be played this Saturday - while he oversaw his side to 12 wins in a row during the home and away season.

Rawlings runs proceedings at Casey (Photo: Adam McFarlane)

With almost a decade of coaching experience to his name, and having gained a level four coaching accreditation, Rawlings looms as a future AFL senior coach.

He will be determined to guide Casey to this year’s premiership and assist Melbourne to a flag in 2018.

In other news, Casey duo Jay Lockhart and Corey Wagner were named in the 2018 team of the year.

And Bianca Jakobsson was named in the VFL Women’s team of the year.

Jakobsson (middle row, third from right) was named at half-back flank in the VFLW team (Photo: Robert Prezioso)