THREE Demons have made the 2020 womens.afl Team of the Year, with Libby Birch, Karen Paxman and Kate Hore all being named in the side.
The trio, who feature across the ground, earned their spots after being nominated for the Team of the Week throughout the 2020 NAB AFL Women’s season.
In her first season as a Demon, Birch starred down back.
The 22-year-old was one of the league’s best lockdown defenders, averaging 12 disposals and proving to be one of the Dees’ most consistent on the field.
Equally as reliable was Paxman, who continued her dominance in her fourth season.
The midfielder averaged 21 disposals, including an impressive 27 touches against Carlton in Round 6, and four tackles.
Paxman’s composure was a given for the Demons each week, while her clean hands created plenty of opportunities up forward.
Speaking of which, Hore was a force to be reckoned with inside 50.
The 25-year-old, who was named on the interchange, finished with five majors for the season, including a Round 6 snap that is in the running for the Coates Hire Goal of the Year Award.
Hore also averaged 13 disposals in her third season in the red and blue.
See below for womens.afl’s full Team of the Year:
DEFENDERS
Libby Birch (Melbourne), Isabel Huntington (Western Bulldogs), Stacey Livingstone (Collingwood), Kate Lutkins (Brisbane), Jade Pregelj (Gold Coast)
MIDFIELDERS
Parris Laurie (West Coast, ruck), Kiara Bowers (Fremantle), Jaimee Lambert (Collingwood), Alyce Parker (GWS), Karen Paxman (Melbourne), Maddy Prespakis (Carlton)
FORWARDS
Sabreena Duffy (Fremantle), Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne), Kalinda Howarth (Gold Coast), Caitlin Greiser (St Kilda), Tayla Harris (Carlton)
INTERCHANGE
Anne Hatchard (Adelaide), Kate Hore (Melbourne), Emma Kearney (North Melbourne), Phoebe Monahan (Richmond), Ash Riddell (North Melbourne)
