MELBOURNE has honoured its year in the AFLW, looking back on the season that was and crowning its Daisy Pearce Trophy winner.
Throughout the evening, six awards were handed out, with a number of Demons celebrated for making an impact in 2024.
Daisy Pearce Trophy | Kate Hore – 70 votes
At the conclusion of the count, Melbourne captain Kate Hore was titled the Daisy Pearce Trophy winner, edging out vice-captain Hanks by two votes.
This is Hore’s third straight best and fairest award, having won during season seven and eight.
The Melbourne skipper embraced her second season at the helm, showing her trademark professionalism. This year looked different for Hore though, with the Demon taking on a new dual role where she lined up across both the midfield and forward line.
This allowed her to influence games in more ways than one, averaging 18 disposals, four clearances (both career highs) and kicking a total of eight goals across her 10 games.
Second Place | Tyla Hanks – 68 votes
This year saw Hanks once again prove that she is in the top echelon of midfielders within the league, her skill and execution above the rest.
The reliable Demon has been a consistent contributor in the Melbourne line-up since her first season at the club back in 2019 and has continued to provide a level of stability for nearly six years now.
The hard-working and crafty midfielder led by example as the club’s vice-captain, averaging 18 disposals, five tackles and four clearances.
Third Place | Maeve Chaplin – 67 votes
As recognised earlier in the night with the Coaches Award, Chaplin’s campaign was her best yet, putting in the work to produce a breakout season.
After a few years of instability in the Melbourne team, Chaplin well and truly made her mark in Melbourne’s defence in 2024, becoming one of the best young defenders across the league.
At just 22, Chaplin showed a level of composure above her years, known as a powerful strength coming out of the side’s backline. Her career-making season saw her average 6.7 intercepts (10th in the league) and 13.6 disposals, with a disposal efficiency of 78.7% (a team high).
The third-place finish comes after another important accolade, the Demon earning her maiden selection in the All-Australian squad.
Demon Spirit Award | Megan Fitzsimon
First introduced in 2022, the Demon Spirit Award acknowledges the player that embodies the values of the club and football program, with Megan Fitzsimon displaying Demon Spirit both on and off the field.
A young Demon in the playing group, this season saw Fitzsimon take on fresh responsibility and was an integral player in driving the standards among the AFLW program.
The 22-year-old arrived at the Dees during the 2020 draft and has spent the past four years developing into a consistent and hard-working player, highly valued by those in the four walls of Melbourne.
Despite flying under the radar on an external level, Fitzsimon’s work rate and ability to build up those around her make her a worthy recipient of this year’s Demon Spirit Award.
Club Ambassador Award | Saraid Taylor
This award is given to the individual who makes a meaningful impact on not just those within the football world but on a broader landscape too, with Saraid Taylor embodying this.
Making her debut in red and blue this season, her positive impact on the football program was evident, with an outpouring of joy for the Demon as she took her next AFLW step.
Taylor, who first came to Melbourne ahead of the 2023 season, uses her platform as an athlete to champion and uplift the voices of others, working closely with organisations such as The Reach Foundation and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
Coaches Award | Maeve Chaplin
In 2024, the coaches gave young defender Maeve Chaplin the opportunity to grow in her roles and responsibilities within the backline. She embraced this next step up in her career and has been recognised for this with this year’s Coaches Award.
Having made strides in her own game through hard work and determination, Chaplin was also then able to further develop those around her, and despite being just 22, she has made a clear impact on the defensive unit as a whole this season.
