By Alesha Capone
Several Wyndham-based WRFL senior women’s football players have been recognised in the 2021 Victoria University Polytechnic best and fairest awards.
The awards were announced virtually last week, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Point Cook’s Kymberly Bays received the division one best and fairest, with 13 votes.
Manor Lakes’ Lindsay Newton placed second with 12 votes.
The Manor Lakes Football Club posted on its Facebook page afterwards, congratulating Newton.
“Lindsay’s dedication & performance is definitely a major factor in the motivation of all her team mates,” the post said.
The post also acknowledged the other Manor Lakes players who were named in the division one team of the year – Abuk Alec, Paras Mackenzie, Yana Frontczak, Lindsay Newton, Jami Paten and Lauren Clymo.
Hoppers Crossing member Gilda Incigneri was one of two players to receive equal-third place in the division one poll, on nine votes, along with Spotswood player Thalia Wright.
In division two, Chloe Muus from Wyndhamvale received the best and fairest award with 12 votes.
Muus said her win “was a bit of a surprise”.
She said that she joined the Wyndhamvale team at the suggestion of its coach, who is her father-in-law.
“I didn’t really start playing with the intention of getting best and fairest,” Muus said.
Muus, 21, said she previously played football while completing Year 11 and 12 in Mildura, where she grew up.
She said a highlight of her season with Wyndhamvale has been making a lot of good friends among the other players.
“I ended up meeting a really great bunch of girls,” she said.
Muus said she recently moved to Perth, after her partner relocated for their job.
They moved to Western Australia before last game of the season, in which Wyndhamvale triumphed over North Sunshine.
“We played on Sunday and I left on Monday,” Muus said.
She said the game was another highlight of her season with the team, with many new players “who had never touched a football before” on the field.
Muus said she planned to continue playing football in Perth.
Also in division two, Point Cook Centrals’ player Madeline Johnson finished equal third on eight votes, along with North Sunshine player Rainbow Ebert.
Mark De Girolamo from Manor Lakes was named coach of the year.
