Young midfield talent Monique Conti has fallen two votes short of winning the 2019 Lambert-Pearce Medal for the VFLW’s Best and Fairest player, polling an impressive 16 votes from just seven games.
The award was announced on Monday night, with Conti finishing a close second behind Darebin Falcons ruck Lauren Pearce, who collected 18 votes.
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The AFLW-listed playmaker has shone in her first season in the Yellow and Black, averaging 22 disposals, 15 contested possessions, seven clearances and five tackles per game.
From her seven outings in 2019, the 19-year-old was selected in the VFLW Team of the Week on five occasions.
Katie Brennan was Richmond’s second-highest vote-getter, finishing 13th with eight votes.
The star forward, who won the Lambert-Pearce Medal in 2017, averaged 16 disposals, five clearances and four tackles across eight games.
Conti was also named alongside fellow Tigers Tayla Stahl and Rebecca Miller in the VFLW Team of the Year, with Richmond VFLW coach Tom Hunter announced as VFLW Coach of the Year.
In the J.J. Liston Trophy Count for the VFL’s Best and Fairest player, Patrick Naish was Richmond’s highest poller with 13 votes.
Naish, who finished seventh in the count, enjoyed a breakthrough 2019, leading the VFL Tigers for total disposals, uncontested possessions and inside-50s.
Across 15 games, the AFL-listed half-back flanker/wingman averaged 25 disposals, 17 uncontested possessions, five marks, 4.5 inside-50s and booted 10 goals.
Rounding out the top 20 were Shai Bolton (17th, nine votes), Mabior Chol (19th, eight votes) and Jacob Townsend (20th, eight votes).
Richmond VFL coach Craig McRae was also named VFL Coach of the Year, while defensive duo Hugh Beasley and Daniel Coffield featured in the VFL Team of the Year.
