Monique Conti WINS AFLW best and fairest after stellar 2023 as Tigers star sizzles on the red carpet in glamorous awards ceremony

Richmond midfielder Monique Conti has stormed to her first ever AFLW best and fairest medal in an emphatic result, achieved with two rounds remaining.

The cross-code star spent her Sunday in Traralgon on the field for the Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL, but was crowned the AFLW’s best player on Monday after bursting out with a series of dominant performances early in the voting count.

Conti, 23, topped the leaderboard all night after averaging 27 disposals and one goal per game in the first five rounds.

North Melbourne star Jasmine Garner was tipped to challenge Conti, but much like her dominant 2020 season, she was unable to get the referee’s attention and trailed the Tiger by nine votes after Round 6.

Conti went on to win with 23 votes from a four-player draw, coming second with 16 votes, including Garner’s teammate Ash Riddell, who once again outperformed her fellow Roo despite Garner winning the Coaches Association Player of the Year award last week.

The Richmond superstar stormed to victory at the awards ceremony on Monday

Conti, 23, sizzled on the red carpet for the glamorous evening in Melbourne

Conti was recruited for the Western Bulldogs ahead of the competition’s second season before joining Richmond for the inaugural campaign. Conti also claimed her fifth All-Australian blazer and could add to her string of awards with the AFL Players’ Association MVP on Tuesday night.

Conti had the prize sewn up at the end of Round 8 after receiving three votes for her 35 throwaway against Hawthorn, putting her seven votes ahead of her nearest rival.

The math was lost on the crowd at Crown Palladium, with little celebration even at the Tigers table, until the result sank in when counting resumed for the next round.

“I’m sweating and shaking right now… it’s amazing,” Conti said after receiving the medal.

“I was just sitting there trying to do the math, and I (Tigers captain) Katie Brennan was staring at me the whole time, which made me even more nervous.

‘(I knew) I had a pretty good game, the last game we had a great win. I was so happy to be done with that (claiming three votes).”

Conti, a cross-code star when she plays basketball, played for the Tigers in 2023

Conti said that although her body “doesn’t feel 23 sometimes,” she had no plans to stop juggling both football and basketball.

She paid tribute to Richmond teammate and Bendigo Spirit basketballer Tessa Lavey and cross-code pioneer Erin Phillips in her speech.

“I like to always be on the go, and I think that’s what makes me me. I wouldn’t be the same if I sat still. “I go from one to the other to keep me going and that’s the way I like it,” she said.

“That’s what keeps me going, knowing I can help create a path for young girls who are told they have to choose between one sport or another.”