Monique Conti says it was “crazy” inside the Crown Palladium as she was crowned the AFLW’s best player on Monday night.
The Richmond midfielder, who also plays in the WNBL with the Melbourne Boomers, won the league best and fairest by a massive seven votes and two rounds remaining.
North Melbourne star Jasmine Garner was tipped to challenge Conti, but could not attract the umpire’s attention and trailed the Tiger by nine votes after Round 6.
As Conti’s vote tally continued to rise the cheers coming from the tables of Richmond players could be heard getting louder throughout the broadcast.
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During a long night where the All-Australian team was also named, the atmosphere in the room was noticeably more raucous than recent Brownlow medal events.
Fans online commented that the players and partners appeared to have started the party early right from the colourful scenes on the red carpet.
Conti fronted up for radio and breakfast TV interviews on Tuesday morning and said she was feeling “fresh as a daisy” after eight hours sleep.
Photos posted by her teammates in the early hours on Tuesday morning showing Conti celebrating with teammates in a hotel room suggest she likely didn’t get the full eight hours.
“Yeah, it was. It was crazy,” she said on The Today Show when asked about the atmosphere in the room.
“Like I said, it didn’t feel real at all. But, yeah, I loved it. A lot of people came up to me and said some nice things so it was and said some nice things so it was a really good feeling.”
The cross-code star said on SEN radio her celebrations weren’t over the top and said she plans to attend her basketball team’s training session on Tuesday afternoon.
Conti thanked her boyfriend “Davo” during her victory speech and said he was unable to attend because he was “interstate”.
Conti also said she loves her partner “endlessly”.
Earlier, Conti turned heads on the red carpet where she was partnered with sister Gabby.
Conti and Richmond teammates dazzled in front of the cameras on a night where the competition let its hair down.
Scroll on to see all the glitz and glamour from the red carpet.
With all the famous faces in the room, Conti was not afraid to reveal how nervous she was.
“I’m sweating right now and shaking … it’s amazing,” Conti said after being presented the medal.
“I was just sitting there trying to do the maths, and I had (Tigers captain) Katie Brennan staring at me the whole time which made me even more nervous.
“(I knew) I had a pretty good game, last game, we had an amazing win. I was so happy to finish on that (claiming three votes).”
Conti said while her body “sometimes doesn’t feel 23”, she had no plans to stop juggling both football and basketball.
She paid tribute to Richmond teammate and Bendigo Spirit basketballer Tessa Lavey as well as cross-code trailblazer Erin Phillips in her speech.
“I like to enjoy being on the go all the time, and I think that’s what makes me me. I wouldn’t be the same if I was sitting 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 that I can help create a path for young girls who are being told to choose between one sport or another.”
Roos captain continues stunning streak
North Melbourne captain Emma Kearney has claimed her eighth All-Australian blazer in eight seasons to top off a remarkable campaign which will end with the Roos’ maiden Grand Final berth on Sunday.
Kearney’s selection streak has brought her equal with Gary Ablett Jr (2007-14) as the only men’s or women’s players to be picked for eight consecutive seasons.
But the inaugural Bulldog-turned-Kangaroo was not given the captaincy of the side, with Kate Hore chosen by the selectors after topping the league goalkicking in her first season as Melbourne skipper.
The side looked starkly different to the previous edition with only seven players backing up their selection in season seven: Kearney, Hore, Chelsea Biddell, Monique Conti, Jasmine Garner, Ebony Marinoff and Eilish Sheerin.
Garner and Marinoff claimed their sixth All-Australian gongs and were named on the ball along with 20-year-old Swans ruck Ally Morphett,
Minor premier Adelaide had the most players in the side with four, followed by Brisbane, North Melbourne and Sydney (three), with the Swans earning their first ever All-Australian blazers through Morphett, Laura Gardiner and star forward Chloe Molloy.
The All-Australian umpires were Joel Clamp (field), Adrian Pretorius (boundary) and Emilie Hill (goal).
Rising Star a worthy winner
GWS livewire Zarlie Goldsworthy won the Rising Star award by a single vote from All-Australian ruck Ally Morphett after a stellar second season.
All nine judges gave their top two slots to Goldsworthy and Morphett, but the Giants midfielder-forward emerged the victor 41-40 with West Coast key forward Ella Roberts finishing third.
Goldsworthy became the first ever Giant to win the AFL or AFLW Rising Star after averaging 18 disposals, seven tackles and three score involvements over 10 games in a best and fairest season.
The 169cm forward, who was taken with the Giants’ first pick in the 2022 national draft, was nominated in round two after a resilient 18-disposal game in a heavy loss to Melbourne.
Still a teenager after playing her first season while finishing year 12, Goldsworthy was named in the All-Australian squad but missed selection in the final team.
The former young Matilda had high impact when used as a forward, booting five goals against Carlton in round 8 and also snagging a three-goal haul against West Coast.
New South Wales had another winner earlier in the night when Maroubra Saints coach Kellie Nolan claimed the BHP Community Coach of the Year award.
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