Geelong Advertiser |
BELL Post Hill midcourter Casey Carroll concedes she was so caught up in the hype and excitement of grand final week that she didn't rate herself a chance of winning a league best and fairest.
"It was the last thing on my mind," said Carroll, who claimed her second Margaret Webb Medal on Sunday.
"I was thinking about the grand final against Werribee Centrals and certainly not about winning a best and fairest. It's a great achievement and I'm very happy."
Carroll polled 26 votes to finish one vote ahead of Bannockburn's Sharon Ford (25 votes), East Geelong's Keisha Guilmartin (23 votes) and Werribee Centrals Noni McClure (22 votes).
The star Panther was awarded votes in 11 of 18 matches, securing best-on-court honours in six matches.
Carroll led Ford by three votes (14-11) after Round 8 and extended her advantage to seven (20-13) after Round 11.
But Ford rallied in the second half of the season, polling in five of eight matches on the run home to fall one vote shy of sharing the top gong.
Carroll claimed her first senior best and fairest since 2011 and is building quite a trophy cabinet.
She won the B Grade medal in 2008 the A Grade best and fairest in 2009 with St Mary's, the runner-up trophy in the seniors at BFL club Modewarre in 2010 and second in the Margaret Webb for the Panthers in 2012.
The Panthers meet the Centurions, a team they have failed to beat on three occasions this season, in Saturday's grand final.
"We haven't beaten Werribee. The two times we played they beat us convincingly but in the second semi-final we only lost by two goals, so it is definitely do-able."
In the B Grade vote count, Bannockburn's Michelle Baker polled 36 votes to beat Central's Para McKenzie (28) and Geelong West's Holly Fowler (27).
Centurion Clarissa Melilli and Corio's Jodie Moore shared the C Grade best and fairest with 24 votes, with Belmont Lion Amy Winsall and Thomson's Phoebe Anderson equal third on 18.
Centrals' Chanelle Pecora won the D Grade count with 32 votes, beating Thomson's Stephanie Reynolds on 26.
