Photo: solsticephotography.com.au

North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos’ star Daria Bannister has been recognised for her outstanding season in the Tasmanian State League, winning the league’s best and fairest award.

“I’m very honoured to have won,” Bannister told AFL Tas Media.

“There’s so much great talent in the competition right now, so I was surprised, but am very honoured,” Bannister told AFL Tas Media.

Receiving 27 votes, putting her eleven ahead of runner-up Maggie Cuthbertson, Bannister enjoyed an ultra-consistent year.

Remarkably, she had five best-on-grounds in a row between Rounds 3 to 7.

With eight best afield efforts in total, averaging 15 disposals, and coming in second for most goals kicked (38), she showed exciting signs ahead of the 2020 AFLW campaign.

A knee injury suffered in early 2018 is now well and truly behind her.

“Going through my injury [last season] I lost a lot of my confidence, so being able to put a whole season of TSL under my belt, and be undefeated the entire season, it has really helped my confidence,” Bannister said.

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The 20-year-old rapt to do her home state proud in the AFLW competition, alongside several North stars.

“It’s really exciting to see all the pathways for young women and to see what the competition is going to be like in the upcoming years,” she added.

“There’s really impressive young talent out there.”

Among those, Kangaroos’ teammates Nicole Bresnehan and Chloe Haines, who received nine and seven votes apiece.