It is very possible that last year’s Rising Star could be this year’s Best and Fairest.

That’s the improvement we’ve seen from Carlton’s young gun Madison Prespakis, and her cohort of peers that starred on the first weekend of the 2020 AFLW season.

This, as the league keeps telling us, is Gen W – and it’s safe to say the game is in very good hands as the pathways continue to inject such talented youngsters into the competition.

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Round 18

Unlike her predecessors – indeed, the women who inspired her to play – Prespakis has enjoyed the benefit of playing footy uninterrupted from the age of four.

It’s why she so seamlessly transitioned into AFLW and took out the award for the best first year player in 2019. She hasn’t come from another sport. She hasn’t had to learn to kick the footy as a 20-something-year-old. She’s just always played footy.

On Friday night against Richmond Prespakis was easily the best player on the ground, racking up one goal from 21 touches despite enduring a heavy tag form Alana Woodward. Take it to the bank, that’s three votes come Best and Fairest night.

Alyce Parker. Source: Getty Images

Another three votes will land in the lap of another second-year player, GWS midfielder Alyce Parker, whose poise and ability to hit targets in torrential rain was impossible to ignore.

Like Prespakis, Parker has come through a traditional pathway to AFLW. It shows. Twenty-two disposals – perhaps, 40-odd if we were to extrapolate to the length of AFL. In weather so bad the A-League was postponed.

But a season of AFLW under your belt also wasn’t a prerequisite for standing out on the weekend.

Georgia Patrikios proved just that.

St Kilda’s first draft pick, and No. 5 overall, finished her side’s loss with a game-high 18 touches and six tackles. Patrikios’ ability to kick on both sides of her body was just more confirmation on the success of the talent program that – in 10 years – almost every player would’ve gone through.

In a pre-season poll, AFLW skippers were asked to nominate their pick for the 2020 Rising Star. Patrikios, on four votes, was the clear standout.

Georgia Patrikios. Source: Getty Images



Behind the Saints’ new-found sensation on two votes was Lucy McEvoy.

Carlton’s No. 2 pick was perhaps only overshadowed by Prespakis on Friday evening in a display that showed equal parts precision and bravery. (Just look up her contested mark on the wing.)

The point is: these girls are the products of today and the future.

Imagine what the league will look like in five years time when the likes of Prespakis and Patrikios are the norm.

That’s not to take away from the trailblazers such as Daisy Pearce, Emma Kearney and Kiara Bowers; stars that have played a big part in creating and inspiring a women’s league.

It’s also not to take away from cross-code athletes – ahem, Erin Phillips – who’ve done absolute wonders for the sport.

But let’s just fast forward to 2025, and beyond, in our minds.

Now that’s an exciting thought.