IN the end, they just couldn’t be split.

One was a returning captain who everyone knew what she was capable of. The other was a first-year player who took the competition by storm.

And at the end of a memorable 2019 season, Brianna Davey and Madison Prespakis are the joint winners of Carlton’s best and fairest award.

For the second straight year, the Blues’ highest individual award ended in a tie, with Davey and Prespakis both finishing on 72 votes after seven rounds and two finals appearances.

With Prespakis leading the count heading into the Grand Final, it took a best-on-ground performance from the captain to level things up.

For Davey, the award marks her second such triumph, having won the Club’s inaugural best and fairest back in 2017. It was the ultimate vindication in a standout return season for Davey, who came back from an ACL injury to regain her status as one of the stars of the competition.

Along with the Grand Final, Davey had three best-on-ground performances in total, against Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs in Rounds 5 and 7 respectively.

Her counterpart Prespakis couldn’t have been more impressive from the outset, bursting onto the scene to play all nine games.

As the NAB AFLW Rising Star and an All Australian, this best and fairest award is just another achievement in the burgeoning career of the young midfield gun. Earlier in the night, she was also awarded Carlton's Visy Best First Year Player award.

Polling in every game for the year, Prespakis couldn’t have been more impressive nor consistent in her maiden season. And there’s plenty left to come in Navy Blue.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

Brianna Davey - 72

Maddy Prespakis - 72

Kerryn Harrington - 59

Gab Pound - 41

Alison Downie - 37

Nic Stevens - 31

Jayde Van Dyk - 31

Tayla Harris - 29

Chloe Dalton - 28

Darcy Vescio - 25