Fremantle captain Kara Donnellan has been recognised for her impressive work in the community as the winner of the Bondi Sands Emerging Leader Award, announced at an AFL industry function in Melbourne at Crown Palladium.

The award recognises young women who play an active role within the Australian Rules football community.

The finalists have demonstrated that they are leaders of the future through their talents and positive contribution, and are held in high esteem by their peers.

It was a humbled and delighted Donnellan who accepted the award in front of more than 1000 people.

As well as captaining Fremantle, Donnellan coaches the Swan Districts WAFLW team and regularly travels to the Pilbara to deliver football-based programs to the community in her role as General Manager, Community at Swan Districts.

“It’s surreal to be honest. I feel like I don’t really work a day ever, I love what I do and I’m really lucky to be able to positively impact the communities that we travel up to in Western Australia and Australia wide,” Donnellan said.

“I also get to play the greatest game in the world for an amazing football club in the Fremantle Dockers. I’m very lucky, I’m very humbled and congratulations to all the other nominees.

“There are some amazing women in the room and it’s so great to be able to celebrate all of you today and it needs to happen more often, I think.”

Donnellan paid tribute to the strong women in her life, including her fiancée and Fremantle teammate Ebony Antonio.

“To my family, to my Mum, she’s here today and my Grandma. They’re the two most amazing women in my life and they have shaped me and taught me everything I know,” Donnellan said.

“And thank you to my amazing fiancée, she’s unfortunately working back in Perth and we’re actually getting married next Friday.

“I know that she would love to be here, she’s my rock, my best friend and she’s the reason I get up every morning and enable me to do what I do. Thank you to Ebony.”

Donnellan also paid tribute to both her AFLW and WAFLW teams.

“To the Fremantle Dockers, the way that they’ve supported and guided and have genuine care, not only for me but the rest of the AFLW program,” Donnellan said.

“They provide us with elite facilities and an environment that we can thrive in, on and off the field.

“To the Swan Districts Football Club. I’ve been at that footy club for seven years now and as I said, what I do, I absolutely love it.

“I love being able to share football in so many regional communities and that’s why I love the game.

“It connects so many different people from all ages, genders, cultural backgrounds and it’s such a powerful game.”

Fremantle senior coach Trent Cooper said that the club was lucky to have Donnellan leading the playing group when he nominated her for the award.

“Kara’s leads by example in the way she plays, trains and prepares herself and will sacrifice her own time whenever it is needed to help a teammate and, in particular, the younger members of the squad,” Cooper said.

“Whilst her outstanding leadership is evident to the public eye due to her role as an AFLW captain, it is her work off the field and away from the club that sets her apart from her peers.

“I have worked with her in the V Swans program and have seen her amazing work in coaching and mentoring troubled young Indigenous girls as well as prison inmates through the various football programs that she has initiated.

“She has also employed numerous young Indigenous boys and girls and has overseen their personal development to give them the best possible chance to succeed in a variety of fields.

“When I think of female leadership, the first person that I think of is Kara Donnellan and WA is extremely lucky to have her living in our state.”