BULLDOGS CAPTAIN VECCHIO WINS ALLOMES MEDAL

THERE was more history made by the South Fremantle Football Club in Women’s Football in 2020 as the Bulldogs entered the WAFL Women’s competition and the Youth Girls claimed the Rogers Cup premiership.

All that was celebrated at the Allomes Medal Awards night held on Friday night at Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges in conjunction with the WJ Hughes Medal night, and it proved a tremendous occasion highlighting the growth of female football at the Bulldogs.

By the end of the evening, it was South Fremantle’s WAFLW captain Lauren Vecchio who was once again honoured.

On the back of winning the fairest and best award last year, she took her outstanding performances and leadership up a level again in 2020 with the stronger competition in WAFLW, and put together an inspiring campaign to end up winning the Allomes Medal.

The Allomes Medal will now be the name of the fairest and best award for South Fremantle’s WAFLW league side moving forward, and Vecchio was presented with the medal by both Sally and Jenna Allomes in recognition.

While it was a historic season for South Fremantle’s league team to be welcomed to the WAFLW competition for the first time, it did happen on short notice and it was a significant learning curve playing against Claremont, East Fremantle, Swan Districts, Peel Thunder and Subiaco.

But the longer the season went on, the better the signs became and the best performance from the team came in the final round showdown against eventual Grand Finalists Subiaco who also finished on top of the ladder.

And as the season went on, the more and more Vecchio led South Fremantle from the front and she was a deserving winner at the end of it all of the inaugural Allomes Medal.

Vecchio won South Fremantle’s WAFLW fairest and best award for 2020 with 14 votes but it was a close count with runner-up Kiara Templeman just the one behind, ending up polling 13 votes.

Third-place went to both Tahlia Holtze and Mim Strom who polled 12 votes apiece. It was an exciting sight to see Strom return to South Fremantle in 2020 after leaving in 2019 to play in the WAFLW competition at Swan Districts.

But as soon as South Fremantle was entered into the WAFLW for 2020, she returned to the Bulldogs and had a significant impact ahead of another AFL Women’s campaign at the Fremantle Dockers.

She also would go on to see her brothers Zac and Noah win a premiership with the South Fremantle WAFL league team.

Breanne Spencer finished fourth in fairest and best voting with 10 votes ahead of Taylah Cruttenden (eight), Tash Vaughan-Taylor (six), Tara Garlett (five) and Emily Boothman (four).

Meanwhile, South Fremantle’s fairest and best winner for the reserves was announced on the night as well and that went to Sarah Du Plessis. She won ahead of Casey Byrne and Sarah Wright while Tahlia McRoberts received the Coaches Award.

It was a memorable year in the Rogers Cup for the South Fremantle Youth Girls’ team as they claimed the premiership in style with a 40-point win against Peel Thunder in the Grand Final.

From that triumphant team, Holly Denholm was named the fairest and best winner ahead of Aaliyah Ugle and Taylah Cruttenden was presented with the Rising Star Award.

LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS
Allomes Medal (Fairest and Best): Lauren Vecchio
Runner-up Fairest and Best: Kiara Templeman
Third place Fairest and best: Tahlia Holtze, Mim Strom
Leading Goalkicker: Poppy Stockwell (3 goals)
Coaches Award: Breanne Spencer
Best Club Person: Adrian Ivancich

RESERVES AWARD WINNERS
Fairest and Best: Sarah Du Plessis
Runner-up Fairest and Best: Casey Byrne
Third place Fairest and Best: Sarah Wright
Leading Goalkicker: Sarah Wright (4 goals)
Coaches Award: Tahlia McRoberts

YOUTH GIRLS ROGERS CUP AWARD WINNERS
Fairest and Best: Holly Denholm
Runner-up Fairest and Best: Aaliyah Ugle
Rising Star Award: Taylah Cruttenden
Leading Goalkicker: Poppy Stockwell (21 goals)