<h2>Roos Star Riddell Claims Historic AFLW Best &amp; Fairest - Three Point Summary:</h2> <p>- North Melbourne's Ash Riddell claims her first AFLW best and fairest award with 23 votes, becoming the first Kangaroos player to achieve this honour</p> <p>- The 29-year-old midfielder dominated the 2025 season with a league-best 35.3 disposals per match, breaking her own AFLW disposal records three times</p> <p>- Sydney's Zippy Fish secured the Rising Star award while North Melbourne leads All-Australian selections ahead of Saturday's grand final against Brisbane</p> <p>North Melbourne star Ash Riddell has captured the 2025 AFLW best and fairest award, polling 23 votes to claim the league's most prestigious individual honour ahead of Saturday's grand final.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Riddell Makes History for North Melbourne</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The AFLW best and fairest award represents a breakthrough moment for both Riddell and North Melbourne, with the dynamic midfielder becoming the first Kangaroos player to claim the honour in the league's decade-long history. After finishing runner-up to Adelaide's Ebony Marinoff in 2024, Riddell's dominant 2025 campaign earned her the recognition many felt was overdue.</p> <p>Geelong's Georgie Prespakis finished second with 20 votes, while Melbourne's Tyla Hanks rounded out the top three with 18 votes. West Coast's Ella Roberts claimed fourth place, with North Melbourne's Jasmine Garner and Sydney's Laura Gardiner sharing fifth position on 15 votes each.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Record-Breaking Season Performance</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Riddell's AFLW best and fairest triumph caps off an extraordinary individual season that saw the 29-year-old rewrite the record books. The prolific ball-winner averaged a league-leading 35.3 disposals per match, amassing 40 or more possessions on five separate occasions throughout the campaign.</p> <p>The midfielder's dominance extended beyond mere statistics, as she broke her own AFLW record for most disposals in a single game three times during the 2025 season. This consistency earned Riddell additional recognition as the AFL Coaches Association's champion player of the year, further cementing her status as the competition's premier performer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>All-Australian Recognition and Grand Final Build-Up</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>North Melbourne's successful season extends beyond individual accolades, with the minor premiers securing the most All-Australian selections of any club. Riddell joins teammates Garner, Tahlia Randall, and Blaithin Bogue in the prestigious squad, highlighting the Kangaroos' depth across all lines.</p> <p>Garner's selection as All-Australian captain marks her third appointment in four seasons, while also equalling teammate Emma Kearney's record with her eighth blazer. The Irish contingent made history with a record four players named in the All-Australian team, including North's Bogue alongside Jennifer Dunne (Brisbane), Niamh McLaughlin (Gold Coast), and Aine McDonagh (Hawthorn).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Rising Star and Individual Awards</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Sydney's explosive young gun Zippy Fish dominated the Rising Star voting, collecting a maximum 50 votes to claim the award ahead of Carlton's Poppy Scholz and West Coast's Lucia Painter, who tied for second with 23 votes each.</p> <p>Additional individual honours went to Richmond's Sarah Hosking for mark of the year with her courageous back-with-the-flight effort against Collingwood, while Sydney's Montana Ham claimed goal of the year for her spectacular run and finish against the Magpies.</p> <p>Brisbane Lions representatives Jennifer Dunne and Courtney Hodder were the only All-Australian selections for the grand final opponents, who will attempt to halt North Melbourne's remarkable 26-game winning streak when the sides meet for the premiership.</p>