Midfielders Ellie Blackburn and Emma Kearney have been named joint-winners of the inaugural Western Bulldogs AFLW best & fairest award in a thrilling count at Crown on Thursday night.

Blackburn and Kearney both finished on 140 total votes, with Blackburn’s dominant last round performance against Greater Western Sydney in the final round of the season enough to make up the difference.

Just four votes separated the pair going into the Round Seven clash with the Giants, with Kearney awarded 20 votes, and Blackburn 24 after a dominant 25 disposal, one goal performance in the Bulldogs’ 32-point win.

Defender Hannah Scott finished in third place with 103 votes.

Other winners on the night were Kirsty Lamb for Most Improved, Bailey Hunt for Best First Year Player, and Nicole Callinan picked up the Players Player award, which is voted on by her teammates.