Star midfielder Ellie Blackburn has finished equal runner-up in the 2021 AFLW league best and fairest count, polling 14 votes at Tuesday night’s W Awards.

Blackburn led the pack after the first four rounds of the season, recording three consecutive best-on-ground performances in her first three games.

The Bulldogs’ skipper earned another two votes for her 16-disposal efforts in round four to find herself with 11 overall, but did not poll again until round nine – where she again earned maximum votes.

Blackburn shared runner-up honours with Alyce Parker from GWS, equalling her career-best finish of equal 2^nd in 2017. 

Collingwood’s Bri Davey and Fremantle’s Kiara Bowers both finished with 15 votes apiece, named joint winners of the best and fairest for the first time in AFLW history.

Blackburn also became a triple AFLW All Australian earlier in the night, named on the half-forward line, and was recently named the AFLPA’s Best Captain.

2021 AFLW best and fairest leaderboard

Bri Davey (Collingwood) - 15 votes
Kiara Bowers (Fremantle) - 15 votes
Alyce Parker (GWS) - 14 votes
Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs) - 14 votes
Karen Paxman (Melbourne) - 13 votes
Anne Hatchard (Adelaide) - 13 votes
Monique Conti (Richmond) - 12 votes
Brittany Bonnici (Collingwood) - 12 votes

2021 AFLW Western Bulldogs top 3 vote-getters

Ellie Blackburn – 14 votes

Kirsty Lamb – 5 votes

Bonnie Toogood – 3 votes