The Sydney Swans’ Zippy Fish has been crowned the 2025 Telstra AFLW Rising Star at tonight’s W Awards in Melbourne.
Fish won the award after receiving the maximum 50 possible votes, ahead of Carlton’s Poppy Scholz and the West Coast Eagles’ Lucia Painter (23 votes each), the Gold Coast SUNS’ Havana Harris (19 votes) and Carlton’s Sophie McKay (15 votes).
As the winner of the 2025 Telstra AFLW Rising Star award, the 19-year-old will receive $20,000 thanks to Telstra, after polling the maximum five votes from all 10 members of the All Australian voting panel.
Fish was a standout performer for the Sydney Swans this year, and becomes the first Swans player to win the award since the inception of AFLW in 2017.
The explosive midfielder debuted in Round One against Richmond and featured in all 12 matches for the Swans this season, averaging 21 disposals per game.
She earned her Telstra AFLW Rising Star nomination in Round Two, before her season-best performance of 34 disposals (25 kicks, nine handballs) against the undefeated North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos in Round Eight.
Fish was selected with Pick 5 in the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft after playing state league footy for East Fremantle in the WAFLW.
At 17 years old, she was awarded the Lou Kitter Medal for the best on ground in a premiership in 2023 when East Fremantle won the WAFLW flag, and the following year finished second in the league best and fairest.
Fish represented Western Australia at the Marsh AFL National Championships - U18 Girls for two consecutive years, where she earned back-to-back All Australian selection. She was also a member of the Marsh AFL National Academy in 2024.
Telstra, a valued supporter of the AFL and its communities for more than 20 years, is proud to support young players with the Telstra Rising Star Award, recognising the best young AFL and AFLW player for the season.
Telstra Head of Brand and Marketing Communications, Alita McMenamin said:
"We’re proud to be supporting the next generation of footy stars through the Telstra AFLW Rising Star Award and are delighted to congratulate Zippy Fish as the 2025 overall winner. It is inspiring to see young female talent shine on the biggest stage and Zippy truly deserves this recognition for her outstanding performance throughout the season."
2025 Telstra AFLW Rising Star voting:
1st place – Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans): 50 votes
2nd place – Poppy Scholz (Carlton): 23 votes
3rd place – Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles): 23 votes
4th place – Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS): 19 votes
5th place – Sophie McKay (Carlton): 15 votes
Allocation of votes
Andrew Dillon (chair)
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
3. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
2. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
1. Ash Centra (Collingwood)
Kate McCarthy
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Poppy Scholz (Carlton)
3. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
2. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
1. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
Jason Bennett
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Poppy Scholz (Carlton)
3. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
2. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
1. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
Michael Whiting
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
3. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
2. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
1. Poppy Scholz (Carlton)
Laura Kane
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
3. Ash Centra (Collingwood)
2. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
1. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
Katie Loynes
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Jess Rentsch (West Coast Eagles)
3. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
2. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
1. Ash Centra (Collingwood)
Erin Phillips
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Poppy Scholz (Carlton)
3. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
2. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
1. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
Eliza Reilly
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Poppy Scholz (Carlton)
3. Kaitlyn Srhoj (GWS GIANTS)
2. Jess Rentsch (West Coast Eagles
1. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
Gemma Bastiani
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Poppy Scholz (Carlton)
3. Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles)
2. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
1. Sophie McKay (Carlton)
Megan Waters
5. Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans)
4. Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS)
3. Kaitlyn Srhoj (GWS GIANTS)
2. Poppy Scholz (Carlton)
1. Sarah Poustie (Western Bulldogs)
2025 Telstra AFL Rising Star nominees:
| Round | Player | Total votes |
| 1 | Lucia Painter (West Coast Eagles) | 23 |
| 2 | Zippy Fish (Sydney Swans) | 50 |
| 3 | Havana Harris (Gold Coast SUNS) | 19 |
| 4 | Sophie McKay (Carlton) | 15 |
| 5 | Ash Centra (Collingwood) | 4 |
| 6 | Poppy Scholz (Carlton) | 23 |
| 7 | Brooke Boileau (Adelaide Crows) | |
| 8 | Kaitlyn Srhoj (GWS GIANTS) | 7 |
| 9 | Jess Rentsch (West Coast Eagles) | 6 |
| 10 | Emma McDonald (Western Bulldogs) | 2 |
| 11 | India Rasheed (Adelaide Crows) | |
| 12 | Sarah Poustie (Western Bulldogs) | 1 |
Former winners:
| YEAR | PLAYER | CLUB | VOTES | RECRUITED FROM |
| 2025 | Zippy Fish | SYD | 50 | East Fremantle (WA) |
| 2024 | Matilda Scholz | PORT | 57 | Glenelg (SA) |
| 2023 | Zarlie Goldsworthy | GWS | 41 | Murray Bushrangers (VIC) |
| 2022 S7 | Hannah Ewings | PORT | 41 | North Adelaide (SA) |
| 2022 S6 | Mimi Hill | CAR | 43 | Oakleigh Chargers (VIC) |
| 2021 | Tyla Hanks | MEL | 48 | Gippsland Power (VIC) |
| 2020 | Isabel Huntington | WB | 34 | Sandringham Dragons (VIC) |
| 2019 | Madison Prespakis | CAR | 49 | Calder Cannons (VIC) |
| 2018 | Chloe Molloy | COLL | 50 | Calder Cannons (VIC) |
| 2017 | Ebony Marinoff | ADE |
47 |
Morphetville Park (SA) |
