Brisbane Lions' Emily Bates was announced as the 2022 AFL Women’s Best and Fairest at the W Awards held last night, Tuesday April 5.

The 26 year old finished the count with 21 votes ahead of Adelaide Crows' midfielders Anne Hatchard (20 votes) and Ebony Marinoff (18 votes).

Winning the highest individual honour capped off a stellar season for Bates, where she was earned her third All-Australian also was voted the AFL Coaches Association Champion of the Year.

The Brisbane Lions Vice-Captain averaged more than 21 disposals, 10 contested possessions, five clearances and six tackles a game in the 2022 season.

The vote-count was a thriller, with Bates and Hatchard tied in first place with one round remaining. Hatchard took the lead with 2 votes before a best-on-ground performance from Bates sealed the victory.

Bates became the seventh player to receive the AFLW's highest individual honour after Erin Phillips (2017, 2019), Emma Kearney (2018), Madison Prespakis (2020), Brianna Davey (2021) and Kiara Bowers (2021). She is the first Brisbane Lions player to win the award.

The Adelaide Crows were the team with the most votes across the night with 52, followed by Melbourne (45) and Fremantle (42).

2020 AFL WOMEN’S BEST AND FAIREST LEADERBOARD