YOU couldn't wipe the smile off Ally Anderson's face on Wednesday morning, but she conceded she was slightly disappointed to miss All-Australian selection on the same night she was crowned the AFLW's best and fairest.
Anderson toppled pre-count favourites Mon Conti and Jas Garner in a stunning upset at the W Awards on Tuesday night, joining her great mate Emily Bates as winners of the league's highest individual honour in 2022.
Despite being crowned the best player in the competition, the 28-year-old Lion was overlooked for the All-Australian team earlier in the night, becoming the first AFLW best-and-fairest winner to miss AA selection in the same season.
Not since West Coast's Matt Priddis in 2014 has a player won the game's top individual honour but missed a spot in the All-Australian team. Sam Mitchell in 2012 and Shane Woewodin in 2000 are the other men's players to have done so.
Speaking after having just five hours sleep following her triumph, Anderson was as polite as ever when asked about missing the 21-strong All-Australian team.
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"It is what it is," she laughed.
"I guess there's disappointment for all the girls that didn't make it, but once I saw the other girls get up there, I forgot about my own disappointment and was happy for them.
"To see the other (Lions) girls get in made me happy."
Bre Koenen, who was named vice-captain, Nat Grider, Greta Bodey and the competition's leading goalkicker Jesse Wardlaw all made the All-Australian team, which is picked by a nine-person panel at the end of the season.
The best-and-fairest award, on the other hand, is based on 3-2-1 votes from the umpires that are awarded after every game.
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Anderson described the campaign as her best season to date and said her win was made even more special by the fact the whole Lions team was there to celebrate with her, and that the medal was presented by Bates, someone she has known for a decade and shared so many experiences with.
They are inaugural Lions, play alongside each other in the midfield, played their 50th games together and have taken part in all 65 games the Lions have played.
"I absolutely love her," Anderson said of Bates.
"I've known her since under-18s and we've been close ever since.
"The last couple of years we've been doing our pre-game warm up together, we have a really specific number of handballs to do, a specific order we have to follow, we're pretty funny about it.
"She's absolutely amazing, an incredible support and someone I've looked up to my whole career.
"To have her around and to be just as excited for me as I was for her is such an incredible feeling."
