GWS GIANTS’ Zarlie Goldsworthy has been crowned the 2023 AFLW Rising Star at the 2023 W Awards tonight, beating Sydney Swans’ ruck Ally Morphett by one vote.

Goldsworthy won the award with 41 votes ahead of Morphett (40 votes), West Coast Eagles’ Ella Roberts (23), Port Adelaide’s Matilda Scholz (13) and Hawthorn’s Jasmine Fleming (7 votes).

She becomes the first GWS GIANTS player to win the award across both the NAB AFLW competition and the Toyota AFL competition.

The 19-year-old played all 10 matches this season, kicking a club-high 13 goals and averaging 18.3 disposals, 6.6 tackles and 2.9 score involvements per game.

She received her AFLW Rising Star nomination in Round Two against Melbourne, where she had 18 disposals (nine contested), six tackles and four marks.

Goldsworthy kicked five goals against Carlton in Round Eight and three goals against the West Coast Eagles, leading to her being named in the 2023 All Australian squad.

The second-year player, who won the Gabrielle Trainor Medal as the club best and fairest, recently signed a four-year contract extension to stay with the Giants.

The 169cm forward was the GWS GIANTS' first pick in the 2022 National Draft, taken at pick 20 from the Murray Bushrangers.

She played juniors with Western Magic (formerly Blacktown Magic) in the AFL Sydney league and Lavington in the Ovens & Murray Football League.

Goldsworthy played soccer as a junior, at one stage representing the young Matildas.

The 2023 AFLW Rising Star voting:

1st – Zarlie Goldsworthy (GWS GIANTS) 41 votes
2nd – Ally Morphett (Sydney Swans) 40 votes
3rd – Ella Roberts (West Coast Eagles) 23 votes
4th – Matilda Scholz (Port Adelaide) 13 votes
5th –Jasmine Fleming (Hawthorn) 7 votes
6th – Steph Wales (Essendon) 5 votes
7th – Keeley Skepper (Carlton) 4 votes
8th – Sofia Hurley (Sydney Swans) 2 votes

Nicole Livingstone (Chair)

5 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
4 - Ally Morphett
3 - Ella Roberts
2 - Keeley Skepper
1 - Sofia Hurley

Sarah Black

5 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
4 - Ally Morphett
3 - Ella Roberts
2 - Matilda Scholz
1 - Steph Wales

Jason Bennett

5 - Ally Morphett
4 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
3 - Ella Roberts
2 - Jasmine Fleming
1 - Steph Wales

Andrew Dillon

5 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
4 - Ally Morphett
3 - Ella Roberts
2 - Jasmine Fleming
1 - Matilda Scholz

Katie Loynes

5 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
4 - Ally Morphett
3 - Ella Roberts
2 - Matilda Scholz
1 - Keeley Skepper

Laura Kane

5 - Ally Morphett
4 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
3 - Ella Roberts
2 - Jasmine Fleming
1 - Steph Wales

Narelle Smith

5 - Ally Morphett
4 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
3 - Matilda Scholz
2 - Ella Roberts
1 - Keeley Skepper

Kelli Underwood

5 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
4 - Ally Morphett
3 - Ella Roberts
2 - Matilda Scholz
1 - Sofia Hurley

Megan Waters

5 - Ally Morphett
4 - Zarlie Goldsworthy
3 - Matilda Scholz
2 - Steph Wales
1 - Jasmine Fleming

AFLW Rising Star Winners: 2017 - present