Werribee midfielder Dom Brew and Western Bulldogs captain Dom Carbone were crowned the 2024 Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW best and fairest winners at the VFL and VFLW Awards on Monday night.
The J.J. Liston Trophy triumph continued a remarkable season for Brew, who captained the Smithy’s VFL State Team in its clash with the SANFL in April and is set to lead Werribee into battle as acting captain in the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final at IKON Park this Sunday.
He was also named captain of the 2024 Smithy's VFL Team of the Year.
Brew polled 31 votes to finish nine clear of Gold Coast Suns half back Rory Atkins (22) in the J.J. Liston Trophy count, with Southport Sharks star Boyd Woodcock completing a third consecutive top-three finish by polling 20 votes.
Brew polled 31 votes to finish nine clear of Gold Coast Suns half back Rory Atkins (22), with Southport Sharks star Boyd Woodcock completing a third consecutive top-three finish by polling 20 votes.
The Werribee star’s tally was one short of Michael Frost’s record 32 votes in 1998 and his winning margin of nine votes the largest since Shane Valenti’s 10-vote win in 2011.
Brew averaged 28.8 disposals, 17.6 contested possessions, 9.9 clearances, 9.4 tackles and 5.5 inside 50m entries across the home and away season to guide Werribee to the minor premiership. He then produced two dominant finals performances as the Tigers booked a second consecutive Grand Final appearance.
The 27-year-old polled votes in 14 of 18 matches, including seven best-on-ground performances, to become the seventh Werribee player to win the J.J. Liston Trophy and continue the Tigers’ recent stronghold on the award after Tom Gribble’s victories in 2019 and 2022.
Brew was also the competition’s dominant player in the eyes of the coaches, taking out the rebel Coaches MVP Award for the Smithy’s VFL.
He polled coaches votes in all but three games to finish on 103 votes, ahead of Geelong Cats midfielder Mitch Hardie (91) and 2022 winner Jacob Dawson (86).
Carbone made history as the first player from the Western Bulldogs to win the Lambert-Pearce Medal as the best and fairest player in the rebel VFLW after orchestrating the Bulldogs’ rise from 11th spot on the ladder to a Grand Final appearance.
Darwin-born Carbone averaged 18.4 disposals, 5.1 tackles and 4.4 clearances during the regular season and featured in the umpires’ votes in eight matches.
The in-and-under midfielder polled 17 votes to finish three ahead of Essendon skipper El Chaston and Box Hill Hawks captain Tamara Luke.
Darebin Falcons midfielder Ange Gogos finished fourth in the Lambert-Pearce Medal voting and was crowned the rebel Coaches MVP for the rebel VFLW after playing a leading role in her club’s resurgence this season following a winless 2023.
Gogos received votes in every match she played to finish on 83 votes, two ahead of Western Bulldogs ruck Keeley Hardingham. Port Melbourne young star Ava Seton was third on 73 votes.
After just missing out on the rebel Coaches MVP award, Hardingham was crowned the winner of the Debbie Lee Medal as the VFLW Rising Star.
Richmond forward Sam Davidson was recognised for a breakout season by claiming the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal as the most promising player in the Smithy’s VFL aged 24 or under.
VFL life membership was awarded to Glenn Clifford, Christopher Doyle, Alan McDonald and John Newson.
Goal umpire Doyle qualified for life membership having officiated 175 VFL games, while Clifford, McDonald and Newson were recognised for their outstanding service in long-serving roles at Geelong, Box Hill Hawks and Sandringham respectively.
Port Melbourne’s Jennie Tserkezidis was presented the Alex Gillon Award and Williamstown’s Maurice Thurston the Ann Rulton Award, which recognise VFL and VFLW volunteers who have provided outstanding service to their club or football in general.
The 2024 VFL Umpires of the Year were Joel Clamp (field), Anthony Laughton (boundary) and Luke Monea (goal).
J.J. LISTON TROPHY
Click here for full vote listing
Dom Brew (Werribee) 31 votes
Rory Atkins (Gold Coast SUNS) 22
Boyd Woodcock (Southport Sharks) 20
Mitch Hardie (Geelong Cats) 19
Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane Lions) 17
Deven Robertson (Brisbane Lions) 17
Brayden Crossley (Southport Sharks) 16
Riley Garcia (Footscray Bulldogs) 16
Billy Gowers (Port Melbourne) 16
Jacob Dawson (Southport Sharks) 15
Harvey Hooper (Port Melbourne) 15
LAMBERT-PEARCE MEDAL
Click here or full vote listing
Dom Carbone (Western Bulldogs) 17 votes
El Chaston (Essendon) 14
Tamara Luke (Box Hill Hawks) 14
Ange Gogos (Darebin Falcons) 13
Emily Eaves (Williamstown) 12
Ava Seton (Port Melbourne) 12
Alana Barba (North Melbourne) 11
Monique DeMatteo (Darebin Falcons) 10
Keeley Hardingham (Western Bulldogs) 10
Eliza Straford (Williamstown) 10
Ash Thorneycroft (Williamstown) 10
SMITHY’S VFL TEAM OF THE YEAR
rebel VFLW TEAM OF THE YEAR
rebel COACHES MVP (Smithy’s VFL)
Dom Brew (Werribee)
Click here for full vote listing
rebel COACHES MVP (rebel VFLW)
Ange Gogos (Darebin Falcons)
Click here for full vote listing
JIM ‘FROSTY’ MILLER MEDAL (Smithy’s VFL Leading Goalkicker)
Billy Gowers (Port Melbourne) – 50 goals
ROHENNA YOUNG MEDAL (rebel VFLW Leading Goalkicker)
Monique DeMatteo (Darebin Falcons) – 24 goals
FOTHERGILL-ROUND-MITCHELL MEDAL (Smithy’s VFL Rising Star)
Sam Davidson (Richmond)
Other finalists: Riley Bice (Werribee), Cooper Craig-Peters (Footscray Bulldogs), Flynn Gentile (Coburg) and George Grey (Frankston)
DEBBIE LEE MEDAL (rebel VFLW Rising Star)
Keeley Hardingham (Western Bulldogs)
Other finalists: Isla Baldwin (Carlton), Nyakoat Dojiok (North Melbourne), Maddison Ford (Essendon) and Emily Eaves (Williamstown)
VFL UMPIRES OF THE YEAR
Joel Clamp (field), Anthony Laughton (boundary) and Luke Monea (goal)
ALEX GILLON VFL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Jenny Tserkezidis (Port Melbourne)
ANN RULTON VFLW VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Maurice Thurston (Williamstown)
LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Christopher Doyle (VFL Umpire – 175 games), Glenn Clifford (Geelong Cats), Alan McDonald (Box Hill Hawks) and John Newson (Sandringham)