Tara Murray
South Morang’s Hailey Cordova made an instant impact when she stepped up into senior football for the first time.
After winning the Northern Football League under-18 girls best and fairest last season, Cordova was part of the Lions return to senior women’s football this season.
On Wednesday night, she made it back-to-back league best and fairests, winning the division 3 award.
Cordova finished on 22 votes, three clear of Bridie Groves.
She was stunned to have claimed the award.
“I’m humbled and I’m very happy,” she said. “Honestly I wasn’t going into senior football going in hard on myself.
“I was going in and wanted to have a good time. It’s the first time South Morang had a women’s team after a couple of years so it was just good to get the girls playing again.
“It’s all about the team.”
Cordova said she was happy with her season personally and that she absolutely loved playing with everyone.
She said getting a women’s side back up and going was amazing for the club.
“With new people, young girls, older girls, it’s amazing,” she said. “It’s so exciting for the club it was good to see some supporters get around from the club.
“It’s loving and it feels really good when we play.”
The Lions were able to make the finals this year in their return. Cordova said reaching finals was a great achievement.
Cordova said for both her personally and as a team they want to further progress and develop.
In division 1 women’s, Diamond Creek women’s Maykaylah Appleby made it back-to-back division 1 best and fairests, the first person to do that.
Appleby finished on 15 votes, two clear of St Mary’s Georgia Kitchell, who failed to poll a vote in the final round.
In division 2 women’s, Ivanhoe’s Molly Uwland won by five votes from Thomastown’s Chiara Nardo.
