GSFLW 2024: Star Magpie Grace Dempster clinches Best and Fairest medal after thrilling vote count

The 2024 Best and Fairest medal in the Great Southern Football League Women’s competition stands as a testament to the Denmark-Walpole Football Club, according to star Magpie Grace Dempster. Despite missing the first three games of the season, Dempster was declared the season’s best and fairest with 17 votes after a stellar campaign in the black and white. Railways star and favourite Kathryn Slattery (15 votes) looked destined to return the medal to Tigerland for a second straight year following Laura Cinnani’s triumph last season until Royals utility Nardia Humphries polled three votes in the final round to snatch the lead. But a pivotal best-on-ground performance from Dempster in the last match of the season wrenched the medal from her rival’s clutches, ending a gripping vote count at Retravision Stadium on Saturday night. The humble 30-year-old was shocked to win the gong but credited her success to her McLean Park teammates saying in her acceptance speech she “couldn’t have done it without them”. “This is amazing. I was very surprised because I missed the first three games, but the Denmark team has just been amazing and this is just amazing,” Dempster said. “This team is just full of mongrels, honestly it’s the hardest team in the league.” “I was very surprised to win and I am probably a bit lucky because I’m a little bit more flamboyant and people probably noticed my mullet, but I was genuinely surprised.” A former Claremont rookie of the year winner, Dempster expressed admiration for the league’s remarkable growth and the exceptional talent it boasts. “The quality down here is great and I think it’s the same quality as B-grade WAFLW four years ago if not better,” the 30-year-old said. “I’ve played in a B-grade WAFLW flag and it is the same quality that won that flag four years ago. “I was amazed at the quality, it is so good and I just can’t say that enough.” After receiving the medal, Dempster said she felt uncomfortable with the silverware draped around her neck, insisting instead that Slattery was the deserved winner. The Tigers’ elite ball-winner put together three three-vote performances through the opening four rounds and held a two-vote advantage over Humphries after five rounds, while Mt Barker ruck Georgia Kowald sat third with six. Dempster was on five votes at the halfway mark before an electric run of games had the star on-baller poll three votes in four of the last five games to pinch the medal. Dempster finished with five best-on-ground matches while Slattery and Humphries each finished with four. Bulls spearhead Mikayla Balloch won the competition’s leading goalkicker award after booting 20 majors across her nine home-and-away games, including bags of seven and four against North Albany. Magpie’s youngster Lucia Edwards was named best first year player. Slattery did not go home empty-handed — she was named best and fairest at the 2023 Rio Tinto Country Championships while fellow Tigers teammate Tiarna Delli-Benedetti was runner-up. Magpie’s young gun Emma Henderson was adjudged best under-18 player at the tournament while her teammate Sophie Coates took out the above and beyond award. GSFLW Best and Fairest Top 10 17 votes: Grace Dempster (Denmark-Walpole) 16: Nardia Humphries (Royals) 15: Kathryn Slattery (Railways) 12: Mabel Markey (North Albany) 10: Ksharna Coyne (Railways) 9: Georgia Kowald (Mt Barker), Narelle Humphries (Royals) 8: Megan Green (Royals), Sophie Coats (Denmark-Walpole), Tiarna Delli-Benedetti (Railways) 5: Emma Henderson (Denmark-Walpole), Gillian Chan (Albany), Saige Askevold (Mt Barker), Kaitlin Eades (Mt Barker), Sophie Richards (Mt Barker)