Ella Roberts is set to continue her rise and snatch the mantle of the AFLW’s best player this season, according to the league’s captains.

The star Eagle was voted by the AFLW’s skippers as the player most likely to win this year’s best-and-fairest prize. Roberts’ five votes edged out North Melbourne ace Jasmine Garner (four) and Geelong’s Georgie Prespakis (three).

It’s a huge endorsement for Roberts, who is already a two-time All-Australian and dual club champion despite only turning 21 after last season ended.

No West Coast player has ever won the AFLW’s best-and-fairest award, with Fremantle’s Kiara Bowers the sole WA-based player to achieve the feat in 2021.

Roberts is fresh off a starring role in Australia’s AFLW International Match triumph over Ireland. The midfielder shrugged off a brutal bump from Vikki Wall to rack up 17 touches, seven score involvements and six inside-50s in the big win.

North Melbourne were voted as the team to beat - in resounding fashion - in the league’s captains’ poll. 15 of the Roos’ 17 rival captains expect the reigning premiers to again reach this year’s grand final.

In the midst of a 29-game unbeaten run, Kangaroos captain Garner backed her side to thrive under the pressure of having a big target on their backs.

“We’ve come into this pre-season with the mindset of ‘All right, how do we keep getting better?’ Because the competition is coming after us,” she said.

“We know that. We’re not shying away from it.”

The survey also showed Fremantle sit alongside Brisbane as the club most likely to snare this season’s McClelland Trophy, which combines results across the AFLW and AFL campaigns.

The Eagles open their AFLW season next Sunday on the road against GWS.