Mansfield’s Bonnie Toogood lands best-and-fairest gong for Essendon AFLW

By Liam Nash

Dec 11, 2023

She’s Toogood: Mansfield’s Bonnie Toogood has taken out Essendon AFLW’s best-and-fairest award following a stellar 2023 season in the sash. Photo by AAP/Joel Carrett

After her latest achievement there is no doubt Bonnie Toogood is living up to her name.

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The Mansfield product has capped a cracking season for Essendon, wrapping her gifted hands around the club’s AFLW best-and-fairest award after finishing runner-up in 2022.

Toogood rounded out with 133 votes to beat out last year’s winner, Maddy Prespakis, by eight votes to claim top honours at Crown Casino on Thursday night, an early present with her 26th birthday arriving the next day.

That wasn’t all.

Essendon’s co-captain took home the club’s goal-kicking prize as well as the Bombers’ best club person award, voted on by football and club executives for her positive impact throughout the organisation.

Adding to her prestige, Toogood was also named vice-captain of the All-Australian team at centre half-forward following a breakout season in the sash.

It’s the first year the sharpshooter has made the official side.

Her numbers alone tell a tale of her individual brilliance in helping lift the Bombers to a maiden finals placing in its second season.

Toogood averaged 19 disposals a game and slotted 16 majors, with her ability to clutch up against the big-name outfits hard to ignore.

She produced a career-high 24 touches against Geelong in a 10-point Country Round victory and a 23-disposal, two-goal display in the season opener against the Hawks.

Toogood has stamped her authority as one of Essendon’s top performers since switching across from Western Bulldogs last year and is currently the club’s joint record appearance holder with 21 games for the Bombers.

She is also the 15th highest on the AFLW’s all-time goal-kicking list with 52 majors from 58 games.