Ava with her North East Border Female Football League Under 17 best and fairest award at the Commercial Club Albury last Friday night.
Murray Felines’ captain Ava Loughnan has bolted away with the AFL North East Border Female Football League Under 17 award for season 2022.
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Ava amassed 30 votes from just 15 games to win by eight from runners up Ellie Hall of Thurgoona Bulldogs with 22.
Her total votes is believed to be the highest in the league to date which is approaching a decade.
The multitalented footballer is described as “a versatile onballer, inside midfield player hard at it who doesn’t mind the hard, rough stuff” by coach Brad Nicholson.
“I’m absolutely stoked she won it. She’s our captain and a great leader.
“I could play her down back or forward. Ava’s a consistent performer each week,” the 48-year-old former Footscray Bulldogs player of 34 games told the Free Press.
“To see her as a raw kid three to four years ago to where she is now is a big transformation.”
Ava, who attracted the nickname Pendles (after Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury), received the best and fairest award at major sponsor Commercial Club Albury last Friday night.
In her speech, Ava thanked everyone at the club for making it a “welcoming and great family club, where I have enjoyed my football.
“I would like to thank all the girls and Nadine and Brad (Nicholson) plus mum and dad for driving me around to all the games etc.”
Other prominent vote getters from the Feline’s Under 17s team were Ali Jackson 11 votes, Paige Duffy 8, Maddie Ibrahim and Hannah Loughnan 7 and Josephine Muscat with 3.
Described by her coach as a versatile onballer Ava Loughnan amassed 30 votes from just 15 games in a consistent 2022 season. Photo Simon Ginns.
Remarkably, Ava has only played three full seasons since finishing with junior soccer back in 2018. She took up football for the first time in 2019 with the Yarrawonga Pigeons as part of the North East and Border Female Football League. She quickly caught the eyes of selectors and was picked up as a development player for Murray Bushrangers later that year as a 14-year-old.
After a year of no football in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic Ava put in a strong pre-season with the Under 19 (NAB League) Murray Bushrangers side and played four games as a 15-year-old.
In 2021 Ava crossed over to the Murray Felines where she finished runners up in their Under 17 team’s best and fairest.
As a 16-year-old she continued on with the Murray Bushrangers Under 19 squad for the 2022 season playing nine games in a team that has seen four of her teammates get drafted in the AFLW this year.
After a strong year the Murray Felines Under 17 side were agonisingly defeated by just one point in the preliminary final against Wodonga Raiders in extra time in an epic game at the WJ Findlay Oval, Wangaratta.
Felines Under 17 forward Georgia Thomas also figured well on the night winning the 2022 Under 17s goal kicking award kicking 29 goals for the season.
Georgia Thomas with her 2022 Under 17s goal kicking award.
Felines Open Women’s back Kaitlyn Robinson also impressed umpires throughout the season picking up 15 votes finishing third just 5 votes behind ultimate best and fairest winner Mikaela Trehowan from Wangaratta Rovers. Mietta Habets also picked up 4 votes.
Young Feline talent Abbey Ibrahim featured well in the Under 14s best and fairest count finishing seventh with 13 votes only 5 behind the winner in her first season of football in a team that only won a single game. Ashlyn Willett was also among the votes with 6.
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