Macedon’s Ruby Watts completed the perfect season as she won a second straight Riddell District Football League women’s best and fairest award.
Watts was again named the competition’s best player as she was the runaway winner in the medal count on Wednesday night.
Watts finished with 35 votes, to finish 13 votes clear of Melton’s Pauline Hutchins.
The medal came after Watts claimed the best on ground medal in Macedon’s premiership win.
The Cats also went back-to-back.
Watts said she thought she had a pretty good season.
“It was really good, I enjoyed it,” she said. “It was a pretty different season with Kyneton not being there, it was good fun.
“I had a really good time with the girls this season.”
Cats co-coach Chris Nolan said throughout the season that he had looked to challenge Watts to help her get more out of her game.
It meant sometimes playing in different roles than she had previously played.
“It was really good and I enjoyed challenging myself playing in different positions,” she said.
“I’m usually used to the midfield. Playing in the backline if we needed it and then going forward if we needed a few goals.
“I think playing in different positions was really fun.”
Watts said she didn’t think that she would walk about with as many medals as she did this season.
If Watts wasn’t busy enough on the football field, she also took up umpiring this year.
She said it was something that she always wanted to do.
“Taking it up this year was a lot, but I enjoyed it.”
Watts, who previously played at Carlton in the Victorian Football League Women’s competition, said she had found her home at Macedon.
She said at this stage she wasn’t looking at playing at the higher level again.
After last season not being sure what her future held after winning the best and fairest, this year she’s already keen for next season.
“I definitely will be going back to Macedon next year,” she said. “There’s been a few clubs that have reached out to me, but Macedon is where I belong.
“I really enjoy it there. It’s something I’m going to pursue next year.”
Watts will now put the football boots aside for a couple of months as she returns to the cricket field with Gisborne.
Watts also won the player of the year award to have a clean sweep of the main awards.
She was one of five Cats named in the team of the year.
Brianna Woodburn, Lilli Collins, Charlotte Noonan and Taya Konis were also named in the side.
Nolan was named coach of the year.
Others in the team of the year include, Romsey’s Meg Brundell, Madison Lawer, Nicole Steward, Riddell’s Lauren Nolan, Ruby Taranto, Mady Brown, Molly Connell, Mariam Habib and Brianna De Haas, and Lancefield’s Alice and Lilly Brombley and Abbie Sarginson.
