Riverina Lions forward Kyra Jackson has continued a big debut season with the club by winning the AFL Canberra regional women's best and fairest.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Jackson was rewarded for a stellar season with both the league best and fairest and leading goakicker awards.
Jackson polled 17 votes to finish six ahead of her nearest rival. Lions teammate Eliza Oates, who won the award last year, finished third on 10.
The 19-year-old was at Lions training in Wagga on Monday night and missed the awards night. She said the win came as a major surprise.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet, to be honest but I'm pretty happy about it," Jackson said.
"I didn't expect it at all in all honesty. I knew I was getting the leading goalkicker but I didn't go because it was in Canberra and it's so far.
"I've had a good season. I think it was the goals that probably stood out."
Jackson kicked 40 goals from 14 games in the home and away season.
It is just her third season of football after getting a taste when at school at Billabong High School.
Originally from Henty, Jackson played her first year of football in 2017 at Wodonga Raiders and then spent last season at Thurgoona.
After two premierships in two years, she is hoping to make it a third at the Lions.
"Hopefully we can take it out this year too," Jackson said.
"It's a great club, great girls, they are so welcoming. You couldn't ask for a better club."
It was Jackson's friendship with the late Sarah Lloyd that saw her link with the Lions.
"Sarah played for the Lions for years," she said.
"I just went there because of the memorial for her."
The Lions went down in their first final last Saturday, suffering a 13-point loss to Queanbeyan at Clarke Oval in Cootamundra.
The Lions will need to bounce back against Eastlake in Saturday's preliminary final in Canberra.
Jackson has faith in the Lions' ability to go all of the way.
"We've got low numbers, which is hard," she said.
"I think we can, we've just got to put all of our heart and soul into it, which I know we can do."
Meantime, Cootamundra footballer Phillip Bird won AFL Canberra's regional men's best and fairest.
Bird polled 17 votes to hold off Goulburn's Bill Reid by one.
Cootamundra coach Luke Webb finished third on 13 votes, while Alex Maskell-Knight took out the regional men's leading goalkicker with 54 goals.
Cootamundra's Alyssa Armstrong also finished runner up behind Jackson in the regional women's best and fairest on 11 votes.
READ MORE