Southport Sharks’ Stephanie O’Brien was awarded the Emma Zielke Medal and Broadbeach Cats’ Kwaby Boakye claimed the 78th J.A Grogan Medal, Queensland AFL’s highest individual footballing honours, in front of almost 300 guests at The Gabba earlier this evening.
It was a four-person race after Round 5 for the Emma Zielke Medal for the title of Bond University QAFLW Best and Fairest, however, Southport’s Steph O’Brien was declared the winner with an outright lead in Round 14 with 22 votes, ahead of her closest competition by seven votes. Steph polled a total of 25 votes after the final round and polled votes in nine out of a possible 14 games, taking home the three votes on eight occasions.
Following her move to Southport from the University of Queensland, she started the season at her new club, Southport with force, taking home Best on Ground in three of the first four games.
As a strong and mobile midfielder or forward, Steph stood up in the big moments. She was named Queensland Captain for the State Representative game in Tasmania in July, where she won Best on Ground.
Steph was also named in the Bond University QAFLW Team of the Year, named as Captain for the Bond University QAFLW Team of the Year, and was awarded the QAFLW Coaches MVP for season 2023 earlier in the evening.
In the J.A. Grogan Medal count, it was a thrilling count to the end with Broadbeach’s Kwaby Boakye named the 78th J.A. Grogan Medallist after the final round. At fourth on the leaderboard after round 16, he polled six votes from Round 17 to the end of the season, cementing his position at the top of the leaderboard. He polled a total of 21 votes as the QAFL’s Best and Fairest, only two votes in front of his closest competition.
In season 2022, Kwaby played for Southport in the VFL but returned to play for the Broadbeach Cats in the QAFL for 2023 and was solid in their defensive structure. He was instrumental in setting up the Cats’ rebounding attack off the halfback line. He had strong performances each week, with his best performances for the year against the ladder leaders Aspley and Redland Victoria Point. In Round 16 against the Hornets, he had 26 disposals and seven inside 50s. In Round 17 against Redland Victoria Point, he had 30 disposals and four inside 50.
Earlier in the evening, Kwaby was named in the QAFL Team of the Year.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
Emma Zielke Medal
Steph O’Brien (Southport), 25 votes
78th J.A. Grogan Medal
Kwaby Boakye (Broadbeach) 21 votes
Syd Guildford Trophy, QAFL Coaches Most Valuable Player
Will Martyn (Wilson Grange)
Bond University QAFLW Coaches Most Valuable Player
Steph O’Brien (Southport)
QAFL Rising Star
Taine Dawson (Broadbeach)
Bond University QAFLW Rising Star
Ava Usher (Bond University)
Bond University QAFLW Leading Goal Kicker
Jessica Stallard (Aspley), 26 goals
Maggie O’Connell (Southport), 26 goals
Ray Hughson Medal, QAFL Leading Goal Kicker
Matt Hammelmann (Redland Victoria Point), 91 goals
Bond University QAFLW Goal of the Year
Mia Geere (Wilston Grange)
QAFL Goal of the Year
Ben Thomas (Maroochydore)
Bond University QAFLW Mark of the Year
Kadie Fletcher (University of Queensland)
QAFL Mark of the Year
Brody Haberfield (Surfers Paradise)
AFL Merit Award 2022
Anne Cornish (Palm Beach Currumbin)
AFL Merit Award 2022
Chris Guice
AFL Merit Award 2023
David Diamond (Morningside)
Queensland Community Award – Queensland Female Coach of the Year
Emily Otto (Bond University)
Queensland Community Award – Queensland Volunteer of the Year
Julian Pitts (Noosa)
Bond University QAFLW Team of the Year
FB: Paris Lightfoot (Bond University), Sarah-Jane O’Grady (Maroochydore)
HB: Laura Blue (Coorparoo), Chloe Litherland (Wilston Grange), Taya Oliver (Coorparoo)
C: Courtney Daniec (Aspley), Steph O’Brien (Southport), Lucy Schneider (Coorparoo)
HF: Mikayla Martin (Aspley), Jessica Stallard (Aspley), Ava Usher (Bond University)
FF: Louise Tyson (Aspley), Maggie O’Connell (Southport)
Foll: Lilly Pearce (Southport), Ava Seton (University of Queensland), Georgia Breward (Southport)
Int: Carly Remmos (Southport), Madeleine Watt (Southport), Mackenzie Findlay (Wilston Grange), Madison Goodwin (Yeronga South Brisbane), Courtney Sexton (Bond University)
Captain: Steph O’Brien (Southport)
Coach: Luke Glacken (Aspley)
QAFL Team of the Year
FB: Adrian Williams (Redland Victoria Point), Liam Dawson (Aspley), Matt Cecchin (Labrador)
HB: Josh Wagner (Maroochydore), Kwaby Boakye (Broadbeach), Kasey Nicholas (Broadbeach)
C: Blake Erickson (Broadbeach), Caleb Franks (Redland Victoria Point), Joel Leahy (Mt Gravatt)
HF: Ben Thomas (Maroochydore), Connor Stackelberg (Aspley), Sam McLachlan (Maroochydore)
FF: Hugh Fidler (Wilston Grange), Matt Hammelmann (Redland Victoria Point), Will O’Dwyer (Noosa)
Foll: Will Wolbers (Aspley), Brock Aston (Redland Victoria Point), Will Martyn (Wilston Grange)
Int: Thomas Thynne (Palm Beach Currumbin), Will Fletcher (Sherwood), Tom Simpson (Labrador), Riley Bowman (Broadbeach)
Captain: Liam Dawson (Aspley)
Coach: Matt Lappin (Surfers Paradise)
Clem Ryan and Keith Wallis Medal, QAFL Colts Best and Fairest
Harry Taylor (Morningside), 26 votes
Bill Clerke Medal, QAFL Reserves Best and Fairest
Kuot Thok (Aspley), 13 votes
Bond University QAFLW Reserves Best and Fairest
Tilli Baker (Maroochydore), 18 votes
QAFL Colts Leading Goal Kicker
Jack Jovanovic (Broadbeach), 39 goals
QAFL Reserves Leading Goal Kicker
Cameron Poharama (Palm Beach Currumbin), 37 goals
Bond University QAFLW Reserves Leading Goal Kicker
Isabelle Lowe (Bond University), 25 goals
Amy Dwyer (Coorparoo), 25 goals
