Jade Halfpenny takes out back to back Norwood Best and Fairest Awards

Norwood midfielder Jade Halfpenny has claimed back to back Norwood SANFLW Best and Fairest Awards in a runaway count at Friday night’s 2025 SANFLW Awards Ceremony.

Halfpenny won the Best and Fairest Award with 333 votes, ahead of Runner Up Georgie Jaques who finished the count on 152.

The Best and Fairest was held at Coopers Stadium’s Wolf Blass Community Centre on Friday, August 1 where players, coaches, volunteers and officials celebrated and reflected on the that year that was the 2025 SANFLW season.

Halfpenny was fourth in the vote count after Round 6, when Emily Bartsch was leading the pack ahead of Sarah Branford and Sophie Arkun, before the eventual winner took the lead after a best on ground Round 7.

The former Port Adelaide and Carlton AFLW listed player was never headed again, as she went on to receive five best on ground nods, polling in 13 of the 14 matches and running away with the B&F Trophy by 181 votes.

It didn’t seem possible to improve on her maiden Best and Fairest season in 2024, where she averaged 16 disposals, four tackles and three clearances per game. But, she blew those numbers out of the water in 2025, averaging 19 disposals, six tackles and five clearances to stamp her authority as a genuine A Grader of the competition.

Halfpenny was named in the SANFLW Team of the Year in 2025, and also represented SA in the two State games against the WAFLW and VFLW.

Georgie Jaques had an injury plagued return to Norwood in 2025 at times, but managed to get on the park for 10 matches and become a vital member of the Redlegs side in defence and ruck.

Jaques played for Norwood in 2023, before spending 2024 on Port Adelaide’s AFLW list where she ruptured her ACL. She returned to Norwood in 2025.

She finished Runner Up, edging out Bartsch (147 votes), Kiana Lee (125) and Sophie Arkun (112), who rounded out the top five.

Lee received the club’s Leading Goal Kicker Trophy, for her 19 goals which placed her fourth on the SANFLW League’s goal kicking tally.

Defender, Bartsch received the SANFLW League side’s Fortis Award.

After a break-out year, Lottie Almond had a busy night on Friday, claiming Norwood’s SANFLW Development League Best and Fairest Award.

Almond effectively led the count from start to finish, concluding with 103 votes, ahead of Runner Up Elke Cameron on 70, and third place Jiarna Zerella on 59.

The 17-year-old Almond was also recognised on the night for being one of five SANFLW Debutants (Almond, Charlee Brooksby, Sharmaine Crosby, Kyah Jaffer and Lani Cocks), representing SA in the 2025 National U18 Championships (alongside Kate Alexander, Brooksby and Carli Hazelhurst), being the Round 6 AAMI Rookie of the Round, and most significantly received the inaugural Ashleigh Young Medal.

On Friday, the Ashleigh Young Medal was awarded for the first time in tribute to Norwood’s beloved Female Football Manager, Ashleigh, who tragically passed away in December 2023.

The Medal will be awarded to the program’s rising star each season, with the inaugural winner being Lottie Almond. Ashleigh’s parents Bronwyn and Graham Young attended the evening to present the medal.

The other award winner on the night was Elle Lineage, who received the Development League’s Fortis Award, while Sarah Branford and Ashlee Gould were also celebrated for bringing up the 50-game and 75-game milestones in 2025.