![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2023\/09\/DebbieLeeRisingStarM_25789.jpg?_t=1695618719\")
<\/p>\n
Simpson said she was \u201cabsolutely shocked\u201d to hear her name called out as a winner at the end of voting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just still so excited. It hasn\u2019t even sunk in properly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very surprised, but incredibly honoured to take out such a prestigious award.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was my first proper season in against all the bigger bodies and I really enjoyed it.<\/p>\n
\u201cComing into the season it wasn\u2019t on my mind to win the best and fairest at all. I just wanted to play some consistent footy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI worked as hard as I could to just consistently play at a strong level, so it came as a huge shock when my name was read out as a winner.\u201d<\/p>\n
The teenager said she was hopeful of making the jump into the AFLW in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ll be fully satisfied until I can get to the AFLW. If it\u2019s this year, great, if not then I\u2019ll continue working hard and putting in the work.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still only 19, so feel I\u2019ve got plenty of time to try get there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s just about continuing to play to my strengths which is winning the contested footy and improving other facets of my game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt playing against the more mature bodies in the VFLW helped with my game a lot this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy teammates really pushed me all year as well, which I\u2019m super thankful for.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A GEELONG Cats VFL Women on-baller has done her chances of AFL elevation no harm by taking out the league best and fairest in her very first open age season. Former Sacred Heart College student and St Joseph’s Football Netball Club junior Charlotte Simpson was presented with the Lambert-Pearce Medal at the VFLW and VFL […]<\/p>\n