Kloe Bassett of Bunbury and Ella Smith of Donnybrook have tied for the Nola Marino Medal on Friday night at a function held at the Mantra Lighthouse Beach Resort in Bunbury.
Bassett had twenty five votes and the end of round sixteen, and led Ella Smith by eight votes, with Bassett not polling another vote in the count.
Smith would score three votes in round seventeen against Carey Park to narrow the margin to five, and then narrowed it to two when see again received three votes against Harvey Brunswick Leschenault in round eighteen.
Adding to the excitement of the final rounds was the fact Rachel Wright of Harvey Bulls was also in the mix and would finish third, one vote behind Bassett and Smith. Elle Amith would receive two votes in the round twenty match against Busselton to tie, Bassett, while in the same match Beth Beckett would score three votes to finish fourth in the count, just three votes behind the winners in a thrilling finish. Caitlin Ward of Bunbury would finish fifth.
Fleur Parker and Ebony Bilcich are the only other players to tie for the Marino Medal back in 2019, and Bassett is the third Bunbury player to win the medal after Trisha Lake (2017) and Carly Allen (2018). Smith is the second Donnybrook player to win the Marino Medal, with Jess Verbrugge winning the honour twice in 2023 and 2021.
Both players thanked their clubs and team-mates, and both were full of praise for their coaches.
| 1 | Kloe | Bassett | Bunbury | 25 |
| 2 | Ella | Smith | Donnybrook | 25 |
| 3 | Rachel | Wright | Harvey Bulls | 24 |
| 4 | Beth | Beckett | Busselton | 22 |
| 5 | Caitlin | Ward | Bunbury | 16 |
| 6 | Rennie | Meadmore | Busselton | 13 |
| 7 | Holly | Creedon | Busselton | 11 |
| 8 | Maya | Goudard | Dunsborough | 11 |
| 9 | Zoe | Roberts | HBL | 11 |
| 10 | Kelly | Polla | Donnybrook | 10 |
| 11 | Dakota | Sexton | HBL | 10 |
| 12 | Courtney | Zappara | Donnybrook | 9 |
| 13 | Emma | Angi | Harvey Bulls | 8 |
| 14 | Ella | Harrison | Harvey Bulls | 8 |
| 15 | Arnya | Pickston | HBL | 8 |