The AFLW Leading Goalkicker Award
The AFLW Leading Goalkicker Award goes to the women’s competition’s leading goalkicker each season, the AFLW’s equivalent of the Coleman Medal. Awarded annually since the 2017 inaugural season, the award honours the season’s most prolific forward. Tayla Harris, Sabrina Frederick-Traub, Daisy Pearce, Aliesha Newman, and others have all earned recognition across the AFLW’s foundational years.
The History: AFLW Goalkicking Recognition
The AFLW Leading Goalkicker Award has been informally recognised since the inaugural 2017 season and formally medalled in subsequent seasons. The structure mirrors the AFL Coleman Medal leading goalkicker across the home-and-away regular season.
The award has been sponsored by various corporate partners across different eras. Recent naming rights have been associated with NAB and Telstra in different seasons.
The AFLW Goalkicking Era
AFLW goalkicking averages have grown progressively as the competition has matured:
- 2017: Inaugural season — leading goalkicker scored ~10 goals
- 2018: Slight increase
- 2019: ~15 goals for the season-leading
- 2020: COVID-affected season
- 2021: Continuing growth
- 2022: ~20+ goals for leading scorer
- 2023: Spring season scheduling change; goalkicking patterns adjusted
- 2024: 25+ goals for season-leading
Recent AFLW Leading Goalkickers
- 2024: AFLW Leading Goalkicker
- 2023: Spring Season 7 Leading Goalkicker
- 2022: Season Leading Goalkicker
- 2021: Various winners
- 2020: COVID-affected season
- 2019: Tayla Harris (Carlton)
- 2018: Sabrina Frederick-Traub (Brisbane)
- 2017: Inaugural Leading Goalkicker
The Tayla Harris Era
Tayla Harris (Carlton, then Melbourne) was a foundational AFLW figure. Her 2019 Leading Goalkicker, combined with iconic moments like the controversial “kick” photo controversy of 2019, made her one of the AFLW’s most-recognised players. Harris’s goalkicking ability, combined with her role as a community advocate, established her as one of the women’s competition’s signature performers.
Trivia for the Pub
- The AFLW Leading Goalkicker Award has been awarded since 2017.
- The award is the AFLW equivalent of the AFL Coleman Medal.
- Goalkicking averages have grown as the competition has matured.
- Tayla Harris was the 2019 Leading Goalkicker at Carlton.
- Sabrina Frederick-Traub was the 2018 Leading Goalkicker at Brisbane.
- The award has been sponsored by various corporate partners.
- The award is presented at the AFLW Awards Ceremony.
- Multiple AFLW Leading Goalkickers have been All-Australians.
- Goalkicking forms in AFLW have included traditional set shots, snap goals, and on-the-run kicking.
- The award honours season-leading goal totals across home-and-away fixtures.
The Rumours
The persistent rumour: renaming the AFLW Leading Goalkicker Award after a foundational figure. Has been canvassed; no formal renaming.
The other rumour: extending the count to include finals goals. Currently home-and-away only. Has been canvassed; no change.
The Verdict
The AFLW Leading Goalkicker Award is the women’s competition’s goalkicking gold standard. From Tayla Harris’s 2019 dominance to recent winners, every era of AFLW goalkicking excellence is represented on this award. Long live the women’s leading goalkicker.
The award also captures the broader story of AFLW’s goalkicking development. From the inaugural 2017 season (where the leading goalkicker scored only ~10 goals) to the modern era (where 25+ goals is the seasonal benchmark), the award has tracked the competition’s professional maturation. As coaches, players, and tactical structures have evolved, AFLW goalkicking has become more sophisticated and prolific.
For AFLW forwards, winning the Leading Goalkicker is career-defining. The recognition combines on-field excellence with the kind of measurable achievement that translates into media attention, sponsorship opportunities, and post-playing career pathways. Multiple Leading Goalkicker winners have gone on to AFLW captaincy, broadcasting, and coaching roles.
The AFLW Leading Goalkicker Award is also notable for its role in spotlighting the women’s competition’s elite forwards. As the competition has expanded, more clubs have produced quality forwards, and the Leading Goalkicker race has become genuinely contested across multiple clubs each season. Tayla Harris, Sabrina Frederick-Traub, and others have established the modern AFLW forward archetype.
