Kiara Bowers was typically humble after the gun midfielder was the unanimous choice for best on ground in the inaugural AFLW western derby at Optus Stadium.
Bowers set the tone in the historic clash, with a remarkable 11 first-quarter tackles before finishing with 13 disposals, four clearances and 18 tackles as Fremantle ran out 45-point winners over cross-town rivals West Coast.
The performance saw Bowers claim the inaugural medal for the best player on the ground after attracting three votes from all three judges.
Bowers has also been nominated for the competition’s round two MVP after the memorable showing.
“It does feel good,” Bowers said. “I honestly thought I had about three touches and about two tackles.
“It’s historic, this moment. We’re very proud to come away with the four points. But very proud of the way the girls played more than anything. At the end of the day, if that’s (tackling) what I’ve got to do for the team, that’s what I do.
“I’m healthy, I’m out kicking the footy so I’m happy.”
Bowers also said she was thrilled to play at Optus Stadium for the first time in front of more than 35,000 fans.
“I was thinking about how I missed out last time,” she said. “I just wanted to make sure that every chance I had, I went out there and focused on how I couldn’t do it before.
“Now I get the chance to, so I count myself very lucky. It was incredible. I don’t know how many out there were Freo fans but that’s all I could hear. They were incredible, they were loud and I cannot thank them enough. Every week they show up and every week they have our backs.”
There was one tackle Bowers didn’t get a stat for after stopping a pitch invader in her tracks.
“We come here to play football and if someone stops that we want to get them off the ground as fast as we can,” Bowers told ABC Grandstand. “For me, just stopping her is getting her off then that’s what we’ll do.”
Best on Ground medal votes
Mark Duffield (The West Australian)
3 votes – Kiara Bowers (FFC)
2 votes – Gabby O’Sullivan (FFC)
1 vote – Emma Swanson (WCE)
Abbey Holmes (Channel 7)
3 votes – Kiara Bowers (FFC)
2 votes – Gabby O’Sullivan (FFC)
1 vote – Gemma Houghton (FFC)
Beau McDonald (ABC Radio)
3 votes – Kiara Bowers (FFC)
2 votes – Gabby O’Sullivan (FFC)
1 vote – Katie-Jayne Grieve (FFC)
Total votes
9 votes – Kiara Bowers (FFC)
6 votes – Gabby O’Sullivan (FFC)
1 vote – Katie-Jayne Grieve (FFC)
1 vote – Gemma Houghton (FFC)
1 vote – Emma Swanson (WCE)