2025 Neil Bencraft Best and Fairest Preview

02/09/2024

The night we've all been waiting for is almost here - the 2025 Sandringham Football Club Neil Bencraft Best and Fairest, which will combine both our VFL and VFLW awards nights for the very first time!

Ahead of Saturday night, we’ve taken a look at some of the key players in contention for both the men's and women's awards.

VFL

Ethan Williams 

After coming over from GWS, Ethan Williams became a staple for the Zebras' side in 2025, as the only player to feature in every game this season. It's not hard to see why Coach Brendon Goddard had so much trust in the 20-year-old, with Williams frequently being one of the side's top ball winners off half-back. 

Generating many Zebras attacks out of the back half, Williams averaged 17.8 disposals per game in 18 appearances in 2025. A member of the Leadership Group in his first year at the club, Williams led by example, standing tall to average 4.6 marks as well, honouring his defensive responsibilities.

Williams is a chance to poll well early in the season, with some strong performances right out of the gates seeing him collect 22, 23 and 29 disposals respectively in the first three rounds of the season, with a goal also coming against his former side in round three. He ended the year on a high note, collecting 25 disposals against Essendon, in what could be a sign of things to come for Williams' bright future. 

Angus McLennan 

After finishing as the Runner-Up in last year's count, Angus McLennan will be looking to go one better in 2025. Featuring alongside Williams in the backline for 15 games this season, McLennan built on where he left off last year, continuing to be a reliable one-on-one defender and effective ball user.

McLennan averaged 13.9 disposals in 2025, and was dangerous with ball in hand, going at an impressive 77.5 per cent disposal efficiency, the best of all Zebs that played in at least 10 games. Averaging 5.5 marks per game, McLennan was also among the best in the side at reading the flight of the ball. 

His performance in the Zebs' Round 19 win over North Melbourne was a standout, as he finished with 25 disposals and 10 marks. After 49 votes in 2024, McLennan looks likely to break the half-century mark in 2025. 

Alex Dodson

Could a ruckman be crowned Sandringham's Best and Fairest two years in a row? It was Tom Campbell that took out the award last year, but in his absence, Sandringham had to look at other options in the ruck in 2025.

St Kilda-listed Alex Dodson more than filled the void in his first year of professional football, splitting duties between the ruck and full forward to be one of the Zebs' shining stars. Featuring in 15 games in 2025, the 19-year-old really began to find his feet as the season progressed. In his final seven games of the season, Dodson should poll well after averaging 19.3 disposals, 16.6 hitouts and booting a combined 10 goals over that stretch. 

Standout performances against Sydney in Round 16 (29 disposals, 35 hitouts, three goals) and against Richmond in Round 20 (35 disposals, 41 hitouts) saw him rewarded with an AFL debut late in the year, highlighting his dominance for the Zebs.

Hugh Boxshall 

Hugh Boxshall split much of the year between playing for St Kilda and Sandringham, only tallying nine appearances in the Zebras stripes. However Boxshall had a consistent impact during each outing with the Zebras, making him a dark horse to potentially take home the Neil Bencraft Best and Fairest on Saturday.

Operating out of the midfield, Boxshall averaged 24.6 disposals and 7.6 clearances for the Zebs in 2025, while also pushing forward to boot six goals. His desire to defend was also a welcome addition to the Sandringham line up, as he averaged 9.4 tackles per game. Three times he eclipsed the 30-disposal mark, with his best performance of the season being a 33-disposal, nine-tackle effort against Footscray in Round Four, which helped deliver the Zebs their first win of the season. 

Jonah Campigli 

Jonah Campigli was a revelation in 2025, leading the Zebras' goalkicking in just his first year at the club. Zebras fans knew they had a serious talent when Campigli booted a season-high five goals against Footscray in Round Four, the difference in an 18-point victory. 

Campigli wouldn't stop there though, going onto play 16 games for an impressive return of 21 goals. His aerial ability combined with his knack for finding the footy at ground level made him a nightmare for opposition defences to contain. Along with his goals, Campigli averaged 4.1 marks per game in 2025, including when he pulled down a monstrous eight in Round One against Geelong.

At just 21-years-old, Campigli already shapes as one of the main contenders for the Best and Fairest, and is one to watch for the future. 

Billy Richardson 

Billy Richardson featured all over the ground in 2025, with the utility being used as a key defender early in the season, and even chopping out in the ruck at times. But as the season began to heat up, Coach Brendon Goddard saw the potential in Richardson as a key forward at VFL level, shifting him up the ground for immediate results. 

In five games from Rounds 8-13, Richardson played as a full-time key forward, and showed his class, registering a goal in each outing, including twice booting three, in a Round Nine draw against Gold Coast, and a narrow Round 13 loss against Collingwood. 

At 195 centimetres, the big man is impossible to miss, especially when he's threading the ball through the big sticks, and will be sure to catch the eyes of voters in the race for the Best and Fairest. 

VFLW

 Grace Hodder 

Grace Hodder exemplified everything you could want from a Captain in 2025. Leading by example to help guide the team into finals, it's hardly a surprise to think she'll be among the leaders in the count.

Hodder showed up every week, the only Zebra to play every game in the 2025 rebel VFLW season. She impressed in every way, averaging 14.6 disposals and 7.2 tackles (team-high) per game. It was the play in the second half of the season though that could see her break away from the pack, as from round five onwards she averaged 16.4 disposals. Memorable performances included her 18 tackles against Darebin in Round 10, as well as her 22 disposals and 10 tackles in the final home-and-away game of the season against North Melbourne Werribee. 

Abbey Tregellis

Abbey Tregellis made her way into the side in Round Two against the Casey Demons, and held on to her spot right until the end of the season, becoming a star in the Zebras' engine room.

Tregellis eclipsed 20 disposals four times on her way to averaging 16.5 disposals per game, as well as a team-leading 4.9 clearances per game. Her breakout game came against Essendon in Round 13, where she dominated with 27 disposals, while also laying 12 tackles. Across her 14 appearances, Tregellis was consistent from start to finish, and will threaten to poll in almost every game this season. 

Imogen Evans

Despite being unavailable after Round 11 due to injury, Imogen Evans still shapes as a strong chance to take home the Zebs' Best and Fairest for 2025. 

Arriving from Collingwood, Evans used her 17 games of AFLW experience to great effect, emerging as one of the best midfielders in the competition. Evans averaged the most disposals at the Zebs (minimum five games), narrowly beating out Tregellis 16.6 to 16.5, and was also relentless without ball in hand, laying 5.3 tackles per game.

Evans had a number of standout games across the season, but she set the tone immediately in Round One against Darebin with 21 disposals. Her fearlessness was greatly missed in finals, but she's still every chance to take home the top award. 

Deanna Jolliffe 

The leadership qualities of someone like Deanna Jolliffe were instrumental to the success the Zebras enjoyed in 2025, but that doesn't mean her strong play on the field should be forgotten about. 

Jolliffe was a stalwart of the Zebras' backline this season, constantly standing tall to be a dominant interceptor, as well as composed in one-on-one situations. Jolliffe played in all but one game and was incredibly effective out of defence, averaging 3.1 tackles and 2.1 marks per game. She was adept at finding the football herself, averaging 12 disposals, and was efficient using the ball, with her 69 per cent disposal efficiency the second-highest on the team.

Jolliffe performed double duty in 2025, serving as an assistant coach for the backline, helping the Zebs average the second-fewest goals conceded per game.

Sophie Locke 

Sophie Locke was a welcome addition to the Zebras in 2025, as she immediately burst onto the scene and let everyone know Sandringham had recruited a serious player.

Locke would open the season with three goals against Darebin in a match-winning display. She would go onto kick multiple goals in a game four more times, en route to her team-leading 13-goal tally for the season. Locke was a brilliant target for the Zebs, as she went on to form a dominant forward line partnership with Arianna Clarke. Locke was also a high-pressure player, twice laying seven tackles in a game this season as a forward. 

Written by Jake Beddard - Sandringham Football Club Media