Bairnsdale’s Megan Fitzsimon was named the Gippsland Power girls best and fairest for the 2019 NAB League season recently.

The local 17-year-old led from the front in the middle and averaged 4.6 tackles, 1.4 marks and a team-high 16.8 disposals as she edged Maddi Shaw for the top honour.

Despite the Power only winning one game for the season, Fitzsimon could often be found at the bottom of packs dishing the ball to teammates and sending the ball forward. This resulted in her being named in her side’s best eight times in nine matches with her 26 touches and one goal performance in a losing effort to the Dandenong Stingrays one of many standout displays throughout the season.

She began her football career with Bairnsdale’s juniors before switching to soccer where she played for East Gippsland and Gippsland. Fitzsimon also took up futsal and played in local and state competitions.

A friend then convinced the quietly spoken Fitzsimon, who lets her play do the talking, to return to footy where she has impressed in three seasons with the Power.

For the past three years she has also been an integral part of Bairnsdale’s Gippsland Youth Girls League side that has made the finals every season since it entered the competition.

Fitzsimon attributed her success to what she learned from Melbourne AFLW player and former Gippsland Power teammate, Tyla Hanks.

“Tyla Hanks has been a pretty good mentor. I played with her for a couple years in Power before she got drafted to Melbourne,” she said.

“I tried to learn a better game sense from her and I looked up to her professionalism and the way she goes about it.

“I was pretty happy with my year, but there is still more that I can improve on. I would like to play AFLW, but I will just see where next year takes me.”

The Bairnsdale local enjoys the challenge that being a midfielder brings.

“I mostly played in the middle. I moved to half forward a bit, which was a change from the previous year when I played mostly at half forward,” she said.

“I like getting in and under and getting the ball to my teammates.”

Gippsland Power girls coordinator, Chelsea Caple, said Fitzsimon deserved to be named the best and fairest.

“Megan was really consistent. She played all nine games in the NAB League girls. That is a big thing with getting votes,” she said.

“As a bottom-ager she really stepped up. She took on a lot of responsibility on the ball and on the wing.

“We also put her forward when we could. She is quite good forward, but having a less competitive team ensured she played most of her time on the ball and running up and down the wing.

“She has lots of family support and she is a really good club person. She resembles our culture and while she is quiet, she leads by example unlike other girls that are quite loud at training. We are really lucky to have her.”

After spending time out of the game, Fitzsimon has continually pushed herself to improve.

“She came in either year two or year three of the girls program when she was 14 years old. To have that ability to capture someone at such a young age was great,” Caple said.

“She came from an elite soccer background. We work with her on getting her fundamentals correct.

“We also work with her on how she should work in an elite environment. She is an excellent trainer and travels so far every week to come to training because she is really committed.”

Caple believes Fitzsimon has a bright football future in front of her.

“She was in an unfortunate age group this year in regards to Vic Country, but if she plays as well as she did this year and puts in a really good pre-season then she will be in contention for selection,” she said.

“As she continues to improve, hopefully she will catch the eye of some of the AFLW recruiters.”

IMAGE: Bairnsdale’s Megan Fitzsimon was named the Gippsland Power girls best and fairest for the 2019 NAB League season recently. (PS)