Cootamundra Blues captain Phil Bird has won the AFL Canberra Regional grade best and fairest award.
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The gala awards night for the community and regional grades was held at the Southern Cross Club in Canberra on Monday night.
Bird played in all 14 matches, polled 17 votes and finished just one vote ahead of Goulburn Swans' footballer Bill Reid. Bird did the hard work in the early rounds, as he did not poll any votes in the final matches against Goulburn and Yass.
With Cootamundra and Goulburn both receiving forfeits during the season, this did not affect Bird's chances, hanging onto to the win by the barest of margins.
Blues' coach Luke Webb, who was suspended for five matches, finished third on 13 votes.
Bird has had a stellar season. In the final round against the Yass Roos, he played his 100th consecutive match as captain of the Blues.
Due to a prior commitment, Bird was unable to attend Monday night's awards. Blues president Todd Basham accepted the award on Phil's behalf.
"Phil wishes to thank the umpires, his teammates, the committee and the all the supporters," Basham said.
Bird becomes the fifth Blues player to win an AFL Canberra best and fairest award.
Bird now joins previous Blues' winners, James Quarmby 2006; Dylan McDermott, 2013; Luke Webb, 2014 and Jimmy Finucane who won last year.
It is incredible to think that the Blues will have three league best and fairest winners lining up in the grand final on Saturday week.
Blues full-forward Sandy Maskell Knight was an easy winner in the goal-kicking award, booting 54 majors, which saw him finish 15 goals ahead of Murrumbateman footballer Brent Ford. For Sandy, this season is the second time he has won the goal-kicking award.
Meanwhile, in the women's competition, Blues young gun Alyssa Armstrong playing Australian Rules for the first time, finished second to Kyra Jackson from the Riverina Lions. Jackson finished a clear winner by six votes over Armstrong, polling 17 votes.
The Blues play the winner of the preliminary final between Southern Cats and Belconnen in the grand final to be played at Allinsure Park, Queanbeyan, on Saturday, August 31.
