Omeara told The Courier she had no expectations heading into the season.

"I think coming from a different league it was a bit of an unknown coming up to this league, 17 teams coming from nine at home," she said.

"I had no expectations, I just wanted to get through a year without COVID but that didn't happen.

"It was a new venture for me and I had no expectations so it was just play netball."

Omeara crossed to the Grasshoppers from North-Warrnambool in the off-season and was a consistent performer across the year.

"... they're such a welcoming club ... the friendships I made there during the year supersedes any individual award, so excited to be a part of that club," she said.

Omeara raced out of the gates to lead the count with 14 votes through six rounds.

She polled in each game from rounds nine to 12, inbetween COVID-19 interruptions, to hold a five-vote lead from Buninyong's Zoe Ottavi and Springbank's Bethany Smith on 17.

Any doubts of a victory were squashed with consecutive best-on-ground performances against Creswick and Clunes in rounds 15 and 17 to finish on 28 votes.

Rokewood-Corindhap coach Kerry Lightfoot knew the calibre of player she had recruited when she chatted to The Courier before the season kicked off.

"Kate O'Meara is new into the group, she's very dynamic and she is experienced and will show some leadership, so she will be one to watch," she said.

Ottavi topped off a strong season in goals for minor premiers Buninyong to finish second with 20 votes.

The Bombers captain helped lead the league's second-best offence with 62.45 goals per game and the best defence, allowing just 15.36 goals per game.

Springbank defender Smith enjoyed an impressive first season in yellow and black after crossing from East Ballarat in the Ballarat Football Netball League to finish third on 19 votes.

Smith and Katie Lindkvist, who crossed from rivals Hepburn, quickly became a dangerous defensive pair that made it tough to score against the Tigers.

IN THE B Grade best and fairest, Learmonth's Allison Griffin and Buninyong's Cailtin Hughes drew on 18 votes to claim the award.

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Springbank's Samantha Reicha was not too far behind, runner-up on 17 votes.

After six rounds, Hughes sat equal second on nine votes, trailing leader Amy Dridan, from Skipton, on 11.

Griffin was one-vote back on eight.

Hughes was awarded eight votes in the next four games to race to the lead after 12 rounds on 17 votes.

Reicha was not too far behind, on 15 votes.

Griffin made a run of her own, polling six votes in this stretch to take her tally to 14, equal with Bungaree's Amanda Clarke.

A best-on-ground performance against Dunnstown in round 15 lifted Griffin to 17, while Hughes managed one-vote to stay clear on 18.

Reicha's two votes against Skipton took her tally to 17 also, however, Springbank had the bye in round 17, ruling her out of a chance to win.

Hughes went without a vote in round 17, while Griffin added one against Hepburn, lifting her to even on 18 votes to tie.

IT WAS a battle of two in the C Grade best and fairest, Hayley Ryan and Mahli Bird exchanging the lead during the count, before Bird claimed a two-vote win.

Ryan led Bird by two votes after six rounds. Bird's six votes between rounds nine and 12 lifted her to 18 votes and handed her the lead, one ahead of Ryan.

Ryan polled two votes in round 15 to jump ahead by one vote with a game to play.

Bird managed to poll three votes in round 17, while Ryan went without a vote, to win.

Mahli Bird (Gordon) - 21 votes

Allison Griffin (Learmonth) and Caitlin Hughes (Buninyong) - 18 votes

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