‘Highlight of AFLW!’ Coach hits out as ‘phenomenal’ grab snubbed for top honour

There’s controversy in the AFLW after Lion Courtney Hodder was sensationally overlooked for Mark of the Round – despite pulling in arguably the best mark the competition has ever seen.

Hodder bravely put her body on the line against rival Gold Coast last weekend, going back with the flight with no fear of what was coming in the other direction.

Teammate Dakota Davidson managed to get underneath the leaping Hodder, but Suns defender Elizabeth Keaney took the hit.

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Luckily Keaney and Hodder were able to bounce back to their feet.

Hodder’s mark was likened to the bravery showed by AFL greats Nick Riewoldt and Jonathan Brown.

But she received just 18 per cent of the vote for mark of the round in a move labelled “criminal” by one AFL journalist.

Instead, the Mark of the Round went to Adelaide’s Eloise Jones – who pulled the footy down between two defenders – in what is now her third entry for the award in just seven games.

On Friday, Lions coach Craig Starcevich didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Mark of the Round snub for Hodder, and said he was “half serious” about lodging a protest to the result.

“Courtney’s grab last week, which wasn’t Mark of the Week I might add, that’s another story, That’s almost the highlight of AFLW over eight years and it’s not Mark of the Week?” Starcevich said.

When asked if he would be marching to the AFL in Docklands in protest, he replied: “It’s a chance, absolutely. We’ll be on the front doorstep demanding an explanation (laughs).”

“It’s a fan vote – I get that. But at some point we have to say c’mon. We have to acknowledge something that was exceptional in our competition because it actually drags the audience in as well.

“I’m sort of half being serious (about the protest).

“If you were lucky to be at the MCG 20 years ago to see ‘Browny’ take his, I had a similar reaction on Saturday.

“There‘s been a couple of moments over eight years that I’ve jumped out of my seat in the coaches’ box, and most of them involve Courtney Hodder.

“The courage involved to take one of those is phenomenal.”

Starcevich even praised the work of Davidson to avoid the collision with Hodder.

“She managed to duck and weave beautifully like a boxer and Courtney came over the top.”

Luckily for Hodder and the Lions, the Brisbane forward is still eligible to win Mark of the Year – with the AFLW putting together the 10 round winners and three marks of their choice.

The AFLW Awards Committee will then present the three best marks to the public for a vote.

It’s not the first time Hodder has been overlooked for a top award, after her brilliant finish in Round 3 was beaten by Crow Anne Hatchard’s efforts for Goal of the Week.

Already in the AFL, four players have been deemed Goal or Mark of the Year winners when overlooked for the round result.

Those players are Melbourne’s Liam Jurrah (2010), Richmond duo Daniel Rioli (2017) and Shai Bolton (2021) and Port’s Mitch Georgiades (2022).