Courtney Gum’s stellar 2018 AFL Women’s season has been recognised with the midfielder being nominated for a host of AFL Players’ Association awards. 

Gum has been nominated for AFL Players’ Most Valuable Player, Best First-Year Player and Most Courageous Player, adding to the accolades she has collected in 2018 after being named in the 2018 Virgin Australia AFLW All Australian squad.

Fellow GIANTS Alicia Eva and Phoebe McWilliams have also been nominated for the AFL Players’ MVP, but it is Gum’s story that sees her plethora of nominations stand out.

Overlooked in the 2016 NAB AFLW Draft, the 36-year-old mother left her partner, son and physiotherapy business behind in Adelaide to pursue a career with the GIANTS, being selected with pick 25 of the 2017 NAB AFLW Draft.

Gum finished seventeenth in the competition for average disposals, recording 14.7 possessions per game. 

In the GIANTS’ round six win over the Western Bulldogs, the South Australian equalled the GIANTS’ record for most possessions in a game with 23 and broke the AFLW record for most contested possessions in a game with 20. 

Eva and McWilliams were impressive throughout 2018 with vice-captain Eva finishing fourth in the league for average disposals per game (17.9), while forward McWilliams kicked seven goals in 2018, ranking her equal seventh in the competition. 

GIANTS captain Amanda Farrugia was an automatic selection for the AFLPA Captain of the Year. 

Voting for the AFLW MVP, Most Courageous, Best First-Year Player and Best Captain awards is a two-stage process, with AFLW players nominating their teammates in stage one before selecting from a competition-wide field in stage two. 

Players cannot vote for a player from their own club during stage two of the voting process.

Gum, Eva, McWilliams and Farrugia will find out if they’re bringing any awards home when the AFL Players’ Association’s MVP is held in Melbourne on Monday, March 26.