World Footy News

The Essendon Women’s Network has awarded Sydney Swans’ Lesley McGrath the Football Woman of the Year (FWOTY) Award for her long term contribution to the game and for being a female ambassador to the football community as Sydney Swans’ Finance manger.

On congratulating McGrath, Sydney Swans CEO Andrew Ireland said how she had worked tirelessly in various finance roles, mostly as the club’s Finance Manager, and was a much loved staff member and team mentor. From her commencement in 1986 during one of the club’s more turbulent times, she has worked for the Swans for 25 years, making her the longest serving female employee of any AFL club.

The FWOTY Award is an annual award recognising women in football who have made a significant contribution to the game. The 2011 award is the 14th year the award has been presented by the Essendon Women’s Network to a prominent woman in the world of football. The award is open to any woman in football regardless of club or profession, but the recipient must demonstrate seven criteria:

• Commitment to the support and advancement of the game
• Passion for the game
• Ability to make a difference on the football scene
• Keen knowledge of the game, its history and future
• Club membership
• Willingness to publicly advocate the important role women play in football
• Sense of humour and fair play

The award was judged by an independent panel comprising of AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou, The Age’s Chief Football Writer Caroline Wilson, and AFL Commissioner Justice Linda Dessau.

Previous winners of the award include West Coast Eagles’ executive assistant Anna Durante (2010), female football legend and VWFL president Debbie Lee (2009) and Western Bulldogs’ board member Susan Alberti (2008)