
Cobden wing attack Amy Hammond said it was "like Christmas" when she went up to receive the 2019 Hampden league open division best and fairest award.
The 20-year-old, who took out her first league best and fairest in the open grade with 24 votes, won a thrilling count on Sunday at Deakin University's Brother Fox.
"I got a watch and a trophy and a medal, I was like 'it's like Santa Claus is coming'," she said with a smile.
"I just got so much, it was great."
The midcourter received three votes in the final round to win by two votes ahead of Koroit goal attack Isabella Baker.
"When I got the three votes in the last game, it was a bit of a relief," she said.
"I was pretty excited to win it."
The Bombers star heaped praise on runner-up, Baker, who is 16 years old.
"She's so young and she's very, very talented," she said.
Hammond's father Stephen was joint-winner of the Maskell Medal for Cobden in 1996.
"He's always pushed for us to do the best we can in our sport," she said.
"So he'd be pretty happy that I've won it."
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Hammond has switched her focus to the Bombers' grand final against Koroit on Saturday at Reid Oval.
"We're excited, we played Koroit last year (in the grand final)," she said.
"We're a bit nervous, they've played in a lot of grand finals - they're steady, they're controlled, they're very good.
"But I think if we're on our game, we can come away with the win.
"So hopefully we're in the right headspace."
Hammond said the Bombers had flown as one this season.
"This year the footy and netball has really come together," she said.
"The footy people have been really supportive of the netball and the netball has been really supportive of the football.
"They got around in the final against Warrnambool so hopefully the footballers get around us in the grand final.
"And not just the footballers but everyone."
Hammond, who is studying marine biology at Geelong's Deakin University and lives in Colac, commutes to play with Cobden.
"There's a few of us that travel from Colac every week, we just carpool," she said.
The wing attack also represented the Hampden league's open division for the first time this season.
The 20-year-old, who was the youngest member of the squad, made her open-level interleague debut at Mars Stadium in Ballarat in May.
North Warrnambool Eagles midcourter Kate O'Meara, who received 19 votes, finished third in the count.
Hammond was one vote ahead of the Eagles' Skye Billings after round 12 before edging her way to victory.
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