Schmidt caps remarkable debut season with BLGW’s highest honour

Gawler Central’s Maddison Schmidt has capped an extraordinary first season of football by winning the 2026 Barossa Light & Gawler Women’s Senior Association Best and Fairest Medal.

Schmidt polled 20 votes to claim the competition’s highest individual honour by three votes, an achievement made even more impressive by the fact she missed two games during the season.

It completes a remarkable introduction to Australian football for Schmidt, who had never played the game before joining Gawler Central this year.

Despite her lack of football experience, Schmidt quickly established herself as one of the competition’s standout players, with her competitiveness, athleticism and ability to win the football making an immediate impact for the Tigers.

Her performances were recognised throughout the season, including 10 best-player selections from her 12 appearances, while she was also named in the forward pocket in the 2026 BLGW Senior Women’s Team of the Year.

Schmidt’s outstanding debut season also earned her representative honours, representing the BLG at the SA Country Football Championships.

For Gawler Central, the Association Medal represents another significant achievement for a women’s football program that continues to grow, with Schmidt becoming the third Tiger to win the BLGW Senior Women’s Association Best and Fairest.

Gawler Central Senior Women’s coach Jim Daley said Schmidt’s achievement was an outstanding reward for the season she had produced.

“For Maddy to come into our program having never played football before and finish her first season as the Association Best and Fairest is an incredible achievement,” Daley said.

“What impressed us from the beginning was how quickly she embraced the game and how willing she was to learn. She is fiercely competitive, works incredibly hard and just wants to get better every time she steps onto the ground.

“She became such an important player for us very quickly. Her ability to win the football in the contest is obviously a strength, but it’s what she does once she wins it and her ability to bring her teammates into the game that really stands out.

“Maddy would be the first person to recognise her teammates and the people around her. Individual awards like this don’t happen without the support of the group, and that’s something we have worked really hard to build this year.

“We couldn’t be prouder of her. To achieve what she has in her first year of football is pretty special, and the exciting part is knowing how much improvement she still has in front of her.”

Schmidt was unable to be at the awards night in person as she was overseas on holidays, but attended via FaceTime as the votes were counted, with her mum Jerie Schmidt there on her behalf.

As the final votes were announced, Schmidt’s reaction was one of genuine shock and excitement, struggling to comprehend that she had won the competition’s highest individual honour in her first year of football.

“I honestly can’t believe it,” Schmidt said.

“I didn’t expect anything like this. I just wanted to try footy, learn the game and be part of the team.

“I’m so grateful to all the coaches for everything they’ve done for me and especially my teammates. They’ve made my first year of footy so much fun and helped me so much.

“I’ve absolutely loved playing footy this year. I’m still in shock that I’ve actually won it.”

With Schmidt watching on via FaceTime, Gawler Central captain Mel Long borrowed Jerie’s phone and took Maddy with her to the dais, allowing the new medal winner to accept the award and make her speech remotely.

Jerie proudly collected the Association Medal on her daughter’s behalf, ready to finally hand it over when Maddy returns from overseas.

Schmidt’s victory caps a memorable year individually, but also continues the momentum of Gawler Central’s growing women’s and girls’ football program.

For a player who entered the season simply wanting to give football a go, an Association Medal, Team of the Year selection and representative football in her first year represents an extraordinary achievement.

And after what she has accomplished in just 12 games of football, there is plenty of excitement at Gawler Central about where Maddison Schmidt’s football journey could go from here.