50 out of 50: Fish claims AFLW Rising Star with ease after stellar debut season

Jarred Cross Published November 24, 2025 at 6.35pm (AWST)

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After a stellar debut year, Zippy Fish has won her club's first AFLW Rising Star award. Image: Dave Hunt (AAP).

Star Swan Zippy Fish has been crowned the best young player in the AFLW claiming the Rising Star award in her debut season at the competition's night of nights.

The 19-year-old polled the maximum 50 possible votes from the 10-person panel, with five awarded by each.

Fish's Rising Star nomination came in round two following a 27-touch, 80 per cent efficiency outing in Sydney's huge win over Gold Coast.

She exploded onto the scene a week earlier equalling the all time number of disposals (26) collected by a debutant against Richmond.

Fish polled three competition best-and-fairest votes from the umpires in her first two AFL games.

In a round eight loss to minor premiers North Melbourne, Fish put on a season-best showing with 34 disposals.

She averaged 21 touches across the year, and is Sydney's first Rising Star winner.

The 10-person All Australian panel awarded five to one votes each for their best young player in the competition - Fish earning every single vote available.

She beat out the Blues Poppy Scholz (23 votes and the West Coast's Lucia Painter (23), the Gold Coast's Havana Harris (19) and Carlton's Sophie McKay (15), rounding out the top five.

*The voting panel were unanimous in handing Fish the 2025 Rising Star Award. (Image: Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)*

Speaking on stage, Fish said her first year in footy had lived up to everything she wanted it to be.

"I'd like to thank my teammates, I wouldn't be able to be up here without them," she said.

"I'd also like to thank my parents, they've sacrificed a lot for me to make the AFLW, and I think I've turned out to be a pretty good person as well so thank you to them."

Fish arrived at the Swans with pick 5 in the 2024 AFLW draft, already with an impressive footy CV.

An underage All Australian, Fish finished second in the WAFLW best-and-fairest and claimed her club East Fremantle's top individual honour.

Fish took home the best on ground in the Sharks' 2023 grand final triumph.

After her first year in the national competition, Fish was selected in the AFLW All Australian squad of forty, and AFLPA 22under22 team.

Fish is also nominated for the Players Association's best first year player award, to be announced on Tuesday.