Launceston City star Beth Bygrave plays it pretty cool.
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On and off the field.
When the 29-year-old slipped behind Taroona defender Holly Ayton by plenty at the women’s Super League awards, there was no panic.
“I had a consistent season, so I thought I’d be in with a bit of a chance,” Bygrave said.
“You never know how it’s going to go, but I did feel I finished strongly in the last few games too.
“So it paid off, though I didn’t have any idea it was going to be that close.”
Bygrave polled 14 votes out of a possible 18 in the last six games that included eight in the final three alone.
Ayton’s lead stretched to two after finishing with a vote in a 5-3 last-round loss.
Meanwhile 200 kilometres north that same day, City put their feet up after a tame Kingborough Lions to end its year with a 9-0 clincher.
“I scored two goals in that game that sort of helps,” Bygrave said.
“But when it’s your last game, you want to make the most of it and have a good run out.
“It helps when the opposition isn’t that strong – everything worked for us that game.”
Bygrave won on 27 votes to Ayton’s 26 with City teammate Caitlin Storay in third on 19 votes.
Bygrave relocated to Launceston from the UK four years ago, having once been a part of the Norwich City academy and as a multiple England junior international.
But a cruciate ligament injury had the cardiac physiologist and sonographer put playing on the backburner.
“There’s no money in the women’s game, so I’ve had to put my career first,” she said.