Western Bulldogs youngster Monique Conti has made up for the disappointment of a WNBL grand final loss with a star turn in her side's historic AFLW premiership.
Conti claimed the player-of-the-match award after her brilliant third-quarter effort, including a superb goal, helped the Bulldogs seize the momentum in the 4.3 (27) to 3.3 (21) win at Ikon Park.
It capped a whirlwind few months for the 18-year-old who made her AFLW debut just two weeks after she was part of the losing Melbourne Boomers' grand final side.
"Coming off a WNBL championship series and then losing in the third game it was really tough for me," Conti said.
"But then to switch off the basketball mode and come into football with a great group of girls and great coaching staff (was great).
"It was there up for grabs and we all did it together ... it's such a great feeling to be able to have won one of the premiership (deciders) I've been involved with over the last couple of months.
"It's very special."
Coach Paul Groves was delighted when the Dogs were able to swoop on Conti with pick No.4 at the draft.
Conti juggled the two codes while the Boomers' season was still alive, which also meant she wasn't allowed to do any contact work in her first pre-season with the Dogs.
"We knew because of her basketball that she'd probably slip a bit in the draft," Groves said.
"So she was always going to be markedly better (each week) from round one to round seven.
"Even in her basketball she's a big game player and I had feeling from her (today).
"I didn't even speak to her at halftime but her third quarter was phenomenal."
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