EXPERIENCED shooter Kaylia Stanton earned the Victorian Netball League’s (VNL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the 2023 awards night held on Sunday night. Stanton polled in 14 of the 18 matches to be crowned the Championship MVP where she played for Hawks Netball.
Donning the brown and gold, Stanton was a towering presence in attack and hard to contain, also slotting the second most amount of goals to come runner-up in the Hot Shot award. City West Falcons shooter Jane Cook earned that award, putting up 852 goals to finish 33 goals clear of Stanton.
There was some controversy regarding the award, with Stanton’s 819 goals initially earning her the Hot Shot, until a review was done that revealed an error in the Round 2 match between City West Falcons and Peninsula Waves. That saw Cook soar to the top of the table and earn the honour. Casey Demons’ Emma Ryde finished third with 816 goals in the 2023 season.
Despite that, Cook missed out on making the Championships Team of the Year, with Stanton named alongside other shooters, Emily Andrew, Ruby Barkmeyer and Isabelle Hodgson. In the midcourt, Falcons talent Montana Holmes was named with Geelong Cougars’ Ally O’Connor, and Boroondara Express duo, Casey Adamson and Taylah Brown.
The Team of the Year was rounded up by a four-player defensive lineup. The quartet were Brooke Allan (Geelong Cougars), Zoe Davies (City West Falcons), Kaitlyn Black (North East Blaze) and Gabby Coffey (Melbourne University Lightning).
CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD WINNERS:
Premiers: City West Falcons
MVP: Kaylia Stanton (Hawks Netball)
Hot Shot: Jane Cook (City West Falcons)
2023 Championship Team of the Year
Goalers: Emily Andrew (Wilson Storage Southern Saints, Victorian Fury), Kaylia Stanton (Hawks Netball), Ruby Barkmeyer (Boroondara Express), Isabelle Hodgson (Boroondara Express, Victorian Fury)
Midcourt: Ally O’Connor (Geelong Cougars), Casey Adamson (Boroondara Express), Montana Holmes (City West Falcons), Taylah Brown (Boroondara Express, Victorian Fury)
Defenders: Brooke Allan (Geelong Cougars), Zoe Davies (City West Falcons), Kaitlyn Black (North East Blaze), Gabby Coffey (Melbourne University Lightning, Victorian Fury)
DIVISION 1 AWARD WINNERS:
Premiers: Geelong Cougars
MVP: Maddi Wallmeyer (North East Blaze)
Hot Shot: Abby Gedge (North East Blaze)
2023 Division 1 Team of the Year
Goalers: Abby Gedge (North East Blaze), Teal Hocking (City West Falcons), Hannah Keane (Hawks Netball), Georgina Cuthbertson (Geelong Cougars)
Midcourt: Georgia Ryan (Geelong Cougars), Shannon Blackman (Melbourne University Lightning), Ashleigh Newham (Hawks Netball), Olivia Ellis (North East Blaze)
Defenders: Charli Nicol (City West Falcons), Chloe Duke (Hawks Netball), Olivia Taylor (Geelong Cougars), Ashlee Smith (Geelong Cougars)
19 & UNDER AWARD WINNERS:
Premiers: Melbourne University Lightning
MVP: Sienna Green (Hawks Netball)
Hot Shot: Charlize Gabel Joseph (Peninsula Waves)
2023 19&Under Team of the Year
Goalers: Piuti Laban (Casey Demons), Charlize Gabel Joseph (Peninsula Waves), Kate O’Dwyer (Melbourne University Lightning), Akira McCormack (Melbourne University Lightning)
Midcourt: Tara Watson (North East Blaze), Millie Hogg (Wilson Storage Southern Saints), Ruby Shannon (North East Blaze, Victorian Fury), Sienna Green (Hawks Netball)
Defenders: Tepaea Hobson (Melbourne University Lightning), Charlotte Sexton (City West Falcons, Victorian Fury), Eliza Molino (Hawks Netball), Mikaela Minns (City West Falcons)
COACHES & OFFICIALS AWARD WINNERS:
Umpire of the Year: Josh Bowring
Joyce Brown Coaches Award: Jacinta Todd
A-Grade Umpire Badge: Emily Green and Carly Hewett
Bench Officials Acknowledgement: Robyn Blake, Helen Broadley, Tracey Helman, Jo Brown, Jess Day and Amelia Rovers
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