WEST COAST Fever’s Courtney Bruce is the toast of Australian Netball tonight, having won the Liz Ellis Diamond Award at tonight’s Netball Australia Awards.
The Liz Ellis Diamond Award is the highest individual award in Australia. It is awarded to the best player across the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) competition and the Diamonds campaigns.
The Player of the Year Award went to Bruce’s teammate and volume shooter Jhaniele Fowler, who won the award for the fourth year in a row.
The International Player of the Year Award was the Vixens’ Liz Watson with the Vixens midcourter missing the entire 2021 SSN season due to injury, but being rewarded for her form on teh internatonal stage.
The first award of the night was the Joyce Brown Coach of the Year Award, which was awarded to the head coach of the NSW Swifts Briony Akle.
The Lorna McConchie Umpire of the Year Award was won by Andrea Booth.
Next up it was the Rising Star Award. This year’s winner was GIANTS Netball’s Sophie Dwyer, who was a bit of a surprise packet this season and now finds herself in the Diamonds squad for the upcoming Quad series.
The Team of the Year was also announced tonight, with West Coast and GIANTS Netball players filling many of the roles.
GS: Jhaniele Fowler (West Coast Firebirds)
GA: Jo Harten (GIANTS Netball)
WA: Maddy Hay (GIANTS Netball)
C: Kim Ravaillon (Queensland Firebirds)
WD: Gabi Simpson (Queensland Firebirds)
GD: Sunday Aryang (West Coast Fever)
GK: Courtney Bruce (West Coast Fever)
Reserve Goaler: Sam Wallace (NSW Swifts)
Reserve Midcourt: Jaimee-Lee Price (GIANTS Netball)
Reserve Defender: Shamera Sterling (Adelaide Thunderbirds)
There were two Hall of Fame inductions made tonight, one inductee and one elevation to Legend status.
Tonight’s inductee to the Hall of Fame was Dot Lavater. She played for the Diamonds in the 1950s, but since retiring she is now a volunteer coach and administrator.
Tonight’s Legend inductee was Wilma Shakespeare AM. She played for the Diamonds in the 1960s, but then went on to make a significant impact as a coach.
There were also a few non SSN awards awarded tonight.
The Netball Australia Service Award went to umpire Jacqui Jashari, while the Spirit of Netball Award went to Tasmanian Marjory Keslake.
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