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.
Diamonds delve into positives despite disapointing result
DESPITE having already lost the series, the Australian Diamonds still came away from Wednesday night’s final Constellation Cup match with something to smile about having convincingly won the final test. Reflecting on it all post match, Diamonds’ head coach Stacey Marinkovich described the importance of winning the match to bookend the year as “huge”. “I […]
Silver Ferns don’t clean sweep but still come away happy
WEDNESDAY’s final Constellation Cup match brought mixed emotions for New Zealand, because although they lost that match they were still able to celebrate post match because they had already won the whole series. Speaking after Wednesday night’s final test of the series, Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua was reflective of it all. “I thought […]
Kelpies big winners, but big picture shows plenty to still be done
DESPITE how things went for the Australian Diamonds in their recent Constellation Cup series against New Zealand, things could not have been more different for the Australian Kelpies, who clean swept their series with the Kiwis after a 71 to 39 goal win in game four yesterday. Speaking after yesterday’s match, star Kelpies’ defender Josh […]
Diamonds win match, but Kiwis still come away with big prize
THE AUSTRALIAN Diamonds have avoided an undesired series whitewash against New Zealand, winning the final match of the 2024 Constellation Cup 63 goals to 50. Proceedings were tight early, but then the Diamonds were able to really put their foot down in the second and third quarters to really open up the game on […]
Lightning strikes twice for Hobson
IMAGINE going in for a routine scan to see how your body is holding up and being told you had no ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Being told that the previous surgery you had five years ago wasn’t performed correctly. Being told you had to have a corrective surgery right when you were climbing up ever […]
Kiwis claim series over disappointed Aussies
NEW ZEALAND has won the 2024 Constellation Cup after beating Australia 61-43 in the third test to claim the series. Diamonds’ coach Stacey Marinkovich swung the changes pre match, making three changes to the match day squad and a couple to the starting seven, but ultimately the outcome was the same result. By contrast New […]
NXT Gen League details revealed
IT WAS another important day in English netball overnight with important information released about the new Under 23 feeder league for the Netball Super League (NSL). Confirmed as the NXT Gen League, it has been designed as a development league for younger players trying to get into the NSL. Although most players named in the […]
Kiwis go two up, but not all hope lost for Aussies
NEW ZEALAND’S stranglehold of Constellation Cup matches in New Zealand has continued, after downing Australia again to take a 2-0 lead in the 2024 series. In what might have felt like a sense of déjà vu for Australia and its fans, New Zealand had a strong first half which really catapulted them to the successful […]
Celtic Cup squads begin to be announced
THREE of the four nations competing at the upcoming Celtic Cup have announced their squads for the series over the last few days. Northern Ireland has arguably the biggest names of the three announced squads so far, with Netball Super League stalwarts Michelle Magee, Emma Magee and Niamh Cooper all included. Northern Ireland coach Shenoah […]
