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Grace Nweke ws one of the Silver Ferns’ stars of 2022.
Netball New Zealand’s judges could not split rising young shooter Grace Nweke and resurgent defender Kelly Jury, who were declared joint winners of the Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award for 2022 on Monday.
The Mystics and Silver Ferns shooter Nweke, and Pulse and Silver Ferns defender Jury, capped strong years by being named the first joint winners of the sport’s top accolade for standout player across all competitions, at the annual NNZ awards.
Jury, 26, was also awarded the ANZ Premiership player of the year, and that competitions player’s player of the year after a triumphant season with the title-winning Pulse.
Elevated to the co-captaincy this year, Jury relished the extra responsibility with a standout season for the Pulse. She combined consistency with her ball-winning ability to top the intercept and deflection counts, while finishing second in the rebounding stakes.
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After a fine start to the domestic season for the Mystics, Nweke, 20, was sidelined by injury at the business end. She returned to full fitness and shone in the international arena to also scoop the Silver Ferns player of the year award.
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Cara Koenen of the Australian Diamonds under close attention from Silver Fern Kelly Jury.
Showing massive improvements across all areas of her game, Nweke was a shining light throughout the Silver Ferns campaigns of 2022 as she continues to build a formidable presence.
After a year away, Yvette McCausland-Durie made a memorable return to guide the Pulse to a record third title and a second ANZ Premiership coach of the year award. She was a previous winner in 2019.
Southland’s Kristie Simpson made it back-to-back umpire of the year awards, having become New Zealand’s most capped national league umpire when controlling her 120th match.
After suffering a serious knee injury and missing the previous season, Southern Steel shooter Georgia Heffernan bounced back to win the 2022 Aspiring Silver Fern award.
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Dame Noeline Taurua said she has a solid foundation to work off following her side’s bronze medal in Birmingham but she needs more from them for next year’s defence.
A Silver Ferns Development Squad member, Heffernan quickly found her feet when returning to the Steel this season. She was also a strong presence for the FAST5 Ferns bronze medal-winning team.
Mirroring the Pulse’s success, sister team Central Manawa also featured prominently on the highlights reel with livewire midcourter Ainsleyana Puleiata and Anna Andrews-Tasola recognised as the 2022 National Netball League (NNL) player and coach of the year, respectively.
Balancing her busy schedule as a police sergeant and whistling netball matches, Blenheim’s Michelle Stagg took out the 2022 NNL umpire of the year.
Promising young Waikato defender Kaiya Kepa was awarded secondary schools player of the year after a stellar 2022 out of Hamilton Girls’ High School.
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