Last week they gave us their picks for the 2021 Rising Star and the Team of the Year, but now it's time for our Super Netball experts to pick the big one - The 2021 Player of the Year.
So, before Wednesday night's 2021 Australian Netball Awards, check out who Cath Cox, Erin Delahunty, Tommy Casha, Jenny Sinclair, Joshua Wells and Brittany Carter think is taking home Super Netball's biggest award.
Cath Cox, Diamond #119 @CathCoxy
Pick: Jhaniele Fowler and Maddie Hay
“I think it’s impossible to ignore the likes of Fowler because she can win a game single handedly, and she did that so much this season. I was also particularly impressed with Maddie Hay and Jamie-Lee Price, although I think I’d have to single out Hay. She really is the silent assassin.
You may not look at her as an overly flashy player, or a player that’s single handedly going to turn a game, but she does her job – and she does it consistently. If you were to look at a game without stats, I think she’s not someone you would give many points to as player of the match, however if you look at her stats every game, she accumulates from left, right and centre. Any team would kill to have seven Maddie Hay’s in their line-up.”
Erin Delahunty, Freelance Journalist @della79
Pick: Jhaniele Fowler
“Dominant, unstoppable, superstar. The netball media is running out of superlatives to describe Caribbean colossus Jhaniele Fowler, who was unquestionably the best player of season 2021.
Fowler shot 883 goals, almost 300 more than her closest rival, and rarely missed, finishing with a staggering 96% accuracy record. The Jamaican captain, who won her third-consecutive Fever MVP at season’s end, also led the league’s offensive rebound count, and showed she can shoot from distance too, sinking eight ‘super’ shots from 14 attempts.”
Tommy Casha, Podcast Host: Behind the Bib @tommycasha
Pick: Sam Wallace
“The perfect combination of versatility, consistency and just enough swagger. Her performance in the Grand Final was the perfect end to a fantastic season.”
Jenny Sinclair, Managing Editor: Netball Scoop @summerhill1003
Pick: Jhaniele Fowler
“Consistently performing to an exceptional standard, Fowler is skilful, powerful and athletic. She once again topped the shooting statistics for both accuracy (96.3%) and volume, an impressive feat when she's regularly double teamed and put under enormous physical pressure.
(If I had to vote for Most Valuable Player, it would go to Jo Harten however, whose leadership held together an inexperienced attacking end for the GIANT).”
Joshua Wells, Editor: The Netball Post @joshuawells93
Pick: Kim Ravaillion
“What. A. Year. Kim Ravaillion is arguably one of the most consistent players in the entire league and tried her guts out match after match. In almost every way her presence was felt on court and her ability to not only feed the circle extremely well but to turn and defend the whole way down court was immense. And look out season 2022 – Rav has a point to prove.”
Brittany Carter, Journalist: ABC Sport @_BrittanyCarter
Pick: Paige Hadley
“Paige is such a fighter. She’s fit, unbelievably determined and extremely versatile. You can slot her into any position across the midcourt and know she’s going to do a solid job. Her impact on court is immense. Paige’s high standard of execution means she leads by example… you’ll very rarely see her make an error! I simply can’t go past her grit this year. Hands down, one of the gutsiest players and best leaders to ever grace the court.”
