For the third time in five season, GIANTS captain Jo Harten has been named the club's Most Valuable Player for 2021 at their awards night on Monday.
The 32-year old Harten was key to the her team's minor-premiership winning run and finished the GIANTS’ 17-game season with 525 goals at 82% shooting accuracy, a league high 57 Super Shots and 582 total points scored.
Her contribution to the team’s performance isn’t defined by just her individual stats but also by the direction she provides as Fitzgerald’s on-court brain trust.
This is the third time Harten has taken out the top honour, after receiving the award back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
Coach Julie Fitzgerald congratulated her captain.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Jo and the way she’s lead out team this year,” said Fitzgerald.
“We’ve had countless challenges thrown at us this year and Jo has been magnificent in the way she’s handled it all both on and off court.
“While we would have loved last weekend to end differently, our team has come a long way in the last 12 months and I have no doubt the GIANTS have an exciting future.”
Harten's shooting partner, young gun Sophie Dwyer, was voted by the Members as the 2021 Members’ Player of the year. After taking over for the injured Kiera Austin in Round 1, Dwyer was immense, finishing the season in the top ten for goals scored (389), Super Shots scored (52) and total points scored (441).
April Brandley, who played a big role in what was the league's stingiest defence this season, was voted by her peers as this year Players’ Player for her contribution and commitment to both the on-court and off-court behaviours and values of the club.
GIANTS Academy and Training Partner Ang Frketic was awarded the Marj Groves AM Scholarship in recognition of her leadership and performance within the Academy environment.
