Melbourne Vixens Co-Captain, Kate Moloney, has capped off a dream Premiership-winning season, by taking out the club’s highest individual honour, the Sharelle McMahon Medal.
After finishing as the Runner Up in the Vixens’ Most Valuable Player Award vote count in both 2018 and 2019, Moloney lead from the front and held her position in the 2020 vote count, winning with a total of 50 votes.
Despite coming so close in previous years, Moloney admitted she was surprised to win the prestigious award, after the great depth the Vixens had exhibited across the squad all season.
“To be honest, yesterday was just a dream come true," Moloney said in her acceptance speech.
“What’s been so great about this team this year - and what’s made us so successful - is the depth we’ve had across this whole group and that’s what’s made us so successful.
"It’s a credit to every single one of these girls as we didn’t know if we were going to play, we didn’t know if we were going to have a competition, but we kept training over zoom and doing those running sessions by ourselves. You know, we play a team sport because we love training and playing together [so]...that moment when we got to the airport was one of the most special ones for me this year, as it meant that we were going to be able to play.
"To the amazing group of girls who are standing in front of me, I love each and every single one of you. I’m going to miss your bedrooms being just across the hall from mine, and I’m going to miss every single one of you...it's going to be weird going back to Melbourne!"
"[But] to my family and friends back home, I miss you and I can't wait to see you and celebrate this premiership with you all."
Moloney was named Nissan Player of the Match a team-high four times throughout the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball regular season; in Rounds 1, 3, 6 and 12. As well as receiving the most votes from the Vixens’ coaching panel for her on-court performances throughout the regular season, Moloney was also the only Vixens player to score 100+ Nissan Net Points in more than one game.
Moloney beat out dual runner-ups Jo Weston and Kate Eddy, who both polled 40 votes for the season. The result, alongside Emily Mannix's 16 votes, served to highlight the brilliant year the Vixens defensive end had, finishing the season as the number one rated defence in the league.
Sharelle McMahon Medal Leaderboard:
- Kate Moloney – 50 votes
- Jo Weston & Kate Eddy – 40
- Caitlin Thwaites – 32
- Liz Watson – 31
- Mwai Kumwenda - 23
- Emily Mannix – 16
- Tegan Philip – 15
- Kadie-Ann Dehaney – 4
- Allie Smith - 1
The other awards handed out during the night included Allie Smith being named the Rookie of the Year, Head Coach Simone McKinnis winning the Outstanding Service Award, retiring club legend Caitlin Thwaites taking home the Coaches' Award and Jo Weston winning both the Excellence in Sport and Life Award and the Player of the Finals.
