West Coast Fever captain Courtney Bruce had extra reason to celebrate her 28th birthday after winning Australian netball’s highest award.
Courtney Bruce has won Australian netball’s top award, taking out the Liz Ellis Diamond on her 28th birthday, crowned player of the year in all arenas.
Bruce becomes the first winner since Gretel Bueta, in 2019, with the Diamond not awarded in 2020 due to the pandemic.
While the award covers the 2021 season only, Bruce, the West Coast Fever captain and goalkeeper, has been outstanding over the past two years as she spearheaded the Fever’s hunt for a maiden Super Netball title, with her efforts recognised by her peers, club coaches and high-performance mentors who hold voting rights.
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Bruce finished the Super Netball season with a league-high 97 deflections and 97 gains and was equal-leader for defensive rebounds and second for intercepts.
“There is no better birthday present that winning the Liz Ellis Diamond,” Bruce said of her birthday bling. “I have admired Liz Ellis for such a long time and it is an honour to win this award.
“It is a privilege to represent my country and my state and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout my netball career.”
Fellow West Coast Fever bookend Jhaniele Fowler cemented her reputation as the world’s best goal shooter, named the Super Netball player of the year for the fourth successive season.
In Bruce and Fowler, the Fever had the two dominant players in the competition and while the pair was able to lead the team to the most wins in the regular season, a maiden title still escapes the side.
Diamonds captain Liz Watson was named international player of the year for her efforts in Australia’s 3-1 Constellation Cup loss to New Zealand in March.
Despite having series against the Silver Ferns and England’s Roses planned, the Diamonds managed just four Tests in 2021, with border regulations and Covid outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand ruining their plans.
The best wing attack in the world, Watson was outstanding for the Diamonds on the back of her stellar 2020 Super Netball premiership campaign with the Melbourne Vixens.
But she was ruled out of the entire 2021 season with a foot injury, ruining her chances of winning a second Liz Ellis Diamond.
Teen ace Sophie Dwyer was named the competition’s rising star after her rise from bench player to Australian representative in a single season.
The young shooter showed near-nerveless poise to help the Giants to the grand final and forced her way into the Diamonds team for January’s quad series on the back of a stellar campaign.
Briony Akle was named the Joyce Brown coach of the year after leading the NSW Swifts to a second Super Netball title in the past three years.