Gretel Tippett has been named the 2019 Liz Ellis Diamond winner in front of Australian netball royalty at the annual Australian Netball Awards in Sydney this evening.
Tippett was awarded the Liz Ellis Diamond, netball’s highest honour, for her stellar domestic and international seasons with the Queensland Firebirds and Samsung Australian Diamonds respectively.
During 2019, Tippett stamped herself as the nation’s best goal attack, scoring 267 goals for the Diamonds at 95 per cent. She also claimed the Queensland Firebirds’ Laura Geitz Medal as their best and fairest player with 394 goals at 96 per cent accuracy, 130 goal assists and 325 centre pass receives.
In recognition of her incredible year with the Samsung Australian Diamonds, Tippett was also crowned International Player of the Year and rounded out a remarkable evening by being named goal attack in the Suncorp Super Netball Team of the Year (see full team below).
The Suncorp Super Netball Team of the Year was voted on by players, coaches and high performance staff and is made up of the highest vote-getter for every position across the court.
- Goal shooter – Jhaniele Fowler (West Coast Fever)
- Goal attack – Gretel Tippett (Queensland Firebirds)
- Wing attack – Liz Watson (Melbourne Vixens)
- Centre – Kate Moloney (Melbourne Vixens)
- Wing defence – Renae Ingles (Melbourne Vixens)
- Goal defence – Karla Pretorius (Sunshine Coast Lightning)
- Goal keeper – Emily Mannix (Melbourne Vixens)
- Attack reserve – Sam Wallace (NSW Swifts)
- Centre reserve – Ash Brazill (Collingwood Magpies)
- Defence reserve – Shamera Sterling (Adelaide Thunderbirds)
West Coast Fever’s Jhaniele Fowler led this overall vote count and was subsequently named the Suncorp Super Netball Player of the Year for the second year running after again finishing as the league’s top goal scorer with 709 goals at 94 per cent accuracy.
Premiership coach Briony Akle was named the Joyce Brown Coach of the Year for her efforts in leading the NSW Swifts to their first Suncorp Super Netball finals series and first league title since 2008.
GIANTS Netball up-and-comer Amy Parmenter was rewarded for her break-out season in wing defence, winning the Suncorp Super Netball Rebel Rising Star Award.
Sharelle McMahon and Elsma Merillo were inducted into the Netball Australia Hall of Fame in recognition of their significant contribution to Australian netball, and Margaret Pewtress OAM and Anne Sargeant OAM were bestowed Netball Australia’s highest honour, both becoming Legends in the Hall of Fame for all that they have done for Australian netball.
In recognition of her outstanding service to netball umpiring at a national level over many years, Stacey Campton was awarded this years’ Service Award and Michelle Phippard was named the Lorna McConchie Umpire of the Year in a year which saw her umpire at Suncorp Super Netball level and at the Netball World Cup in Liverpool.
To round out the evening’s awards, Emma Ryde was acknowledged as the Deakin University Australian Netball League Player of the Year for her a stand-out year with the Victorian Fury.
