At a gala function at Hilton Brisbane, young Carina Leagues Club Tigers midcourter Jessica Laga’aia was named as the recipient of the 2023 Katie Walker Medallist as the Most Valuable Player in this year’s HART Sapphire competition.
The award, presented for a fourth straight year in association with partners Le Gassick Jewellers by Tigers icon Walker at Saturday’s ceremony, capped a stellar campaign for Laga’aia.
The 23-year-old was voted in the top three players in 10 of the Tigers’ 12 matches before also being part of the Firebirds Futures team at the Australian Netball Championships at Morayfield in August.
Fellow Firebirds Futures teammate Elsa Sif Sandholt won the Le Gassick Hidden Gem award for the HART Sapphire competition after her dominant campaign with the TAE Aerospace Jets.
Another Jet, Samantha Ryan, was named the Ruby Series MVP.
Queensland’s young talent was also recognised with the State 17U and 19U team awards announced after their participation in this year’s National Netball Championships in Darwin in April.
Gemma Hutchings and Losa Niumata were named the 17U and 19U MVPs respectively while Players Player awards went to Kirra Tappenden (17U) and Kaylin van Greunen (19U).
Sophia Dobson was presented with the Judy Sampson Memorial Trophy in recognition of her team spirit as part of the 19U team.
