Silver Ferns defender Kelly Jackson (nee Jury) (Ngāti Kahungunu) has won Aotearoa’s top netball award for the second consecutive year.
Jackson was recognised as the best netballer across all competitions and campaigns at the 2023 New Zealand Netball Awards on Wednesday, receiving the Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award in her own right, after sharing the honour with shooter Grace Nweke last awards.
As the last line of defence for the Pulse, she topped the rebounds and deflection counts, while placing second in intercepts across all players in the 2023 ANZ Premiership, thriving as the team’s co-captain.
At 1.92m, Jackson is one of the tallest defenders in the country, a constant threat with her disruptive lean and rebounding ability, and has added another dimension with her ball hunting skills.
Jackson is a regular starter for the Silver Ferns and continues to grow her game and impact at international level.
She told Sky Sport that the Silver Ferns’ fourth-place finish at the World Cup in South Africa was heartbreaking but she is confident the team will grow stronger and better.
“It was devastating, hard to look back on but I know we can only get stronger from that experience. It was really heartening to finish the Constellation Cup off with two big wins against Australia so we know we’ve got it in us,” Jackson said.
“I look at the group of players we’ve got and man a few more years of experience and we could be walking away with some gold medals.”
Mystics coach Tia Winikerei (Ngāti Maniapoto) was named ANZ Premiership Coach of the Year, winning the Robyn Broughton Trophy.
The only new head coach in the 2023 competition, Winikerei won the premiership in her first season, defeating the Stars in the grand final.
2023 NZ Netball Awards
- Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award: Kelly Jackson (nee Jury)
- Silver Ferns Player of the Year: Kate Heffernan
- ANZ Premiership Player of the Year: Maddy Gordon
- Silver Ferns Fan Favourite: Karin Burger
- Aspiring Silver Fern: Carys Stythe
- Men’s Player of the Year: Thomson Matuku
- Moment of the Year: Waitākere win first ever U17 boys division
- ANZ Premiership Coach of the Year: Tia Winikerei
- Synergy Hair Netball League Player of the Year: Lisa Putt
- Te Tuaka Rau - Silver Ferns Players’ Award: Ameliaranne Ekenasio
- Te Rau Mataaho - ANZ Premiership Players’ Award: Peta Toeava