The Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) Awards is an annual event used to commemorate the league’s best performers from the previous season who are honoured at every Grand Final.
With every game being shown on Sky Sports for the very first time, those who decide on the award recipients are in for a much more difficult task to whittle it down to just one winner.
And there were a number of Vitality Roses and Roses Futures who were recognised for their exceptional performances this season.
Find out your Vitality Netball Superleague Awards 2021 winners:
Introducing your @Vitality_UK Player of the Season: @BethCobs1 🏆
On her #VNSL return, Cobden claims the top individual prize of the 2021 season 🤩
She's been nothing short of sensational in @LboroLightning's journey to finish top 🔝#VNSLAwards 🏅 pic.twitter.com/oKvB2KshCi
— Vitality Netball Superleague (@NetballSL) June 23, 2021
Vitality Player of the Season:
Awarded to the best player of the 2021 season as determined by title partner, Vitality, based on a shortlist provided by senior performance staff.
Winner: Beth Cobden (Loughborough Lightning).
The biggest individual award you can win as a VNSL player, being voted Vitality Player of the Season is a huge honour for any netballer. This year, Commonwealth Games gold medal winner and Loughborough Lightning defender Beth Cobden takes that accolade.
The Vitality Rose made her return to the Superleague this season after a spell in Australia and made an instant impact on her Lightning teammates, helping them to a first-place finish in the league and a spot at Finals Weekend.
Cobden, a VNSL champion with Manchester Thunder, finished the regular season fifth in the league for deflections (56). She also gained 44 turnovers and 24 intercepts for her side. She was also seen foraying into attacking positions and providing assists for the likes of Mary Cholhok.
She follows on from England teammate Rachel Dunn who won the 2019 award, and beats out another Vitality Rose in Ellie Cardwell whose tremendous form for Manchester Thunder saw her finish among the runners-up for this honour.
Runners-Up: Ellie Cardwell (Manchester Thunder), Towera Vinkhumbo (Strathclyde Sirens), Joyce Mvula (Manchester Thunder).
Young Player of the Season:
Winner: Funmi Fadoju (London Pulse).
Roses Future Funmi Fadoju showed glimpses of her quality in front of audiences in 2020 and at Netball Europe 2019, but this year she has been able to show her stuff over the course of a full VNSL season.
The teenager has been voted the best U21 performer in the Superleague this term due to her displays at the heart of a London Pulse defence which only grew stronger as the season progressed.
Fadoju finished the league top for deflections (84), fourth for intercepts (38) and fifth for turnovers (62). Her 2019 counterpart was England teammate Sophie Drakeford-Lewis.
Runners-Up: Alice Harvey (Loughborough Lightning), Niamh McCall (Strathclyde Sirens), Emma Barrie (Strathclyde Sirens).
All Star VII 2021:
Teams have had to pick out who they think was the best player in each position but weren’t allowed to vote for their own players. The players in each position who received the most votes will make up the All Star VII.
Four Vitality Roses secured their place in the All Star VII after playing key roles in the success of their respective clubs. Layla Guscoth’s dynamic work at the back saw her picked at wing-defence, while her Team Bath Netball teammate Serena Guthrie slotted in at centre following another impressive year for the England centurion. She’s joined in the mid-court by the versatile Laura Malcolm who was integral to Manchester Thunder’s top-four push, alongside world-class goaler Ellie Cardwell who occupies the goal-attack position in the All Star VII. Roses Future Brie Grierson was also rewarded for her incredible displays in a fearless Leeds Rhinos team as she is picked at wing-attack.
Winners: GK: Towera Vinkhumbo (Strathclyde Sirens), GD: Layla Guscoth (Team Bath Netball), WD: Laura Malcolm (Manchester Thunder), C: Serena Guthrie (Team Bath Netball), WA: Brie Grierson (Leeds Rhinos Netball), GA: Ellie Cardwell (Manchester Thunder), GS: Kim Borger (Team Bath Netball).
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Players’ Player of the Season:
Winner: Towera Vinkhumbo (Strathclyde Sirens).
Towera Vinkhumbo made her VNSL debut in 2020 but truly stamped her mark in the competition with Strathclyde Sirens in 2021. The Malawi was a rock at the back for a Scottish side who exceeded all expectations this season.
Vinkhumbo led the league in terms of intercepts (60) and turnovers (93) in 2021. She also sat in fifth for deflections (56) at the end of the regular campaign. She takes over from Sam Cook who won this award in 2019.
Commonwealth Games 2018 champion Serena Guthrie was also in contention for the award after a typically stellar season but she has to settle for a runners-up spot.
Runners-Up: Kim Borger (Team Bath Netball), Donnell Wallam (Leeds Rhinos), Serena Guthrie (Team Bath Netball).
Sky Sports Fans’ Player of the Season:
Winner: Donnell Wallam (Leeds Rhinos).
Donnell Wallam’s debut Superleague season will always be one to remember. The Australian scored some of the league’s most memorable goals not just in 2021 but across the VNSL’s 16-year history.
Wallam’s skill on the ball, work off it and ability to do something special in front of – or sometimes behind – the post has made her a fan favourite. Therefore, it is no surprise that you voted her as your Sky Sports Fans’ Player of the Season for 2021.
There was just seven votes in it but Wallam claims the award and follows 2019’s winner in Manchester Thunder’s Joyce Mvula who finished fourth this time around.
Ellie Cardwell also thrilled fans with her performances in the 2021 campaign as the Vitality Rose finished among the runners-up.
Runners-Up: Ellie Cardwell (Manchester Thunder), Towera Vinkhumbo (Strathclyde Sirens), Joyce Mvula (Manchester Thunder).
Gilbert Golden Shot:
Awarded to the player with the most goals in the regular season.
Winner: Mary Cholhok (Loughborough Lightning).
Mary Cholhok has won the Gilbert Golden Shot after being consistently top of the Gilbert Top Scorer leaderboard throughout the 2021 campaign. At the end of the regular season, the Ugandan finished on 772 goals with a shot success rate of 88 per cent.
This was the goal shooter’s best scoring season to date and she finished 122 clear of second-placed Joyce Mvula of Manchester Thunder. This is the second season in succession that Cholhok has won the award.
Runners-Up: Joyce Mvula (Manchester Thunder), Kim Borger (Team Bath Netball), Rachel Dunn (Wasps).
Umpire of the Season:
Determined by the VNSL Umpire Appointment Panel.
Winner: Louise Travis.
Umpire Louise Travis won the Umpire of the Season in 2018 and does so again in 2021. Travis has officiated in Vitality Netball Superleague Grand Finals in the past and has once again provided a consistent, clear season on court this season. The 2019 winner of this award was Gary Burgess.
Coach of the Season:
Voted for by all teams’ coaches within the VNSL.
Winner: Karen Atkinson (Strathclyde Sirens).
Strathclyde Sirens have defied expectations this season due to their hunt for a semi-final spot. They finished agonisingly close to Finals Weekend but achieved their greatest-ever Superleague points tally which will install belief into all Scottish fans moving forward.
Atkinson – who was not meant to be sat on the sidelines this term – helped construct a determined young squad who managed to only to disrupt the ‘top sides’ but become one.
She was voted Coach of the Season by her fellow tacticians and will follow in 2019 winner Sara Francis-Bayman’s footsteps.
Runners-Up: Anna Stembridge (Team Bath Netball), Karen Greig (Manchester Thunder), Dan Ryan (Leeds Rhinos Netball).
Congratulations to all winners and runners-up on your achievements this season!
Watch the thrilling conclusion to the 2021 season this weekend on Sky Sports’ YouTube channel!
Head to the Vitality Netball Superleague website for fixture details.
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