Cover image: Clinton Bradbury/Bradbury Photography
It’s time for us once again at Netball Scoop to present the results of our annual World’s Best Netballer poll. 10 people (a mix of Netball Scoop’s writers and some guest pundits) nominate their top five players of the past year on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis. Then, the votes are tallied up. We had a couple of new judges to help us this year; Karen Greig and Kelly Walker.
This year’s voting panel:
Brittany Carter (ABC & Netty Life Podcast)
Georgia Doyle (Netball Scoop)
Tamsin Greenway (London Mavericks & Sky Sports UK)
Karen Greig (Manchester Thunder)
Ian Harkin (Netball Scoop)
Jaimie Keay (Netball Scoop)
Katrina Nissen (Netball Scoop)
Jenny Sinclair (Netball Scoop)
Bridget Tunnicliffe (RNZ journalist)
Kelly Walker (Replayed podcast)
While there wasn’t a pinnacle event such as a World Cup or Commonwealth Games in 2024, there was still quite a lot of international action. When combined with all of the major club netball across the globe, there were many fine performances to choose from. In all, 14 players received votes from our judges, and it must be said that there are some very notable athletes this year who didn’t get a single vote. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they had poor years. It just means that our judges felt there were other players who performed slightly better. It was not an easy task for our voting panel.
Read on to see our top five players for 2024…
5TH – FUNMI FADOJU
The status of London Pulse and England Roses defender Funmi Fadoju continues to grow. In 2024, she demonstrated once again why she is one of the most dynamic defenders in world netball.
Her numbers for Pulse in the Super League last year were just extraordinary. She finished with 101 possession gains and 50 intercepts. Both these figures were 20 more than the next best. But it’s the total of 183 deflections that is truly mindboggling. That is 88 more than the legendary Geva Mentor achieved in second spot.
That high deflection tally is a good pointer to Fadoju’s greatest strength. She has the ability to get a hand to balls that most other players simply can’t. For attacking players, throwing passes with any sort of elevation in the goal third is just asking for trouble as long as Fadoju is waiting to pounce. Many people are stunned when they see she is listed at just 176cm tall, because her incredible athleticism and elevation means that she plays far taller than that.
She has spent time in all three defensive positions, but goal defence clearly appears to be her best. In recent internationals, she has developed a strong combination with Roses captain Fran Williams who has moved to goal keeper to allow Fadoju to play where she is best suited. And it was in goal defence where Fadoju created havoc against the Australians in test two of their series. She finished with eight gains (out of a team total of 10) and eight deflections, and helped the Roses to a great win.
On to New Zealand and Fadoju was instrumental in the Roses’ first test victory there which sent them on their way to winning the Taini Jamison Trophy. She then continued her strong form in the Horizon Series against Jamaica, taking out Player of the Match honours when England won the second test. Still only 22, there is still a lot more to look forward to from Funmi Fadoju.
Funmi Fadoju starred in Game 2 against Australia. Image: May Bailey | Clusterpix Photography
4TH – KIERA AUSTIN
We will call it the Kiera Austin effect. Whenever Kiera Austin plays well, her team almost invariably ends up winners. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration, but in 2024, it certainly seemed that way.
Very much a confidence player, when she’s at her best, the opposition has little answer. Whenever the Melbourne Vixens and the Australian Diamonds were successful last year, there was a high chance Austin was one of the best on court. The goal attack moves effortlessly around the court, helping to create scoring opportunities or converting them herself. But added to her attacking prowess is her ability to win ball in defence. She is a menace in the centre third and regularly finishes games with as many gains as some of the top circle defenders.
Austin had a strong Super Netball season, combining for the first time at the Vixens with fellow Diamonds shooter Sophie Garbin. One occasion when she unfortunately didn’t end up on the winning team was the Super Netball grand final, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. She did everything she could to lift her team over the line, including shooting seven from seven in the super shot zone.
In the most recent international matches, again, the Diamonds seemingly rose and fell on the back of Austin’s performances. She was deservedly given the Player of the Series award against England after standout games in tests one and three which Australia won. She then had a disappointing start to the Constellation Cup, so much so that she was left out of the team for game three. When returning in game four, she showed exactly what she was capable of, again being the best on court in a Diamonds win. That’s the Kiera Austin effect.
“Kiera Austin was an absolute standout this year, which was underlined by her long list of Player of the Match awards. Whether she was featuring for the Aussie Diamonds or Melbourne Vixens, the goal attack’s silky smooth moves were a pleasure to watch. Austin was pivotal to both of those teams, as it was often boom or bust based on her performance. Austin’s work rate and the effortless way she glides around the court — entering the circle and creating space for her shooting partner — is a class above. The goal attack often shares the shooting load 50/50 and her accuracy long-range is a huge plus in a league that features a super shot.” – Brittany Carter
Kiera Austin cuts into the shooting circle for the Vixens. Image Aliesha Vicars
3RD – GRACE NWEKE
There is no greater indication of Grace Nweke’s worth to a team, than to see how they perform when she’s not there, and in recent years, both the Silver Ferns and the Northern Mystics have found it very hard going without her.
And so it was again in 2024, when the Mystics were in real danger of missing the playoffs in her absence. Luckily for them, the goal shooter returned early enough to propel them to another title. Nweke scored 60 goals in the Elimination Final victory against Tactix, and then scored the winning goal in the last second of an exhilarating Grand Final to deny Pulse.
Internationally, Nweke scored 140 goals in the Taini Jamison Trophy against New Zealand, but the real highlight came in the Constellation Cup, when for the first three tests, the Australian defence was simply powerless to stop her. Her positioning, her timing, her ability to take almost any ball, and then to convert, was just too much for the Diamonds, and the Silver Ferns wrapped up the series in emphatic fashion in Perth.
In 2025, Nweke starts a new challenge, having signed on to play for the NSW Swifts in Super Netball. Teaming up with Helen Housby in the circle, it would be no surprise at all to see her lift the Swifts back into title contention. Crossing the Tasman was a big call for her to make as New Zealand’s strict eligibility rules mean that she won’t be able to represent the Silver Ferns this year. It’s certainly anticipated Nweke will return home in 2026 to be eligible for her country, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Whatever the case, there’s no doubt Nweke will continue to terrorise defenders from all over the world for many years to come. Like Fadoju, she is still only 22! That’s a scary prospect for opponents everywhere.
Grace Nweke was in control throughout test 3 in Perth. Image: Clinton Bradbury/Bradbury Photography
EQUAL 1ST – SHAMERA STERLING-HUMPHREY
Equal 1st? Yes, that’s right. We have equal winners this year! The first of those is the ever reliable and ever brilliant Jamaican goal keeper Shamera Sterling-Humphrey.
We’re really running out of superlatives for the champion defender. She has set very lofty standards to live up to each year, but somehow, still manages to do it. Once again, she was a major force behind the Adelaide Thunderbirds as they claimed back-to-back titles. That elevation, that anticipation, that game awareness, all of that experience was on show as she topped every single major defensive category for the season. She had the most possession gains, the most intercepts, the most deflections, and the most defensive rebounds. Just extraordinary.
Meanwhile, on the international scene, Sterling-Humphrey took over the captaincy in the recent Horizon Series against the Roses and led from the front (or should that be the back) as she claimed the Player of the Series award. She was instrumental in Jamaica’s wins in each of the final two tests in Kingston as the Sunshine Girls came from behind to take the series 2-1.
Sterling-Humphrey’s influence shows no signs of waning any time soon. In 2025, she returns to the Thunderbirds and who’s to say she won’t help them to a third straight title? She is also no doubt looking forward to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year.
“Shamera never disappoints. Her ability to win ball cleanly and effortlessly is almost superhuman Her closing speed and range to get around the body is unmatched. She also gets her team in the game whenever they need it shifting momentum with a grit and determination that is incredible to witness.” – Tamsin Greenway
“It feels hard to believe that every year Shamera is playing netball, she somehow gets better! Her performance in SSN was again a huge contributor to Adelaide winning a second consecutive title. She then was an integral part of the Sunshine Girls winning their series against England. Box office player!” – Jaimie Keay
“My pick is Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, the incredible goal keeper for the Thunderbirds and Sunshine Girls. She is THE formidable defensive queen that no-one has a long-term answer for.” – Katrina Nissen
“The Jamaican international has been a key cog in the Adelaide Thunderbirds back-to-back titles and her consistency is reflected in the numbers. In her six seasons in Super Netball, she has made the Team of the Year every season and in 2024 she became the first player in SSN history to exceed 300 intercepts. She is one of Jamaica’s most important players and has recently taken on captaincy duties. Sterling-Humphrey is the world’s premier goal keep and has raised the bar about what fans expect. Her gravity-defying tips and intercepts sell tickets and regularly feature on highlights reels.” – Bridget Tunnicliffe
Shamera Sterling-Humphrey was again a problem for all shooters. Image Hannah Howard/On the Ball Media.
EQUAL 1ST – LATANYA WILSON
Jamaican domination! After a tremendous year, Latanya Wilson has polled exactly the same number of votes as her countrywoman and fellow Thunderbird defender and shares top spot.
Statistically speaking, wing defence has long been seen as the most difficult position on court to stand out. But Wilson has turned all that on its head. In previous years, she has excelled at taking some of the sport’s strongest attackers out of the game through her tight marking defence. And that was tremendous in itself. But in 2024, she took her defensive role even one step further, not only negating her opponents, but using her amazing talents to rack up the stats herself.
In the Super Netball competition, she came up with 42 intercepts and 82 deflections, figures totally unheard of for someone who spends the majority of their time outside the circle. She also demonstrated her versatility in 2024, as she spent time in all three defensive positions and was supreme in all of them. In round 11 against the Mavericks, Sterling-Humphrey had to leave the court early in the second quarter. Wilson promptly moved from wing defence to goal keeper to cover for her and proceeded to star for the rest of the quarter.
The scary prospect for attacking players everywhere is that Wilson has only recently turned 24, so there’s the potential for her to improve, as hard as that is to imagine. She could be creating havoc for opponents for a decade or more.
“Latanya continues to be a freak of nature, in the best possible way. In 2024 she highlighted her diversity, spending time in all three defensive positions and dominating every single time. She causes headaches for the world’s best wing attacks and goal attacks, as she is not only able to shut them out of a game but also win back ball in the most spectacular ways when her team needs it most. Her combination with Sterling-Humphrey both for the Thunderbirds and Jamaica may just be the best defensive combination we’ve seen for a long time.” – Georgia Doyle
“Latanya Wilson is seamless across two positions, she has cleaned up her penalty count and she has the ability to eliminate world class players out of the game. She is really thriving beyond her years.” – Karen Greig
“Wing defence is perhaps the hardest position on court to look good at and generate stats, but Latanya Wilson accomplished it with ease. Her ability to shut down opponents, force turnovers, and take extraordinary intercepts around the circle edge made her an opposition nightmare. In recent seasons Wilson has added discipline to her game, keeping her penalty count low and following the team game plan. She’s also versatile, playing all three defensive positions exceptionally well – all of which makes her my 2024 standout.” – Jenny Sinclair
“Latanya has gone about her business in the quiet demeanour I love to see in players. Her partnership with Shamera Sterling-Humphrey is what every attacking player fears and every netball fan loves. Latanya has been immense for club and country and I have loved watching her ability to find the smallest gap around a player to gain a deflection or an intercept. Just mesmerising!” – Kelly Walker
Latanya Wilson once again showcasing her skills. Image – Hannah Howard/On the Ball Media
FINAL VOTE TALLY
39 . SHAMERA STERLING-HUMPHREY (Jam)
39 . LATANYA WILSON (Jam)
20 . Grace Nweke (NZ)
13 . Kiera Austin (Aus)
10 . Funmi Fadoju (Eng)
7 . Ameliaranne Ekenasio (NZ)
5 . Sophie Garbin (Aus)
4 . Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard (Jam)
4 . Kelly Jackson (NZ)
4 . Jamie-Lee Price (Aus)
2 . Karin Burger (NZ)
1 . Maddy Gordon (NZ)
1 . Lois Pearson (Eng)
1 . Liv Tchine (Eng)
The Jamaica and Thunderbirds teammates couldn’t be separated in our poll. Image Hannah Howard/On the Ball Media
BREAKOUT PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Something new. We wanted to highlight the athletes who made great strides in netball this past year. So this category is for players who really burst on the scene and announced themselves, or for those who have maybe been around for a while but grasped an opportunity and took a big leap forward in 2024.
The following players each got a mention; Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Rudi Ellis, Ash Ervin, and Georgie Horjus. Coincidentally, the first three all took the chance that was given to them and flourished in the goal keeper position thanks to another player’s absence. Horjus on the other hand, has been a part of the Thunderbirds attack end for a while now, but in 2024, she took her game to a whole other level, dominating in two positions. All four of these players certainly had breakout years.
But two players stood out in this category for us in 2024. Both of them appear to have big futures ahead of them. These are our Breakout Players of the Year for 2024…
OLIVIA TCHINE
Liv Tchine has been a consistently strong performer for London Pulse for several seasons, and she has been in and around the England Roses set up for a while. But 2024 seemed to be the year where she really took that next step.
With Eleanor Cardwell unfortunately hampered by injury, some people were concerned with how the England attack end would fare in the recent international matches down under. They needn’t have worried. Tchine showed incredible composure and wasn’t troubled in the slightest. Coming on at half time in the first test against Australia, she proceeded to shoot 20/20 and showed a glimpse of what was to come. She went on to shoot 91/94 in two and a half tests against the Diamonds.
It was in the Taini Jamison Trophy that she really excelled. 116 goals across the three tests, but even more impressively than that, she finished the series with just three general play turnovers. That is an incredible statistic for a goal shooter. Her positioning in the circle is so effective, that when the feeds are on point, defenders are face an enormous task to stop her. And if she is not able to get close to the post, she is perfectly happy and successful shooting from range, something that really sets her apart.
Jaimie Keay said “An impressive series against the World Champion Diamonds before the Silver Ferns and then Jamaica all in one year. She has shown that not much phases her on the court and has all the potential to be a mainstay in the Roses dress for years to come.”
Liv Tchine on full stretch. Photo by May Bailey | Clusterpix Photo via Netball Scoop
LOIS PEARSON
One of the players feeding Liv Tchine for the Roses in their recent matches was Lois Pearson. There had been lots of talk in England about Pearson thanks to her dynamic play in recent seasons for Manchester Thunder. Those who hadn’t been fortunate enough to see her play, soon found out what all the talk was about when she made her debut against Australia.
It was as if she was a 50-test regular, not someone playing in their first series. In the second test, she racked up 26 assists and 39 feeds and helped the Roses to victory. On to New Zealand, and an extraordinary performance in test two with another 24 assists and 47 feeds as the Roses took the match and with it the Taini Jamison Trophy.
Showing her versatility, most of her work was done at wing attack in those first two series, but then she played a bigger role at goal attack in the recent Horizon Series. Pearson has now played Australia, New Zealand, and Jamaica, to begin her international career. You couldn’t get a tougher start than that, but she has taken it all in her stride.
Kelly Walker said “Lois Pearson still has so much to give and show. After another great year in NSL with Manchester Thunder, to take the court against the Australian Diamonds in their own backyard and perform the way she did, not only in her debut game but throughout the whole international season, I don’t know anyone who has made a bigger impact for their national team and on fans this year.”
Karen Greig has seen Pearson’s ability at close hand and had no doubt she would make an impact. “Stats across the NSL season were untouchable in all areas of her game, consistency in shooting volume and accuracy and ability to play both rotational and with a holding shooter shows her depth of game understanding causing defence ends major headaches. She burst onto the international scene seamlessly and played some of the worlds best defence off the court! Is thriving and showing class above her number of caps. Watch this space!”
Lois Pearson had a terrific international season for the Roses. Image – May Bailey | Clusterpix Photo
MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Men’s netball continues to grow in popularity and public awareness. It is still not nearly as accessible as the women’s game is, which can make it a bit difficult to judge, but we believe we’ve found a very deserved winner.
The following players were certainly worthy of consideration: Brodie Roberts and Liam Killey from Australia, Timothy Apisai and Mikaira Raerino from New Zealand, Vukile Zulu from South Africa, and Jamal Nicolson from England. Kelly Walker also gave a mention to two more England players to watch, Taiwo Aliu and Aidan McHenry.
Aussie midcourter Liam Forcadilla had another great year and came very close. Jenny Sinclair said “His speed and ball handling skills made his presence – and absence – noticeable. He provided enormous drive through the middle, was influential in attack and defence, and fed the circle immaculately.”
But just edging ahead of Forcadilla is our 2024 Men’s Player of the Year…
ALISTAIR PUNSHON
Australian Kelpies defender Alistair Punshon had an outstanding international season. His consistent ability to win ball had all opposition attackers spooked. As an example, in the first two tests against New Zealand, he chalked up 12 possession gains in 75 minutes of court time, and then in the Fast5 tournament, he outdid that with 17 gains in 72 minutes. He was a defensive machine this year.
Georgia Doyle said “Alistair was on a new level in 2024. Without the tall and solid target that is Junior Levi to contend with under the post, Punshon was able to show more versatility in his game with the freedom to roam outside the circle. His vertical jump and anticipation sparks fear into shooters and midcourters alike. While he shared court time during the Trans Tasman Cup, he was the only player across the whole Fast5 Tournament to play every single minute and was integral in the Aussie Men winning the Fast5 trophy for the first time.”
Jaimie Keay said Punshon was “An absolute weapon on defence and highly consistent.” Katrina Nissen added that “He played more minutes than any other Kelpie this year and his output never dropped. He was a defensive menace and set the standard exceptionally high.”
Al Punshon had a massive year for the Kelpies. Image – May Bailey/Clusterpix Photography
