Netball Super League | VNSL Awards 2022: Layla Guscoth wins Vitality Player of the Season

Layla Guscoth wins Vitality Player of the Season at the VNSL Awards.

The Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) Awards is an annual event used to commemorate the league’s best performers who are honoured at every Grand Final.

There are seven individual awards bestowed upon the winners – as well as the Vitality Netball Superleague All Star VII – with the Vitality Player of the Season regarded as the top prize.

Find out your Vitality Netball Superleague Awards 2022 winners:

Gilbert Golden Shot:

Awarded to the player with the most goals in the regular season.

Winner: Proscovia Peace (Surrey Storm).

Proscovia Peace has won the Gilbert Golden Shot for a third time having been top of the Gilbert Top Scorer leaderboard right from the first round of the 2022 campaign.

The Ugandan – who made her VNSL return this season with Surrey Storm – ended the year with a mammoth 853 goals in just 20 games with a shot accuracy of more than 94 per cent. She finished comfortably clear of second-place Joyce Mvula of Manchester Thunder with a difference of 79.

Peace’s goals helped Storm improve their final league position dramatically this term as they went from seventh to tenth, with the former Loughborough Lightning’s goals a huge part of that.

The 2021 winner of this award was Mary Cholhok of Loughborough Lightning.

Runners-Up: Joyce Mvula (Manchester Thunder), Liv Tchine (London Pulse), Eleanor Cardwell (Manchester Thunder).

Umpire of the Season:

Determined by the VNSL Umpire Appointment Panel.

Winner: Gary Burgess.

Umpire Gary Burgess has won the Umpire of the Season yet again having also claimed the award in 2019. Chosen by the VNSL Appointment Panel, Burgess has had another exceptional season in white. The respected official will once again oversee the Grand Final after another consistent season on court.

The 2021 winner of this award was Louise Travis.

Players’ Player of the Season:

Voted for by all Vitality Netball Superleague players.

Winner: Eleanor Cardwell (Manchester Thunder).

Goal attack Eleanor Cardwell entered the form of her blossoming career in 2022 as she helped guide Manchester Thunder to their fourth Superleague title.

The Vitality Rose was the only goal attack on the Gilbert Top Scorer leaderboard with a massive 641 goals; only three players scored more. This is a 241 goal increase from her efforts in 2021 which truly showcases her progression in the shooting circle.

Cardwell fittingly netted her club’s final goal of the campaign against Loughborough Lightning in the Grand Final which resulted in a fourth VNSL title for the ex-Severn Stars player.

The 2021 winner of this award was Towera Vinkhumbo of Strathclyde Sirens.

Runners-Up: Brie Grierson (Leeds Rhinos), Layla Guscoth (Team Bath), Laura Malcolm (Manchester Thunder).

Sky Sports Fans’ Player of the Season:

Voted for by Vitality Netball Superleague fans.

Winner: Eleanor Cardwell (Manchester Thunder).

It was double delight for Eleanor Cardwell at the #VNSLAwards this year as she took home Players’ Player of the Season and Sky Sports Fans’ Player of the Season.

A runner-up for this award last season, Cardwell was comfortably the winner after fans voted for the Manchester Thunder star on Sky Sports’ social media.

The Vitality Rose was typically clinical last term but also entertains the crowd with her passion, long bombs and expert control.

The 2021 winner of this award was Donnell Wallam of Leeds Rhinos.

Young Player of the Season:

This is awarded to a player, under the age of 21 years old prior to the start of the season, who clubs believed had been the best performing throughout the season.

Winner: Funmi Fadoju (London Pulse).

Funmi Fadoju has been a revelation ever since her Vitality Netball Superleague debut in 2020 and the young defender has continued to impress in a London Pulse dress this season.

The teenager has consistently proven to be one of the most promising young players on the planet which has resulted in back-to-back Young Player of the Season awards.

Voted by the clubs themselves, Fadoju was one of Pulse’s star performers as they achieved their best-ever league finish of third and qualified for the semi-finals.

Fadoju finished top for deflections (123), third for turnovers (105) and third for intercepts (50) this season despite missing periods of the campaign through injury.

Runners-Up: Alice Harvey (Loughborough Lightning), Emma Thacker (Loughborough Lightning), Aliyah Zaranyika (Saracens Mavericks).

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.

Winners: GK: Phumza Maweni (Team Bath), GD: Layla Guscoth (Team Bath), WD: Beth Cobden (Loughborough Lightning), C: Laura Malcolm (Manchester Thunder), WA: Nat Metcalf (Manchester Thunder), GA: Eleanor Cardwell (Manchester Thunder), GS: Proscovia Peace (Surrey Storm).

Coach of the Season:

Voted for by all teams’ coaches within the VNSL.

Winner: Karen Greig (Manchester Thunder).

Manchester Thunder have defied all expectations this season. The Manchester outfit went the whole regular season unbeaten – the first team to do so since Thunder themselves did so in 2015 – and followed that up by lifting their fourth VNSL title at the Grand Final.

The club made history this season and were comfortably the best side in the division as they looked the reclaim their crown after last winning the title in 2019. Thunder scored the most goals over 22 games and set multiple goalscoring records.

Karen Greig has been in the Head Coach post for a number of years now and is a huge reason why Thunder have enjoyed such an impressive campaign. Greig has been an inspirational figure from the sidelines this term and has made the key decisions which delivered her beloved club the trophy.

The tactician has been present as a player, coach or Head Coach for all of Thunder’s four title triumphs. A serial winner, Greig will be looking to defend her crown next season.

The 2021 winner of this award was Karen Atkinson of Strathclyde Sirens.

Runners-Up: Sam Bird (London Pulse), Victoria Burgess (Loughborough Lightning), Dannii Titmuss-Morris (Celtic Dragons).

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: Layla Guscoth (Team Bath).

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 Team Bath defender Layla Guscoth takes that accolade.

The Vitality Rose had already established herself as one of the world’s best defenders and only improved on her already lauded reputation this term, helping her Bath side to a third-place finish.

Guscoth finished top for intercepts (65), turnovers (108) and third for deflections (86) in what was a fine individual season for the 30-year-old.

The 2021 winner of this award was Beth Cobden of Loughborough Lightning.

Runners-Up: Funmi Fadoju (London Pulse), Layla Guscoth (Team Bath), Natalie Metcalf (Manchester Thunder).

Congratulations to all winners and runners-up on your achievements this season!

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