The Sunbury Lions’ dominant netball season was well recognised at the Ballarat Netball League best and fairest awards night.
The Lions, who had four teams in Saturday’s grand finals, had five players win individual awards, won coach of the year and had four players named in the team of the year.
Defender Ashleigh Hardy shared the top netball award, the Sally McLean Trophy, for the best player in A grade as voted by the umpires.
Hardy and Redan’s Ruby Parry shared the award on 19 votes. Another Lion, Tarryn Munro, finished equal third on 16.
Hardy, who is in her first year with the Lions, said she was honoured to share the award.
She started the year really well, polling 12 votes in the first five rounds, before polling just four votes for the next 12 rounds.
Three votes in the final round meant Hardy joined Parry at the top of the leaderboard.
Hardy, who is in her first year with the Lions, said she was honoured to share the award.
“I think to be with these girls and to think I could stand out from these girls is quite flattering.
“There was a number of [Sunbury] girls that probably could have won it and we took votes each other.”
Hardy said she didn’t think she’d done enough in the final round to join Parry at the top.
“We got off to a really good start to the season,” she said. “A lot of us have not played together for a while and I think it took a while to get going and once we got everything going, then the team settled.”
Hardy said she had loved her time at the Lions.
“It has been so good to have four teams in the finals – it just shows the depth we have,” she said.
Lions shooter Chloe Curran won the A-grade most valuable player award, voted on by the coaches. Hardy finished a vote further back
Hardy, Curran, Munro and Monique Clark were all named in the A-grade team of the year. Adam Boldiston, who coaches the Lions’ A and B-grade teams, was named coach of the year.
The Lions won both the B-grade awards.
Suzi Johnson was the runaway winner in the best-and-fairest award, finishing on 35 votes, 11 clear of the next best.
Her teammate, Amanda Cusack, won the MVP award.
Ashleigh Danckert won the D-grade best and fairest award, finishing seven votes clear. Lisa Romanski finished in third place and was equal runner-up in the MVP award.
