Steel shooter named NZ’s best

Southern Steel shooter Jhaniele Fowler-Reid has been named this season’s most valuable player for the New Zealand conference in the Trans-Tasman Netball League.

Separate MVP awards have been introduced this season to recognise the most outstanding player from both the New Zealand and Australian conferences.

It adds to an impressive haul since Fowler-Reid’s inaugural season. This includes the 2013 best new talent award and selection in the championship all star team for consecutive years. Fowler-Reid said she was excited to receive the MVP award.

‘‘I’m happy definitely – it’s an honour to be recognised as MVP over so many other talented players. My team-mates play a big role in this. I can’t do this without them and I wouldn’t be the player I am without them. The confidence that they have in me, just giving me some ridiculous ball and knowing I will haul it in, they push me to show my potential.’’

While the Steel have not chalked up as many wins as they were aiming to this season, Fowler-Reid was eagerly anticipat- ing Saturday’s New Zealand conference elimination final against the Magic in Hamilton.

‘‘I have got faith and confidence in us and I know we can do it.

‘‘We have given even some of the best teams in the league a challenge this season. I wouldn’t say we have been beaten, I would say we have lost games because it has been us who have not pushed through at the very finish of some games and we need to take responsibility for that,’’ she said.

‘‘It feels like a different competition we are in now. This is it – we have nothing to lose and we have to put it all out there, even if we have to be carried off the court.’’

It is a Jamaican double in terms of the awards, with Romelda Aiken of the Queensland Firebirds named the MVP of the Australian conference. It is the third time Aiken has won an MVP award and first since 2009.

She was joint winner inaugural season in 2008.

Aiken and Fowler-Reid have again been among the dominant goal shooters in the competition this season, both scoring more than 500 goals for the third consecutive year, along with West Coast Fever’s Caitlin Bassett.

Aiken said she was ‘‘genuinely

in

the shocked’’ when told of her success.

‘‘Everyone in the competition has improved so much this year and I think anyone could have won this award,’’ Aiken said.

‘‘I am very grateful for this honour and I want to show my appreciation to my team-mates.

‘‘The girls are always pushing me and they believe in me, and it’s an amazing feeling to know that others have appreciated what I do out on court.’’

Aiken and her Firebirds teammates await the winner of Friday night’s Australian conference elimination final between the NSW Swifts and West Coast Fever.