Super Netball: Jhaniele Fowler is the best player in the competition for a third successive year

Salary cap cheats West Coast Fever are celebrating Jhaniele Fowler winning a third straight Super Netball player of the year award.

Jhaniele Fowler is Super Netball’s player of the year for a third successive season. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

A third straight Super Netball player of the year award for West Coast Fever import Jhaniele Fowler has been clouded after her club was caught paying $300,000 over the salary cap in her first two seasons as the winner.

Fowler provided the disgraced Fever with some slight relief at the Australian Netball Awards on Wednesday by winning the best player gong for a third successive season.

The Fever are still reeling from Monday’s announcement that they breached the competition’s salary cap in 2018 and 2019, leading to a $300,000 fine and a loss of 12 points next season.

However, the Fever were cap compliant this year, with the shooting feats of Jamaican Fowler propelling her side to a grand final berth.

For the third straight year, Fowler was the league’s highest goal scorer with 979 points at an accuracy of 94 per cent.

She also scored more than 50 points in 16 of the 17 matches she played.

“To have won the Suncorp Super Netball Player of the Year award for the third consecutive year, it’s no longer the mere feeling of being elated, it’s much more,” Fowler said.

“I’m beyond honoured and moved by this, and I’m not easily moved, pun intended, to be recognised for something I’m extremely passionate about.”

The Super Netball Commission has today announced sanctions for the @WestCoastFever following confirmed breaches of the club’s 2018 and 2019 salary caps.

Full details - https://t.co/N6w05PPLZB pic.twitter.com/PozrIIPPqT

— Suncorp Super Netball (@SuperNetball) December 14, 2020

Fowler was also named as the goal shooter in the Super Netball Team of the Year for a third consecutive year.

Coach of the year was Simone McKinnis, who guided the Melbourne Vixens to the premiership after being overlooked for the Australian Diamonds job.

Adelaide Thunderbirds young gun Maisie Nankivell was named the year’s Rising Star, while South Australia’s Georgina Sulley-Beales won the Lorne McConchie Umpire of the Year award.

Super Netball Team of the Year: GS – Jhaniele Fowler (West Coast Fever), GA – Kiera Austin (GIANTS Netball), WA – Liz Watson (Melbourne Vixens), C – Kate Moloney (Melbourne Vixens), WD – Gabi Simpson (Queensland Firebirds), GD – Karla Pretorius (Sunshine Coast Lightning), GK – Geva Mentor (Collingwood Magpies). Reserve shooter – Cara Koenen (Sunshine Coast Lightning), Reserve midcourt – Paige Hadley (NSW Swifts), Reserve defender – Shamera Sterling (Adelaide Thunderbirds).