Top 2022 ANZ Premiership performers acknowledged
Highlighting the standout performances of defender Kelly Jury, returning coach Yvette McCausland-Durie and record-breaking whistler Kristie Simpson, the trio has been celebrated as the respective 2022 ANZ Premiership Player, Coach and Umpire of the Year.
The title-winning Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse combination of co-captain Jury and coach McCausland-Durie proved a match made in heaven with the pair being key contributors as the youngest contracted team delivered a decisive late season run to the winner’s circle.
Southland’s Simpson made it back-to-back Umpire of the Year awards with another standard-setting season through her consistency of performance and extensive experience at the top level.
Stepping into a leadership role for the first time, the impressive Jury pushed her game to new levels in 2022. Week-in week-out, the 1.92m Jury was a consistently influential presence at the back end of the court where her quality shone brightly as the standout individual player across the competition.
Unassuming and with an unflappable temperament, Jury thrived in her co-captaincy role, embracing the extra responsibility which ultimately over-flowed into her on-court play. She went on to complete the season with 46 intercepts (ranked first), 116 deflections (ranked first) and 36 rebounds (ranked second) and was a key cog in the Pulse’s successful run to the title.
After a year away, the popular McCausland-Durie made a memorable return to guide the Pulse to a record third title.
In four highly successful years between 2017 - 20, McCausland-Durie guided the Pulse to four straight Finals Series which included back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020, their first-ever title winning her the 2019 ANZ Premiership Coach of the Year.
With a strong coaching pedigree behind her, McCausland-Durie has also been an assistant coach with the Silver Ferns, was named NZU21 coach in 2019 ahead of the 2021 World Youth Cup campaign after previously holding the role in 2009, and in 2018 guided NZA, this year’s success adding to her growing list of credentials.
Simpson has fashioned an impressive resume during an extensive career and earlier this year became New Zealand’s most capped national league umpire when controlling her 120th match after making her debut in 2010. By season’s end that had reached 125.
She has seen significant changes in the game during the 12 years she has been officiating, achieving her New Zealand Umpire Award in 2007 and has gone on to give back to the sport and those who control it by becoming an Umpire/Coach Assessor and an Umpire Coach Developer.
Domestically, Simpson controlled her first national league game in 2010 and was awarded the ANZ Premiership Grand Finals in 2017, 2021 and 2022. She has reached the pinnacle of the umpiring world with Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games assignments being among her list of achievements.