Australian World Cup winner Sarah Klau has won NSW netball’s highest playing honour by taking out the Marilyn Melhuish Suncorp Super Netball Player of the Year Award.
The 2023 Swifts defender - who is also a Centurion of the Foundation Club - has had a stellar 2023, reaching a third Super Netball Grand Final in five years and winning her first World Cup.
A double Premiership winner with the Swifts in 2019 and 2021, Klau also won Commonwealth Games Gold with the Australian Diamonds in Birmingham last year.
The Marilyn Melhuish Medal is awarded to a player from the Swifts and Giants: Netball NSW’s two Super Netball franchises
Athletes who win it have displayed consistent outstanding performances throughout the season, and excel in the values of Netball NSW as an organisation.
Marilyn Melhuish OAM is a past president of Netball Australia and Netball NSW, as well as an inductee in the Netball NSW Hall of Fame who served as Team Manager of NSW State Teams for many years.
The Medal is voted on by applicable delegates on a 3,2,1 points system at each of the Swifts’ (and Giants’) home and away games in 2023.
2023 Giants midcourter Amy Parmenter also received the honour.
Kath Tetley, Executive General Manger of the Swifts, congratulated Klau on her latest achievement.
“Sarah is one of the finest athletes of any code plying their trade today and has only enhanced her reputation this year,” she said.
“Despite just missing out on a third Premiership in five years in the Super Netball Grand Final by the tiniest of margins, Sarah proved why she is one of game’s greatest defenders with a host of excellent performances.
“To see her become a Centurion of the Swifts earlier this year made us all unbelievably proud.
“It’s fitting that she takes this award out on the same night that our other Swifts Centurion goal keeper Liz Ellis has been elevated to Legend status in the Netball NSW Hall of Fame. Both do so much for the legacy of our cherished Club.
“Of course, Sarah has not just been a star of the National League, she has proven to the world that’s she’s on top of her game. Her performances in Cape Town played a huge part in returning the World Cup trophy to Australia and she is an exceptionally worthy recipient of this honour.”
