Updated December 01, 2019 11:04:41

Photo: Gretel Tippett's play for the Diamonds and the Firebirds brought her Australia's top netball award. (AAP: Richard Wainwright)

Gretel Tippett has received Australian netball's highest honour, winning the Liz Ellis Diamond at the 2019 Australian Netball Awards.

The 26-year-old goal attack only switched from basketball to netball at the age of 18, but has been named Australia's player of the year after debuting for the Diamonds four years ago.

The sister of former AFL star Kurt Tippett, she represented Australia in three junior world basketball championships and was the WNBL's rookie of the year in 2011.

But an interest developed watching netball's former trans-Tasman championship saw Tippett give up a promising future in basketball to seek a transition, despite never having played the game before.

The flair and unorthodox style with which Tippett plays the game, along with her trademark lay-up pass or shot has long been divisive in netball.

Photo: Her playing style has divided opinion, but Tippett's shooting talent and consistency is undeniable. (AAP: Jono Searle)

But after a year in which she has been the most consistent talent for both the national team and for the Queensland Firebirds in the Super Netball league, she may finally have won the traditionalists over.

Speaking after accepting the award, Tippett acknowledged the criticism she has received and thanked her team, including Firebirds coach Roselee Jencke, for supporting her.

"Yeah I think I'm a people pleaser so I'm like 'Why can't they like me or like my style?'," she said.

"But I've learnt to shut it out and to surround myself with people that give me honest feedback and I'm very lucky in that Rose has embraced my style and continues to support me."

It is impressive to think Tippett was able to change tack and pick up a different code so late in her teenage years, let alone run out on court for the Australian team at 22 just four years later.

But she has also become the first player to receive the Liz Ellis Diamond while playing in a team that came last in the domestic competition.

The Firebirds only won a single game this season, yet Tippett was still able to shine and her individual stats speak for themselves.

She claimed the Firebirds' 2019 best and fairest award for nailing 346 goals at 96 per cent accuracy and played a key role in setting up others to score too, with 130 goal assists and 325 centre pass receives.

In a year where the Diamonds made the final of the World Cup and also won the Constellation Cup, Tippett's accuracy again stood out, earning her another accolade as international player of the year (267 goals at a 95 per cent conversion rate).

Photo: West Coast Fever's Jhaniele Fowler was named the Super Netball player of the year. (AAP: Tony McDonough)

In further Super Netball news, West Coast Fever's Jhaniele Fowler was voted by the players, coaches and high-performance staff as the Super Netball player of the year for a second consecutive season; top scoring with 709 goals at 94 per cent accuracy.

Premiership-winning coach Briony Akle was named the Joyce Brown coach of the year for her efforts in leading a young NSW Swifts side to their first league title since 2008.

And Giants mid-courter Amy Parmenter's breakout season in wing defence saw her pick up the Super Netball Rising Star Award.

Topics: sport, netball, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted November 30, 2019 21:40:22