The 2023 season of the Telkom Netball League provided great entertainment and served as an immense appetiser for the upcoming Vitality Netball World Cup.
The players from all 15 teams showed up and made sure they leave everything on the court in order to help their teams reach their goals for the season.
There were also several players who made an impression and showed growth from previous seasons and other competitions.
The competition also served as a good platform for the World Cup bound players to get the needed game time but also work on their shortcomings before the world hits the South African shores in just a few weeks’ time.
Cornelia Mupenda - The Namibian-born goal keeper played a vital role in helping the Limpopo Baobabs reach its first ever final in Division Two of the competition. She was also gutsy in the promotion/relegation match that eventually saw the team gain promotion to Division One of the competition. Her performance in defence saw her take an impressive five Player of the Match awards this season.
Bongiwe Msomi - She led her team with great example especially how she pulled the team back up when they were trailing in the group stages and came back to win those matches. Her leadership in the team is unmistakable as she marshalled the team from the midcourt. She is one of the most consistent players that South Africa has and her work ethic is visible and she rubs it off on her teammates as well.
Kamogelo Maseko - The Gauteng Jaguars player showed her versatility this season, playing at both wing attack and goal attack positions. Her agility and awareness saw her racking in several turnovers in favour of her side and returning to the top of the podium for the record sixth time. She also has an incredible fighting spirit that carries on throughout the match until the final whistle.
Refiloe Nketsa - There is no single match that Nketsa has not shined throughout this season. She made a number of incredible intercepts and turnovers that were key to propelling the Free State Crinums to the final of the competition. Throughout the competition, she was named player of the match about four times. Her efforts also saw her being named the best mid-court player this season.
Adriana Carstens - The Western Cape Tornados centre court player had an impressive debut season in the TNL Carstens, who was a silver medallist in last year’s DStv Schools Netball Challenge with Paarl Girls High, didn’t seem to show any nerves when taking the centre pass against more experienced players. Before her injury, she had put out three Player of the Match performances for her side that finished second in Division Two.
Karla Victor - The 18-year-old is tipped to be one of the Proteas in the future. The Crinums centre court player showed a lot of growth throughout the tournament and undeniably going toe to toe against the best midcourt players in the country. She played with so much confidence in her team. She has already donned the green and gold having represented South Africa in the Under-20 side at the Africa Region 5 Youth Games in Malawi in 2022. Victor will bring a wealth of experience when she leads the C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje at the national leg of the DStv Schools Netball Challenge which will be held from 21-23 July at the Hoërskool Florida.
Palesa Mbukwana - The experienced Mpumalanga Sunbirds player was a reliable source for the bronze medallist. She especially shined in the defensive circle, maximising on a number of defensive rebounds but also managed to get an incredible number of intercepts as well. Even when she was tasked with the offensive circle, the team could depend on her to make use of the opportunities in the shooting circle. She remains the player with the most Player of the Match awards in the competition with as many as 17 since the competition began in 2014.
Nichole Taljaard - The Western Cape Southern Stings goal shooter has been showing consistent improvement in her performance throughout the season. Her shooting per centage was one of the important components that saw the team do well in the top four of the competition.
Jeanté Strydom - Her time training with Proteas coach, Norma Plummer has been a big boost to the already talented and hardworking defender. The interest and attention she amassed during the Proteas Melbourne training camp was well warranted and she showed that during this season of the TNL with the Gauteng Golden Fireballs. The Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel fans will be in for a treat in the upcoming 2024 ANZ Premiership.