Netball: de Bruin named co-MVP

Leana de Bruin. Photo / Getty Images

Southern Steel's Leana de Bruin has been named the joint winner of the trans-Tasman netball league's most valuable player award.

The Silver Ferns defender shared the award with Queensland Firebirds' goal attack Natalie Medhurst after both players scored 18 points.

De Bruin is the second New Zealander to win the award after Steel teammate Liana Leota (then Liana Barrett-Chase) won last year and she was delighted to pick up the honour.

"There's just so many classy players out there and you just never know. I definitely wasn't expecting it but it's an awesome surprise," said the 33-year-old.

But she said her eyes were on a bigger prize at the World Championships in Singapore in July.

"I want to be one of those players that makes history in winning the World Championship after Commonwealth Games gold - I'm on a mission to make that happen," she said.

Votes for the MVP award are submitted by the national selector on duty (from Australia and New Zealand) at each regular season match, who nominates the three most outstanding players on court on a 3-2-1 basis.

MVP award - top five:
Leana de Bruin (Southern Steel) and Natalie Medhurst (Queensland Firebirds) 18 1, Romelda Aiken (Queensland Firebirds), Caitlin Bassett (West Coast Fever), Natalie von Bertouch (Adelaide Thunderbirds) 16 3.

Previous winners:
2010 - Liana Barrett-Chase (Southern Steel)
2009 - Romelda Aiken (Queensland Firebirds)
2008 - Romelda Aiken (Queensland Firebirds) and Sonia Mkoloma (Central Pulse)

- NZPA