By Stephanie Smarrelli
With the 2025 season in the books, we look back at the players who made their mark throughout the year.
There were plenty of midcourt maestros, game-changing defenders and sharpshooting goalers across the league.
But only the best of the best make the list, and yes there were an unlucky few who missed out.
Here’s part one of our countdown to the league’s best player, check in over the next few weeks as we work our way to Number 1.
15. Molly Jovic
The Mavericks co-vice captain was a force to be reckoned with in the midcourt bringing grit and smarts to every contest.
Jovic racked up 968.5 Net Points, 372 feeds, 255 goal assists, 11 deflections and seven intercepts.
When games were tough, Jovic turned up the heat taking the opposition on and putting her body on the line to win ball back.
Jovic made a statement in the midcourt this season.
Her standout performance came in Round 12 against the Swifts. Jovic igniting the John Cain Arena crowd with 110 Net Points and 44 feeds against Swifts stronghold Paige Hadley.
14. Cara Koenen
While Koenen’s season was disrupted by injury she took her time on the court with both hands.
In just 11 matches she slotted an impressive 396 goals at 89 per cent accuracy.
The goaler also added another string to her bow with 13 Suncorp Super Shots, having not slot any in the previous season.
Her best performance?
A Round 13 thriller with the Swifts.
Koenen tallied 113.5 Net Points in a full sixty minutes on the court having missed the previous couple of weeks due to injury.
Koenen added to her repertoire this season slotting Suncorp Super Shots.
She was electric scoring 48 goals at 84 per cent including one Super Shot with her connection with Steph Fretwell challenging the Swifts.
13. Ruby Bakewell-Doran
It was another tough season for the Firebirds but Bakewell-Doran was a shining light.
The 26-year-old took the lead in defence hitting her 50-game milestone and recording 34 deflections and 15 intercepts throughout the season.
Her strongest outing was early in the season, Round 3 against the Lightning.
The Firebirds lost their first match of the year, but Bakewell-Doran was a standout.
With eight gains she gave her teammates plenty of chances to convert but they couldn’t make the most of her defensive prowess.
Bakewell-Doran was impressive for the Firebirds in 2025.
12. Jamie-Lee Price
Jamie-Lee Price may have known she wanted to depart the club at season’s end, but she never played like someone with one foot out the door.
The GIANTS co-captain delivered her relentless energy every week even when the results weren’t falling their way.
She finished the season with 444 feeds, 217 goal assists, 19 deflections and eight intercepts.
She was at her best in Round 14 against the Mavericks dominating the midcourt with 106 Net Points, 45 feeds, 26 goal assists and two deflections.
She was instrumental to the GIANTS finishing the season with a win and bowed out from the club with her head held high.
Price delivered in spades for the GIANTS.
11. Jo Weston
We’ll be the first to admit, Jo Weston flew under the radar for us this season.
But she was a clear standout on Grand Final Day, her best performance of the year amounting to 69.5 Net Points, five deflections, two feeds and one intercept..
The stats were solid but wouldn’t ordinarily jump off the page, it was her footwork and the pressure she delivered against the Fever attackers that really made an impact on Grand Final Day.
Serving as a good reminder that while stats are important, they don’t always tell the full story.
Weston’s at her best when she’s being a pest, putting her hands over the ball and forcing the opposition into errors and that’s what she did throughout the season earning her spot on the list.
But we did look back to see how dominant Joey was on the stats sheet as well.
And the stats stack up, fifty deflections, 41 gains, 29 pick ups and 15 intercepts is a solid haul from the experienced defender.
