The Newshub panel of experts submit their votes in for New Zealand's leading sporting performers during 2018.
MALE
Michael O'Keeffe (Newshub sports reporter): Tom Walsh
Walsh made massive strides in his sport, inching closer to the world record - which many thought was nearly unbeatable.
In 2018, he won the indoor and outdoor world championships, as well as Commonwealth Games gold.
Ben Francis (Newshub sport digital producer): Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
The fullback grew as a player and as a person on the field this year, as he led the Warriors to the finals for the first time since 2011.
On top of that, he became the first NZ winner of the Dally M Medal, since Gay Freeman in 1992. Yes, Jason Taumalolo won the award in 2016, but he tied.
You could tell from his try-saving tackle against the Bunnies in the opening game, he was destined to have a great year.
Craig Norenbergs (Newshub sports reporter): Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
I love RTS, not just because he actually left the Roosters three years ago, but he's also so solid at the back and is a calm presence as captain for the Warriors.
Thoroughly deserved to win the NRL's highest honour, the Daly M Medal.
But for an out-of-the-box individual performance, I can't go past Ajaz Patel's five second-innings wickets on debut against Pakistan for one of the most surprising Blackcaps victories ever.
I went to his family's home in Auckland to interview them the day after the first test, and they were so lovely and so proud of their boy, it was magic.
Randall Munro (Newshub sports producer): Sam Gaze
Love him or hate him - or love to hate him - Sam Gaze’s come-from-behind mountain bike gold at the Commonwealth Games ought to go down in New Zealand sporting folklore.
Instead, most will remember his antics as he crossed the finish-line.
Gaze and arch-rival Anton Cooper were neck-and-neck for most of the 31.5km race through Nerang State Forest, before disaster struck on the final lap. A puncture saw Gaze sidelined and he watched his Kiwi nemesis fly by.
With anger building in his chest, Gaze channeled all the injustice down through his legs, into his peddles and around his tyres to overhaul Cooper with the finish-line in sight.
Leaving just enough in the tank to raise his hand and flip his opponent the bird.
Grant Chapman (Newshub online sports editor): Steven Adams
Sure, another year passes without Adams donning the Tall Blacks singlet - but maybe we just need to get over that.
But the big Kiwi continues to make his way on basketball's biggest stage, establishing himself as not just a key contributor to his Oklahoma City Thunder team, but also one of the best centres in the NBA.
Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of his performance is the respect shown by opposition general managers, when they branded him the toughest player in the league - and his utterly dismissve reaction to that.
Every second day, he butts heads with some of the other toughest hombres in the game, without ever buying into the hype around him.
Never celebrating, always thinking.
FEMALE
MOK: Sophie Pascoe
Pascoe continues to dominate in her sport and her continued excellence has to be admired.
Two golds in the 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke at the Comm Games.
BF: Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
The Wanaka teen broke New Zealand's medal 26-year drought at the Winter Olympics with a bronze medal in the snowboard big air.
She's one to watch for the future and very inspirational for other winter sports athletes.
CN: Joelle King
King won squash singles gold at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
New Zealand also took the men's silver with Paul Coll, and I followed their runs to the final closely.
King also won the Hong Kong Open to join an illustrious club of Kiwi platinum title winners.
RM: Katrina Grant
Katrina Grant showed incredible physical attributes as captain of the Silver Ferns' disastrous Commonwealth Games campaign - broad shoulders, thick skin and incredible neck muscles to hold her head high during New Zealand netball's lowest point.
Grant was far from the reason the Ferns failed to medal on the Gold Coast. In fact, it seemed the harder she tried to pull her team out of the mire, the further they sunk into the quicksand.
More impressive was her performance as Laura Langman's lieutenant, after losing the captaincy. A lesser athlete would have reason to sulk.
The image of Grant in tears courtside at the Comm Games brings back memories of Richie McCaw after the All Blacks' 2007 World Cup exit.
Let's hope Grant enjoys a similar redemption story.
GC: Dame Valerie Adams
OK, see what I did there? Maybe we should have a 'Family of the Year' category.
While little bro battles against some of sport's biggest (and tallest) names, Dame Val faced a very different challenge, battling back from her first baby to contest the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games shot put.
Ultimately, she wasn't able to win her fourth straight gold medal, bowing to Jamaican Danniel Thomas-Dodd.
But her real reward came with the realisation that shot-putting was no longer the be-all and end-all in her life, with six-month-old Kimoana now waiting for her in the stands.
Now she's pregnant again, Dame Val insists she'll be back for the Tokyo Olympics, with even more time to work back to top shape.
If anyone can, she can.
Newshub.
