ASA: Parramatta Power striker Ante Milicic has won the NSL Players’ Player of the Year Award (Warren Medal) for the first time at the NSL Awards’ presentation held today in Sydney. Milicic was a clear winner from nearest competitors Tom Pondeljak (Perth Glory), Simon Colosimo (Parramatta Power), Nick Carle (Marconi Stallions) and Ahmad Elrich (Parramatta Power).
Milicic, who will take the field in Sunday’s Homeart NSL Grand Final against Perth Glory looking for two goals to reach the century of NSL goals, also claimed the award for highest goalscorer in the league after scoring 19 goals during the regular season.
In the other major awards, young Marconi Stallions striker Alex Brosque was overwhelmingly voted NSL Under-21 Player of the Year for the second year in a row, Perth Glory’s Jason Petkovic was voted NSL Goalkeeper of the Year, while Glory coach Mich d’Avray was named Eddie Thomson NSL Coach of the Year award. Match officials for Sunday’s Homeart Grand Final also figured prominently with Mark Shield winning a third successive NSL Referee of the Year award and Jim Ouliaris winning the Assistant Referee of the Year award.
Full results listed below.
PLAYERS PLAYER OF THE YEAR – ‘WARREN MEDAL’
ANTE MILICIC (PARRAMATTA POWER) 284 votes
TOM PONDELJAK (PERTH GLORY) 194 votes
SIMON COLOSIMO (PARRAMATTA POWER) 128 votes
NICK CARLE (MARCONI STALLIONS) 99
AHMAD ELRICH (PARRAMATTA POWER) 76 votes
UNDER 21 PLAYER OF THE YEAR – ‘PAPASAVAS MEDAL’
ALEX BROSQUE (MARCONI STALLIONS) 330 votes
JOBE WHEELHOUSE (NEWCASTLE UNITED) 138 votes
MASSIMO MURDOCCA (SOUTH MELBOURNE) 114 votes
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR AWARD
JASON PETKOVIC (PERTH GLORY) 253 votes
CLINT BOLTON (PARRAMATTA POWER) 250 votes
LIAM REDDY (SYDNEY UNITED) 184 votes
EDDIE THOMSON COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
MICH D’AVRAY (PERTH GLORY) 23 votes
STUART MCLAREN (BRISBANE STRIKERS) 17 votes
JOHN KOSMINA (ADELAIDE UNITED) 17 votes
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
MARK SHIELD (QLD)
EDDIE LENNIE (WA)
SIMON MICALLEF (NSW)
ASSISTANT REFEREE OF THE YEAR
JIM OULIARIS (VIC)
NATHAN GIBSON (NNSW)
BEN WILSON (ACT)
NORTHERN DIVISION PLAYER OF THE YEAR
NATHAN CALDWELL (CANBERRA DEAKIN) 26 votes
MARK BRIDGE (PARRAMATTA POWER) 23 votes
BILLY CELESKI (AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT) 20 votes
SOUTHERN DIVISION PLAYER OF THE YEAR
YUSUF YUSUF (HEIDELBERG UNITED) 24 votes
TONY SARIC (MELBOURNE KNIGHTS ACADEMY) 14 votes
DERREK CHISHOLM (SOUTH MELBOURNE ACADEMY) 14 votes
TOP GOALSCORER OF THE YEAR AWARD – PREMIERSHIP SEASON
ANTE MILICIC (PARRAMATTA POWER) 19 GOALS
FAIR PLAY AWARD – PREMIERSHIP SEASON
PERTH GLORY (YELLOW CARDS 18 / RED CARDS NIL)