Brisbane Roar midfielder Thomas Broich has won the Johnny Warren Medal for the Player of the Year for season 2011/12 at the Hyundai A-League Awards in Sydney.
Brisbane Roar midfielder Thomas Broich has won the Johnny Warren Medal for the Player of the Year for season 2011/12 at the Hyundai A-League Awards in Sydney.
The German star has been in outstanding form in his second year with the Queensland club, helping to take them to a second grand final in a row, despite a run of injuries that kept him on the sidelines during the middle of the season.
Broich, 31, has only scored two goals for Roar this season but his influence at the club stretches far beyond the end product, with his vision and ability to bring his teammates into the games helping to make Brisbane into one of the finest sides Australian football has seen.
The German is also the fourth successive non-Australian player to be named player of the year, following New Zealand international Shane Smeltz, Costa Rican Carlos Hernandez and last year-s winner, Argentinean Marcos Flores.
Premiers’ Central Coast Mariners were also well rewarded for an outstanding season, with goalkeeper Mat Ryan named NAB Young Player of the Year for the second year in a row, while Graham Arnold was named Coach of the Year.
“I truly believe that Phil Moss my assistant takes a lot of the pressure off me and John Crawley my goalkeeping coach is probably the best in Australia by far,” Arnold said.
“Individual awards are nice but for me it-s about the team and I-d trade this any day for a grand final win.
“On the coast we are doing what we think is right for Australian football and my philosophy is to give the young players a go. We have a belief in Australian players and hopefully it-s paying dividends.”
The night-s other big winners were Brisbane Roar striker Besart Berisha who won the Nike Golden Boot for his 19 goals during the home-and-away season, and Melbourne Victory midfielder Carlos Hernandez, who picked up Goal of the Year for his spectacular strike against the Mariners in week 19.
Brisbane Roar also picked up the Fair Play Award.
Canberra United and Westfield Matildas midfielder Sally Shipard won the Julie Dolan Medal for Women-s Player of the Year, after her excellent season with the undefeated Westfield W-League champions.
Canberra unsurprisingly dominated the Westfield W-League Awards, with striker Michelle Heyman winning the Golden Boot for her 12-goal season, Lydia Williams won both Goalkeeper of the Year and players Player of the Year, while United coach Jitka Klimkova won Coach of the Year.
Elsewhere, Melbourne Victory striker Ashley Brown won Young Player of the Year, Adelaide United-s Racheal Quigley won Goal of the Year for her effort against Perth Glory, while Melbourne and Canberra shared the Fair Play Award.
In the National Youth League, Brisbane-s Nick Fitzgerald won NYL Player of the Year, while Sydney FC-s Mitchell Malia won the Top Scorer Award for his 13 goals with the Sky Blues.
And in the middle of the park, Jarred Gillett and Kate Jacewicz were named A-League and W-League Referee of the Year, respectively.
Full List of Winners
Johnny Warren Medal: Thomas Broich, Brisbane Roar
NAB Young Footballer of the Year: Mathew Ryan, Central Coast Mariners
Hyundai A-League Goalkeeper of the Year (Golden Glove): Mathew Ryan, Central Coast Mariners
Nike Golden Boot: Besart Berisha, Brisbane Roar, 19 Goals
Solo Goal of the Year: Carlos Hernandez, Melbourne Victory FC (Melbourne Victory v Central Coast Mariners, 10-Feb-12)
Hyundai A-League Coach of the Year: Graham Arnold, Central Coast Mariners
Hyundai A-League Fair Play Award: Brisbane Roar
Julie Dolan Medal: Sally Shipard, Canberra United
Young Player of the Year: Ashley Brown, Melbourne Victory
Westfield W-League Player’s Player of the Year: Lydia Williams, Canberra United FC
Westfield W-League Goalkeeper of the Year (Golden Glove): Lydia Williams, Canberra United
Westfield W-League Golden Boot: Michelle Heyman, Canberra United, 12 Goals
Westfield W-League Goal of the Year: Racheal Quigley, Adelaide United (Perth Glory v Adelaide United, 5-Nov-11)
Westfield W-League Coach of the Year: Jitka Klimkova, Canberra United
Westfield W-League Fair Play Award: Melbourne Victory FC & Canberra United (Joint Winners)
National Youth League Player of the Year: Nick Fitzgerald, Brisbane Roar FC
National Youth League Golden Boot: Mitchell Mallia, Sydney FC, 13 Goals
National Youth League Fair Play Award: Brisbane Roar FC
Hyundai A-League Referee of the Year: Jarred Gillett
Westfield W-League Referee of the Year: Kate Jacewicz
Click here for more on the Hyundai A-League Awards.
