Canberra United striker Michelle Heyman’s Westfield W-League comeback season has ended with an almighty triumph, after the star forward clinched the Julie Dolan Medal at the Dolan Warren Awards on Wednesday night.
The Julie Dolan Medal is awarded based on votes from a panel of technical football experts and media representatives appointed by the APL, as well as the match officials (as a collective), all on a 3-2-1 basis.
Heyman became a two-time winner of the Julie Dolan Medal on Wednesday night after taking out the honour in 2009 playing for Central Coast Mariners. 12 years later, Heyman put on one of her best Westfield W-League campaigns to date with the Green Machine, netting 10 goals throughout the campaign.
Heyman also reclaimed her lead as the all-time Westfield W-League leading goalscorer, going back ahead of Sam Kerr with her 71st goal netted against Perth Glory in Round 12. Heyman would score another before full-time of that particular game before netting her 73rd Westfield W-League strike to help Canberra beat Newcastle Jets 1-0.
It was Heyman’s 10th and final goal for the campaign. A goalless draw with Sydney FC was to follow in Round 14 as Canberra got the point needed to advance to the Finals Series for the first time in four seasons. Heyman offered so much more than goals alone to the Canberra side in 2020/21. Her leadership, experience and passion for the game were just some of the notable qualities which shone through as a re-energised Heyman took the league by storm in her comeback campaign.
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