Mark Bridge has become the first player to win two Wanderers Medals as the forward celebrated a remarkable season by winning the club’s top honour for 2015/16.
The Macarthur resident first received the Hyundai A-League Player of the Season presented by NRMA Insurance in the Red & Black’s inaugural year and this week doubled his medal tally following a season which saw him in the best form of his career: scoring nine goals and providing eight assists.
In a season that saw the Wanderers go from second last in 2015 to runners-up in 2016, Bridge was a constant threat to opposition defences in his 23 games which included a career-best five-match scoring streak.
Erica Halloway also completed an impressive individual year as she claimed the Westfield W-League Player of the Year award in her rookie season.
The talented winger had to wait until this season for her first chance in the Westfield W-League and she took it with both hands as one of the Wander Women’s danger players out wide.
Mitch Nichols claimed a double as both media representatives and Wanderers Members voted to award him the Rod Allen Award: Media Player of the Year and Members’ Player of the Year presented by Coffee Emporium.
Brendon Santalab won the Golden Boot presented by Nike after a late flurry which saw him score five goals in the final four matches of the season to equal the highest ever Wanderers season tally of 11 goals. Lachlan Scott won Foxtel National Youth League Player of the League after 15 goals in 17 NYL and NPL appearances.
Other awards saw Australian representative Jacob Cross win Powerchair Player of the Year, Youcef Kabbara from Australian National Sports Club won the Chairman’s Award for his outstanding contribution to football in the community through his work in Lakemba and with the Canterbury District Soccer Football Association while Colin Smith won Guardian Funerals Wandercrew Volunteer of the Year.
Full list of Wanderers award winners:
• Hyundai A-League Player of the Year presented by NRMA Insurance: Mark Bridge
• Westfield W-League Player of the Year: Erica Halloway
• Foxtel NYL Player of the Year: Lachlan Scott
• Powerchair Player of the Year: Jacob Cross
• Hyundai A-League Golden Boot presented by Nike: Brendon Santalab
• Members’ Player of the Year presented by Coffee Emporium: Mitch Nichols
• Rod Allen Award: Media Player of the Year: Mitch Nichols
• Chairman’s Award: Youcef Kabbara
• Guardian Funerals Wandercrew Volunteer of the Year: Colin Smith.
