Burns named A-League Player of the Year
Wellington Phoenix striker Nathan Burns has been rewarded for his barnstorming campaign, claiming the A-League Player of the Year award, the Johnny Warren Medal.
Emily van Egmond took out the W-League’s highest honour, the Julie Dolan Medal, at a gala event in Sydney on Monday night.
Burns took home the top gong, receiving 577 votes from his playing peers, ahead of Adelaide United playmaker Marcelo Carrusca (366 votes), Melbourne Victory’s Fahid Ben Khalfallah (307 votes) and Kosta Barbarouses (277 votes).
• Victory cruise into A-League Grand Final
Reds’ Sergio Cirio (245 points) rounding out the top five.
Burns first burst on to the A-League scene with Adelaide United in 2006 before heading abroad with stints in Europe and Asia.
He returned home to join the Newcastle Jets in 2013 but it was with the Phoenix this season that the 27-year-old frontman really made a name for himself.
He netted an impressive 13 goals and earned a place in the Socceroos’ squad, playing a key role in their triumphant Asian Cup campaign.
Sydney FC’s Austrian marquee player, Marc Janko, took home the Golden Boot award with his 16 strikes making him the league’s top goal scorer this season while Melbourne Victory’s premiership-winning coach Kevin Muscat was named A-League Coach of the Year ahead of Sunday’s grand final show down against the Sky Blues.
In other awards Socceroo shotstopper Eugene Galekovic collected the A-League Goalkeeper of the Year Award for a record fourth time while Adelaide’s James Jeggo was named the Young Footballer of the Year.
Adelaide United defender Tarek Elrich’s superb solo effort against Melbourne City FC in the final round of the regular season was voted the A-League Goal of the Year.
Meanwhile Jarred Gillet was named the Referee of the Year award for the second time.