South Melbourne, Boroondara-Carey stars take top gongs as NPL Victoria’s best honoured

South Melbourne defender Jake Marshall and Boroondara-Carey striker Kurea Okino have taken home the coveted Gold Medal as the NPL Victoria’s best in 2023.

The NPL Victoria Gold Medal award winners.

It’s official, South Melbourne defender Jake Marshall and Boroondara-Carey striker Kurea Okino are gold class.

The Hellas gun and Eagles ace topped star-studded fields to win the NPL and NPLW Victoria Gold Medals on Tuesday night.

Marshall will hope to follow in predecessor Joe Knowles’ footsteps and add a championship medal to his collection when South faces Avondale in Sunday’s grand final at Olympic Village.

The centre-back polled 25 votes to edge Altona Magic’s Golden Boot winner Jonas Markovski by one vote, while Josh Hope (Green Gully) and Stefan Zinni (Avondale) were a further vote behind in third.

Marshall is the first South Melbourne player since Milos Lujic in 2014 to be crowned the league’s best-and-fairest.

Jake Marshall in action for South Melbourne. Picture: Mark Avellino Photography

He was outstanding in the heart of the defence, together with back-to-back Goalkeeper of the Year Javier Lopez, guiding Hellas to the best defensive record as it finished runner-up in the league.

After a breakout 19-goal season for Altona, Markovski took home three awards – the Golden Boot, Players’ Player and Media Player of the Year.

Avondale’s Zoran Markovski and Melbourne Knights’ counterpart Ben Cahn was named joint Coaches of the Year.

Markovski led the Avengers to a maiden NPL premiership, while Cahn has overseen the Knights’ impressive turnaround in the club’s 70th season, taking it from ninth last season to fourth and into an Australia Cup quarter-final.

Okino finished on 28 votes to pip Alamein’s Sidney Allen by one and also took home the competition’s Golden Boot, Players’ Player and Media Player of the Year following an outstanding campaign.

The Japanese import scored 31 goals to lead Boroondara-Carey to a runners-up finish in the league and preliminary final appearance in the club’s first season after winning promotion from the VPLW.

She has now signed with Melbourne Victory for the coming A-Leagues season.

Meanwhile, Werribee City’s Stephen Lawless was a surprise winner of the NPL2 best-and-fairest.

The Bees finished just two points clear of relegation this season but Lawless’ class shone through and was rewarded by the referees.

The Irish import claimed 22 votes to edge Preston Lions’ Connor Bell and Bulleen Lions’ Luke Lofts by a single vote.

Lofts’ 18 goals was enough for him to claim the Golden Boot and he was recognised by his peers with the Players’ Player award.

Teammate Wonsuk Choi was awarded the Goalkeeper of the Year.

After guiding his team to a shock promotion, Manningham United Blues’ George Karkaletsis was named Coach of the Year.

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In NPL3, North Sunshine’s Redouane Sarakh finished in a three-way tie for the Golden Boot but stood alone as the league best-and-fairest.

The Eagles striker scored 16 goals, equal with Goulburn Valley’s Russell Currie and Caroline Springs George Cross’ Josh Whiteley.

Sarakh finished with 26 votes to finish two ahead of Whiteley and three ahead of Nunawading City’s Andrew Mullett

Whiteley took home the Players’ Player award and his coach Eric Vassiliadis was named Coach of the Year after George Cross’ stunning premiership triumph, going back-to-back after the State League 1 title in 2022.

Melbourne Victory’s Christian Siciliano was named Goalkeeper of the Year, the same day it was announced he’d been promoted to Victory’s senior squad for the coming A-League season.