The 2024 Men’s Premiership Gala Awards were held on Friday night, with some familiar faces and some new ones taking the stage throughout the evening. 

The Fraternity Club Illawarra Premier League

Team Honours

• Club Champions – Wollongong United FC and Coniston FC
• First Grade League winners – Wollongong Olympic FC
• First Grade Grand Final winners – Wollongong Olympic FC
• Second Grade League winners – Tarrawanna Blueys FC
• Second Grade Grand Final winners – Helensburgh Thistle FC
• Youth Grade League winners – Cringila Lions FC
• Youth Grade Grand Final winners – Cringila Lions FC
• Fair Play Award – Bulli FC

First Grade

Top Goalscorer – Peter Simonoski, Cringila Lions FC

Cringila Lions’ Peter Simonoski retained his top-scoring tag in the Illawarra Premier League. The forward netted 32 times across the regular season, scoring 31 goals in 2023 when he also picked up the same award. Simonoski scored three hat-tricks across the year, scoring two or more goals on ten occasions, adding up to 60% of the Lions’ goal output in 2024.  

George Naylor Medalist – Rick Goodchild, Wollongong Olympic FC

Rick Goodchild earned his second George Naylor Medal on Friday, reflecting his pivotal role in his double-winning Wollongong Olympic side. The veteran attacker exhibited an outstanding goalscoring record. Goodchild scored 16 goals across 2024, the highest of any Olympic player. This included scoring a match-winning brace against Wollongong United in Round 11 and a hat-trick against Shellharbour in Round 19. 

Coach of the Year – Matt Bailey, Wollongong Olympic FC

Matt Bailey secured his second coach of the year in three years, guiding Wollongong Olympic to the Illawarra Premier League double. Bailey is no stranger to success in the local leagues, holding two George Naylor Medals and three Coach of the Year awards now. Bailey’s Olympic finished with the league championship after flying to five wins from their final five games, finishing five points above Coniston and winning the Grand Final against rivals Wollongong United. 

Goalkeeper of the Year – Adam Rodriguez, Port Kembla FC

The established Illawarra Premier League shotstopper enjoyed a standout year at the back for Port Kembla, who finished sixth. He conceded just 27 goals in 22 rounds, which was bettered by only the top three teams in the competition. Rodriguez produced countless saves for his team as he battled to his four clean sheets in 2024. 

Second Grade 

Top Goalscorer – Jackson Dent, Tarrawanna Blueys

Jackson Dent demonstrated a ruthless stroke in front of goal in Second Grade with a 24-goal haul in 2024, including three hat-tricks. The striker was integral to the Blueys claiming an invincible League Championship run, drawing six matches and winning the rest. 

Player of the Year – Brodie O’Neil, Tarrawanna Blueys

Brodie O’Neil completes a Second-Grade awards double for Tarrawanna. The versatile O’Neil helped the Blueys tick this season, offering often unmatched hard work and chipped in with six goals. 

Youth Grade 

Sharpshooter – Max Oldfield, Helensburgh Thistle

Max Oldfield was the focal point of a high-scoring Thistle side in Youth Grade, netting 25 goals out of the team’s 82 regular-season goals. Oldfield’s exploits included a four-goal haul against South Coast United in Round 21. 

Player of the Year – Nicholas Shalala, Cringila Lions

Nicholas Shalala took out the Youth Grade Player of the Year as the Cringila Lion helped earn his team the Premier League Youth Grade double. The attacker also scored 11 goals in 2024 and six in six games towards the end of the regular season. 

The Fraternity Club Illawarra District League 

Team Honours

• Club Champions – Oak Flats Falcons FC
• First Grade League winners – Oak Flats Falcons FC
• First Grade Grand Final winners – Fernhill FC
• Second Grade League winners – Oak Flats Falcons FC
• Second Grade Grand Final winners – Oak Flats Falcons FC
• Youth Grade League winners – Shoalhaven FC
• Youth Grade Grand Final winners – Berkeley Sports FC
• Fair Play Award – University of Wollongong FC

First Grade

Neville Arrowsmith Medal and Sharpshooter – Shotaro Iwamoto, Oak Flats Falcons FC

Shotaro Iwamoto took the District League by storm in 2024 with 33 goals in the regular season. The winger elevated the Falcons’ attack from previous seasons as the league champions scored 94 goals on their way to the top spot. Iwamoto scored four hat-tricks across the season and only failed to score on three occasions in twenty-two rounds. 

Coach of the Year – Dale White, Fernhill FC

Dale White went out with a bang as coach at the Foxes, securing back-to-back Grand Final wins for the Ray Robinson Field club. White has built the Foxes team up from finals-aspiring to seasoned trophy-lifers over his five-year tenure. In addition to the Grand Final, Fernhill missed out on the League Championship by one point. White also guided his team to a stunning victory in the early rounds of the Bert Bampton Cup, knocking out double-winning Wollongong Olympic. 

Goalkeeper of the Year – Yuki Yasuda, Fernhill FC

In his first year at the Foxes, Yuki Yasuda was at the base of a Fernhill defence that conceded only 17 times during the regular District League season. In addition to his outstanding distribution with the ball at his feet, Yasuda kept 13 clean sheets across the 22 rounds, conceding more than two goals only once. 

Second Grade 

Top Goalscorer – Minh Nguyen, Oak Flats Falcons FC and Mitchell Walkerden, Balgownie Rangers FC

Minh Nguyen and Mitchell Walkerden could not be separated in the scoring charts in the District League Second Grade competition with 14 goals each. Nguyen was the Falcons’ main scoring threat on their route to the League Championship, finding the net at least once in 11 of their matches. Walkerden was similarly influential for the Rangers, scoring in five games in a row to finish the year. They made it all the way to the big dance, where they lost to the Falcons. 

Player of the Year – Lachlan Brophey, Fernhill FC

Lachlan Brophey has established himself in the Fernhill team over the last few seasons, coming through the ranks at the club. The 21-year-old was a staple of the Second Grade Foxes side that earned their place in the Finals Series in 2024 and played a role in First Grades’ success throughout the year. 

Youth Grade 

Player of the Year and Sharpshooter, Tyler Cooper Shoalhaven FC

Shoalhaven’s young gun Tyler Cooper enjoyed a breakout year in the District League with 30 goals in Youth Grade as his team took out the League Championship. The dynamic winger also broke into the First Grade team as the season progressed, scoring a hat-trick against Bellambi Rosellas in a Round Nine catch-up. 

Photos courtesy of Gragrapix