The 2021 season is done and dusted, so I just want to mention the individual awards that were handed out at a recent Football Tasmania function.
Kasper Hallam, the South Hobart striker, won the NPL Tasmania best-and-fairest award, as well as the player’s player of the year award (I think they call it the NPL MVP Award).
Why do we keep borrowing terms from other sports? For example, MVP is an American term for NFL and NBL, while ‘best on ground’ is a term used in AFL and never in our code of football, where it’s usually referred to as ‘man of the match’, or ‘player of the match’. When have you ever heard of ‘best on ground’ in relation to the EPL? I’m afraid these things irk me, but I’m probably getting old.
I do, however, wish people would stick to terminology that is part of our code of football. I’ve noticed some reports on Slice of Cheese referring to someone ‘booting’ goals. Now that’s a term never used in football (because there are other ways of scoring than using the feet) but common in AFL.
There’s my gripe for the day. Sorry, Kasper, but you fully deserve both awards, whatever they’re called, and I reckon you’re a marvellous player who always has a smile on your dial through thick and thin. Well done! I hope I didn’t take the shine off your awards with my whinging.
Photo: Launceston United's Jessica Robinson. [PlessPix]
The Women’s Super League best-and-fairest award was shared by Kingborough Lions United's Laura Davis and Launceston United’s Jessica Robinson.
The WSL’s MVP was Olympia Warriors’ Inocent Michael.
The WSL Rising Star was Devonport’s Annalee Bidwell and the NPL Tasmania’s Rising Star was Olympia Warriors’ Kyle Vincent.
The Walter Pless Media Award went to Devonport’s Brody Denehey and the MyState WSL Media Award was won by Clarence Zebras’ Zoe Nichols.
As a footnote, although the men’s media award has my name on it, I don’t actually vote unless there is a tie. The votes are cast by Tasmania’s three daily newspapers, the TV stations and a few other football media personnel.
The NPL Golden Glove Award (sounds like a boxing award, doesn’t it?) went to Glenorchy Knights goalkeeper Lachlan Hart, while the WSL equivalent was awarded jointly to Olympia’s Kaycee Ponting and Launceston United’s Sydney Carnie.
The NPL Golden Boot Award for the top goalscorer was won by Devonport’s Brody Denehey with 22 goals.
The WSL Golden Boot Award was shared by Clarence Zebras’ Zoe Nichols and Kingborough Lions United’s Laura Davis with 24 goals apiece.
The NPL Coach of the Year was South Hobart’s Ken Morton and the WSL Coach of the Year was Clarence Zebras’ Ronnie Bolton.
The NPL Tasmania Referee of the Year was Brenton Kopra and the WSL Referee of the Year was Claire Green.
Congratulations to all the winners.
If it wasn’t for someone sharing a link, I wouldn’t have seen all these award winners because I can’t seem to access the Football Tasmania Facebook site. I’m not on Facebook, so perhaps that is why. Is it a private site?
All the other State federations have public Facebook sites which anyone can look at. Why is it a ‘closed shop’ on the Football Tasmania website?
Another mystery and one that does the football public no favours at all.
*****
There have been some sad losses in Tasmanian football recently.
My condolences go to the families and friends of the following personalities who graced the game in Tasmania and contributed to it:
Graeme Speight (University), Greg Ellis (Kingborough Lions United) and father of Cameron Ellis, a current coach at Kingborough), Tom Kelly (former leading referee, who passed away in England aged in his 90s, and father of Eamonn Kelly), and Robert Bearham (Metro).
28 comments:
The link on FFTs website doesn't work. I had to Google it: https://www.facebook.com/footballtas/
I believe that Laura missed a WSL game against Devonport early in the season
Hi walter
What are your thoughts on Golden glove award being awarded to the keeper with the most clean sheets.
I tend to think this is a team defensive award as aposed to an award to decide the best goal keeper. In theory (but unlikly) a keeper could win this award witout making a save all season.
I understand this is how it is awarded in the EPL, where as at the world cup it is voted by a technical committee.
Mark....9.54PM.
Technical Committee votes ?
Maybe in a professional league. In Tassie too many f......g experts who have no technical knowledge about any aspect of the game .
Maybe better off with the referee voting separately for the best keeper on the day , if there is going to be a separate award for keepers, who's performances cannot really be measured by statistics.
Hi Mark (9.54pm). I agree with you entirely. Clean sheets may well mean a very good defence and the keeper may not have had much to do. A number of people could judge this award (referees, coaches, reporters, goalkeepers etc), so basing it on the number of clean sheets is misleading in my opinion. If the clean sheets are definitely due to the brilliance of a goalkeeper, then those observers I have mentioned would give due credit and that keeper would be in the running for the award anyway. Cheers!
Walter
Great story as always Walter. Would love to see an article on all the golden boot winners over the last couple decades. We have had some fantastic strikers in this time with many gone to play higher levels
Its a ridiculous system atm. Pitchford was the best keeper over the season yet doesn't get the award.
Hi Walter, I have just returned from the FFT southern champ presentation night, oh my what a poorly organised, poorly presented and an embarrassment to our federation. I feel really guttered that it went for 30 min, rushed the presentations and then most people left. An absolute disgrace. I'm shell shocked and believe these so called leaders of this shambled federation are just sponging a high wage for themselves with a look at ME attitude and have very little of an interest in growing our sport. It is really pathetic.
He actually wasn't the best keeper was the guy that kept the most clean sheets this season, he also managed to do it last season so perhaps give some respect to a bloke that is under appreciated
Keep up mate. All the comments re the keepers is talking about the fact clean sheets isn't the best way to judge the award. Sorry but Pitchford on form was the BEST keeper. On clean sheets he's not. That's why it sucks in its present form.
In all due respect Nathan Pitchford was one of the main reasons Devonport won the league last season and was selected best player in the media awards. Lachie Hart is a good goal keeper but Nathan Pitchford was clearly the best keeper last year and I would have voted him best keeper again this season.
We all saw on the final day of the season which keeper stood up. Both the media fancies flapped at crosses which cost their team not only the game, but also the season in pitchfords case.
Hart has clearly emerged as the top keeper in tassie.
The best team won the league and their keeper played a big role in that success.
The biggest shock that no one has mentioned is how on earth did Sherman miss out on the coach's award!
Just a couple of things. You aren't the best team just the luckiest. Nobody is denying Hart's a good keeper but he's not the best and to pin your argument on one game shows how blinded you are by club loyalty. As for Sherman winning the coaches award. My mum could coach that team and win. With the talent purchased Knights should have won by miles.The fact they just fell over the line says it all really.
So knights aren't the best team, but your mum could coach them to the title...
Hart the best keeper, knights the best team and Sherman the best coach by a mile.
Catch you next year port ��
2 points.
1. Other NPL coaches vote for the coaches award so that may give you a
hint as to why the third placed coach won and neither of the first two.
2. Agree with the comments earlier about the wasters night. Absolutely disgraceful.
Walter you are better not being invited to it . It was a joke.
It took me longer to get to the venue than the awards lasted.
Obviously the clubs don’t think much of the awards either with many clubs not having many if any attending
Luck to win a premiership I've heard it all now
Ah Knights haters don't you love em. As far as the Coaches award goes it was decided before the last round. Go figure that. Lucky to win the league .... how lucky do you have to be .... just once .... twice or all of the games you won which was more than Devonport. What a loser just be quiet and try and show some sort of maturity
Anon 12.19 pm.
And your point about when the coaches award was decided is what ????
Do you think that the result of the final game of the year should decide the winner ???
As was stated earlier the coaches themselves vote on it so you may be able to work out why the coaches of the first two teams did not win it.
Nobody cares about your purchased title.
8.40pm
Champione champione ole ole ole eat it up pal
$$$$$$$$ only reason you have it pal
To Anonymous 1.51pm, just like everywhere else in the world, cobber. Dollars buy you success. To think anything else is delusional. The clubs that pay the highest salaries tend to be the most successful. If you can't come to terms with that, just play social football or 5-a-side on a school playground somewhere and leave the real football to others.
1.51pm
They did it with kids and loyal players mate look at their team sheet for half a season. 3 boys that have played for the club since their teens
But most of those side also foster their youth etc. How many if your 11 came up through Knights?? Big fat zero.
You may view it as how it is overseas but this is just little old Tassie. Knights spending here has ruined the league but hey be happy..... you bought a trophy.
Very true but what I find interesting is people knock Olympia and the knights but no mention off Devonport or south Hobart.
I would love to know player payments directly or indirectly for both clubs
RIP Tom Kelly.
A great character from the colourful, wonderful, golden years of Tassie football.
Even if he was a ref !
Vale to Tom Kelly a very good referee who spoke to players with respect and got it back. Allways encouraging and part of an era that if videoed the quality football played would astound people today. Craig Turner.
Can never understand Walter why so many people who write on your blog do not want to be identified. Maybe when that changes the game we love might advance just a little. Still weighting for a venue like the hockey centre for the last 40 years. Craig T.
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