Bronte Peel and Seth Clark were the biggest winners at the 2024 van Egmond Jennings Awards on Friday night.
Oldest living Socceroo and northern NSW legend Kevin O’Neill was among the crowd of almost 500 people at the Newcastle Exhibition and Convention Centre for Northern NSW Football’s night of nights, with another fantastic season on the pitch across NNSWF’s premier competitions to celebrate.
Edgeworth FC midfielder Seth Clark was crowned the Graham Jennings Medal winner as NPL Men’s NNSW Player of the Year following his outstanding season.
Clark was also awarded the NPL Men’s NNSW Players’ Player award, while Eagles teammate Ryan Feutz earned the NPL Men’s NNSW Golden Boot award.
It was a good night for Edgeworth as their coach Peter McGuinness was named the NPL Men’s NNSW Coach of the Year for his impressive season which saw the Eagles reach the grand final for the first time since 2020, qualify for the Australia Cup Round of 32 and finish runner-up in the Men’s State Cup.
Maitland FC’s Bronte Peel also shone bright, with the Magpies attacker awarded the Emily van Egmond Medal as the NPL Women’s NNSW Player of the Year.
Peel also won the Players’ Player and Golden Boot awards.
Maitland FC coach Keelan Hamilton was named the NPL Women’s NNSW Coach of the Year for a second year in a row while Charlestown Azzurri defender Kirstyn Pearce earned the NPL Women’s NNSW Media Award.
It was also a big night for the HIT106.9 Northern League One competition, with Belmont Swansea United’s Adam Woodbine named Player of the Year.
NNSWF CEO Peter Haynes congratulated the winners and thanked everyone for another fantastic season.
“Bronte and Seth were extremely deserving winners of the NPL NNSW Player of the Year awards,” Haynes said.
“Seth had an outstanding season in the NPL Men's NNSW competition, receiving the highest honour for his efforts. Bronte continued to excel in the NPL Women’s NNSW competition, receiving awards for her impressive performances and scoring an incredible number of goals this season.
“It was also a big year for football in our region, with promotion and relegation reintroduced to connect the pyramid between the NPL Men’s NNSW, HIT106.9 Northern League One and the Zone Football League. The NPL Women’s competition was an incredibly close and exciting competition this season as well.
“I’d like to thank all the volunteers across our premier clubs for making the season what it was this year. Congratulations to all of the recipients of awards for their success.”
2024 van Egmond Jennings Awards
Player of the Year
NPL Men’s NNSW Graham Jennings Medal: Seth Clark – Edgeworth FC
NPL Women’s NNSW Emily van Egmond Medal: Bronte Peel – Maitland FC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Adam Woodbine – Belmont Swansea United
Players’ Player of the Year
NPL Men’s NNSW: Seth Clark – Edgeworth FC
NPL Women’s NNSW: Bronte Peel – Maitland FC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Kane Woolston – Belmont Swansea United
Coach of the Year
NPL Men’s NNSW: Peter McGuinness – Edgeworth FC
NPL Women’s NNSW: Keelan Hamilton – Maitland FC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Jarrad Hiles – Toronto Awaba FC
Young Player of the Year
NPL Men’s NNSW: Cody Nancarrow – Cooks Hill United
NPL Women’s NNSW: Tori Johnson – Adamstown Rosebud JFC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Daniel Byrne – Kahibah FC
Media Player of the Year
NPL Men’s NNSW: Bailey Wells – Broadmeadow Magic
NPL Women’s NNSW: Kirstyn Pearce – Charlestown Azzurri
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Peter McPherson – Toronto Awaba FC
Golden Boot
NPL Men’s NNSW: Ryan Feutz – Edgeworth FC 24 goals
NPL Women’s NNSW: Bronte Peel – Maitland FC 41 goals
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Kane Woolston – Belmont Swansea United 26 goals
Goalkeeper of the Year
NPL Men’s NNSW Bill Mahoney Award: Ben Kennedy – Lambton Jaffas
NPL Women’s NNSW Debra Carlin Award: Annabella Thornton – Maitland FC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Drew Olsen – Toronto Awaba FC
Referee of the Year
Male Referee of the Year: Andrew Higgins
Female Referee of the Year: Lucy Hungerford
Young Referee of the Year: Caleb Low
Zone League Referee of the Year: Robert Browne
Club of the Year
NPL Men’s NNSW: Cooks Hill United
NPL Women’s NNSW: Newcastle Olympic
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Thornton Redbacks
Fair Play Award
NPL Men’s NNSW: Valentine FC
NPL Women’s NNSW & Premier Youth Leagues Girls: New Lambton FC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Thornton Redbacks FC
Premier Youth Leagues Boys: Toronto Awaba FC
Club Championship Awards
NPL Men’s NNSW: Broadmeadow Magic
NPL Women’s NNSW: Maitland FC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Belmont Swansea United
Premier Youth League Boys: Lambton Jaffas
Premier Youth League Girls: Charlestown Azzurri
Premiership
NPL Men’s NNSW: Broadmeadow Magic
NPL Women’s NNSW: Maitland FC
HIT106.9 Northern League One: Belmont Swansea United (promoted to NPL Men’s NNSW for 2025)
Championship
NPL Men’s NNSW: Broadmeadow Magic
NPL Women’s NNSW: Charlestown Azzurri
State Cup
NPL Men’s NNSW: Lambton Jaffas
NPL Women’s NNSW: Newcastle Olympic
Women’s League Cup
Maitland FC
HMRI Charity Shield
NPL Men’s NNSW: Broadmeadow Magic
NPL Women’s NNSW: Maitland FC
Australia Cup National Representatives
Lambton Jaffas
Edgeworth FC
Volunteer of the Year Awards
NPL Men’s NNSW: Ron Houghton – Lake Macquarie City FC
NPL Women’s NNSW: Scott van Epen – Charlestown Azzurri
HIT106.9 Northern League One: David O’Hearn - Cessnock City Hornets
Premier Youth League: Julia Etel – North Coast Football
Bill Turner Award for Services to Football
Len Keith
50 Years of Service Awards
Tony Martinelli – Charlestown Azzurri
Pina Martinelli – Charlestown Azzurri
25 Years of Service Acknowledgement
David O’Hearn - Cessnock City Hornets
Dave Morley – Cooks Hill United
Paul Osland – Maitland FC
Marg Osland – Maitland FC
Chris Rafferty – Maitland FC
Daphne Patsan – Newcastle Olympic
Peter Willis – Thornton Redbacks
Alan Primmer – Thornton Redbacks
Mark Whitchurch – Thornton Redbacks
Local Champion Awards
Team of the Year: Inverell FC
Referee of the Year: Andrew Goulstone – North Coast Football Referees
Volunteer of the Year: Jilian McTaggart – South Cardiff FC
Coach of the Year: Tim Ward – Garden Suburb FC
Player of the Year: Fiona Scanlon – Cessnock City Hornets
Club of the Year: Gloucester SC