Francis De Vries won the members’ vote for player of the year after his breakout A-League campaign. His defensive prowess and deadly left foot, which earned him a spot back in the men’s national team, provided seven assists and two goals.
Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen, who has played every minute so far on loan from English Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, was named the player’s player of the season.
The former Wellington Phoenix star had another rock-solid campaign between the sticks, keeping 12 clean sheets.
On the night, Logan Rogerson was honoured for scoring the club’s first-ever hat-trick in the Black Knights’ 6-1 victory over the Wellington Phoenix in the third domestic derby.
That hat-trick was initially awarded to fellow forward Neyder Moreno before league officials overturned the on-field referee’s decision after Rogerson was seen deflecting the shot into the net.
At the Phoenix’s awards night on Tuesday, women’s captain Annalie Longo and men’s forward Kosta Barbarouses scooped the major accolades.
The pair won the members’ players of the year, media players of the year, players’ players of the year and the sponsor’s players of the year honours.
Longo, the long-serving Football Fern who retired from the professional game after the women’s final match, also collected the Lloyd Morrison Spirit of the Phoenix award for her leadership of the women’s team.
Both Phoenix sides missed qualification for their respective A-League playoffs, while minor premiers Auckland FC find out their semifinal opponents after the elimination finals on Saturday.
Auckland FC’s upcoming fixtures
Away semifinal
May 17: Auckland FC v (lowest-ranked elimination final winner), Australia
Home semifinal
May 24: Auckland FC v (lowest-ranked elimination final winner), Go Media Stadium, 6pm
Grand final
June 1: TBD v TBD
Bonnie Jansen is a multimedia journalist in the NZME sports team. She’s a football commentator and co-host of the Football Fever podcast, and was part of the Te Rito cadetship scheme before becoming a fulltime journalist.
