GSSA 2025: Top young talents take home Brinham-Dibble medals at annual gala awards night to end season

The Great Southern Soccer Association’s annual awards gala on Saturday culminated in recognising the top players and teams across divisions and honouring the Brinham-Dibble medallists. The top awards of the night, the coveted Brinham-Dibble medals, awarded each year to the best performing male and female league player, went to two promising young players. Caledonians’ Libby Morris, who was named best on ground after a four-goal haul helped the women’s league side clinch the title in the Brenda McCann testimonial match, bagged the women’s medal. Phoenix all-round talent Malcolm Van Burgel won the men’s medal. Both players went home with a swag of awards on the night, with Morris also awarded the Andy Walsh young player of the year and the golden boot award on an untouchable 30 goals for the season. It was also quite the season for Van Burgel, snagging the golden boot award on 23 goals and winning coaches’ player of the year on 19 votes, eight votes clear of his closest rival. Caledonians’ Nathan Kay came in second for coaches’ player of the year on 11 votes, with Polonia’s Escher Nash third on eight votes. Riley Marsh was runner-up for the Brinham-Dibble Medal on 13 votes in the men’s league, and in the women’s league competition Caledonians’ Shelley Thompson and Rovers’ Georgia Whitelaw tied for runner-up on 21 votes, both four behind Morris on 25. Marsh was also named the Andy Walsh young player of the year in the men’s league. Thompson was voted coaches’ player of the year in the women’s league with 12 votes, clear of Phoenix’s Tahlia Bergsma by three votes, with teammate Emily Clay rounding out a close top three on eight votes. The Great Southern women’s country week team was also celebrated on the night after it brought home the title at the inaugural tournament, downing Leeuwin-Naturaliste in the grand final. In the reserves competition, Caledonians’ Ben Harris was fairest and best for the men’s on 19 votes, with teammate Ehler Mauw close behind on 17, while Phoenix’s Amaya Dobbe claimed the women’s award on 30 votes, a clear winner with 11 votes between her and Wendy Meijeri in second on 19 votes. Dobbe also took home the golden boot award with her impressive 43-goal haul, and Phoenix’s Reagan Korthuis won the golden boot in the men’s with his 19 goals for the season. In the women’s development league, Polonia’s Chloe Coxall took home the golden boot on 16 goals, and teammate Lucy McNamee won fairest and best, ahead of runner-up Tiffany Parsons. In the men’s social competition, Phoenix’s Nathan Groenwold was named fairest and best, and Rovers’ James Best and Denmark’s Jake Loreto tied for the golden boot on 18 goals apiece. Caledonians’ Layla Harrop was fairest and best in the women’s socials, and also claimed the golden boot with 20 goals.