Japanese duo contest IPL’s top gong
The George Naylor Medal winner will be announced on Friday with Yusuke Ueda and Kazuto Kushida nominated for the Illawarra Premier League’s Player of the Season award. The duo follow in the footsteps of countryman Shohei Okuno who became the first Japanese to be crowned the region’s best player in 2016.
Ueda — who will pick up the League’s golden boot — had an exceptional season for Wollongong Olympic with his record 31-goal haul in the regular season making him the favourite to claim the award.
The marksman faces considerable opposition in Kushida who was ever-present for Wollongong United. The midfield metronome was one of the catalysts for the club’s charge to the Grand Final.
Double winners Bulli are in contention for two individual accolades with Matt Bailey and Yuya Kuwata nominated for the Coach of the Year and the Golden Glove respectively. The pair claimed these awards in 2017 and this year they will be up against Olympic’s George Antoniou and Hayden Durose.
The District League’s Neville Arrowsmith Medal will be contested by two former winners of the George Naylor Medal — Bellambi’s Tim O’Brien (2012) and Warilla’s Javier Ovando (2006).
Coniston’s Rod Williams and Ben McGinnes are up for the Coach of the Year and Golden Glove respectively while Dinko Terzic will pick up the top goalscorer award. Bellambi’s Andrew Paine will rival Williams while University shot-stopper Suguru Ieda is the other nominee for the second division’s best goalkeeper.
There are three referees up for the region’s top whistleblower in IPL Grand Final referee Nick Ryan, IDL Grand Final referee Greg Reid and Peter Ilcevski who controlled the Bert Bampton Cup Final.
Awards and nominees
Illawarra Premier League
George Naylor Medal — Yusuke Ueda (Wollongong Olympic), Kazuto Kushida (Wollongong United)
Coach of the Year — Matt Bailey (Bulli), George Antoniou (Wollongong Olympic)
Golden Glove — Yuya Kuwata (Bulli), Hayden Durose (Wollongong Olympic)
Top goalscorer — Yusuke Ueda (Wollongong Olympic)
Player of the Year (Under 23s) — Blake Hewson (Bulli), Jacob Martin (Wollongong United)
Top goalscorer (Under 23s) — Nicholas High (Cringila)
Player of the Year (Youth Grade) — Ekoue D’Almeida (Wollongong Olympic), Luca Gaudiosi (Bulli)
Top goalscorer (Youth Grade) — Robert Liberante (Cringila)
Illawarra District League
Neville Arrowsmith Medal — Tim O’Brien (Bellambi), Javier Ovando (Warilla)
Coach of the Year — Rod Williams (Coniston), Andrew Paine (Bellambi)
Golden Glove — Suguru Ieda (University), Ben McGinnes (Coniston)
Top goalscorer — Dinko Terzic
Player of the year (Youth Grade) — Matthew Poposki (Coniston), Reggae Rowley (Helensburgh)
Top goalscorer (Youth Grade) — Lachlan Cole (Bellambi)
Top goalscorer (Reserve Grade) — Oscar Pruks (Thirroul)
Referees
Referee of the year — Nick Ryan, Greg Reid, Peter Ilcevski
