The Mariners Medal dinner took place on Sunday night, with eleven total awards handed out to players, staff and volunteers. Held at the incredible Crowne Plaza in Terrigal, the night celebrated what has been an amazing regular season.
Josh Nisbet walked away with four awards, including the prestigious Mariners Medal for his incredible 2022/23 campaign. Marco Tulio also received multiple awards, highlighted with the Players’ Player trophy.
Collaborative Mariners Medal – Josh Nisbet
Having made his debut for the Mariners in a 2018 FFA Cup after coming through the Mariners academy, the midfielder has played 91 times for the club, becoming a mainstay in the squad.
Nisbet played the third most minutes for the Central Coast this season, a total of 1,999. He scored two goals, both coming late on in the season, including a crucial equaliser against Melbourne City.
He also finished the season with the second most touches of any player, as well as the highest pass accuracy of anyone who played more than one game. The beating heart of the Central Coast midfield, this is the first Mariners Medal for Josh Nisbet.
Coaches Player of the Year Award – Brian Kaltak
Joining the Mariners at the beginning of this season on his first professional contract, Brian Kaltak has been a revelation for the Central Coast this season. Starting in every game that he has played in except for one, the Vanuatu captain has been the rock of the Mariners defence.
Known for his incredible tackles and amazing aerial ability, nicknamed ‘The Brick Wall of Gosford’, Kaltak was rewarded for his good form by being awarded the Coaches Player of the Year.
Players’ Player Award – Marco Tulio
Marco Tulio has taken the league by storm, becoming one of the most inform and skilful players in the A-League competition. The striker has had 13 goal contributions this season, partnering up perfectly with Socceroo Jason Cummings.
His consistent contributions to the side from not only scoring and assisting but also doing the small important details, have seen him been rewarded by his fellow players as their Player of the Season.
Chairman’s Award – Matt Simon
After retiring as a player at the beginning of this season, Matt Simon immediately took up the role of Head of Recruitment and Player Welfare for the Mariners. The former striker excelled in the position, becoming an integral part of the Mariners staff.
Our all-time leading goal scorer then moved into the role of Sporting Director, doing a bit of everything to help the club run smoothly. As a result, Simon was awarded the 2023 Chairman’s award.
Hawkesbury Brewing Co Golden Boot Winner – Jason Cummings
Following on from collecting the golden boot last season, Jason Cummings made it two in a row on Sunday night. 16 goals in 25 A-League games sealed him the award, which included four doubles.
The striker finished the season just one short of the Mariners all time goalscoring record for a single regular season, going along with his five assists.
Noel Spencer Goal of the Year – Marco Tulio
Five goals were shortlisted for the award, with Marco Tulio’s stunning strike in the F3 Derby winning the award. After collecting the ball just over the half way line, the Brazilian took a shot from distance after seeing Jack Duncan off his line.
The Newcastle goalkeeper could only watch as the ball sailed over his head, opening our account on the day as we went on to win 3-0. Tulio beat out Garang Kuol, Sam Silvera, James McGarry and Jason Cummings for the award.
Yellow and Navy Newcomer Award – Nectar Triantis
In his first season for the Central Coast Mariners, 19-year-old defender Nectar Triantis was awarded the Yellow and Navy Newcomer Award. Having joined from Western Sydney, where he only played seven minutes of A-League football last year, the Young Socceroo captain has been a mainstay in the centre of defence for the Coast this season.
Triantis has played a total of 1,617 minutes in 22 matches, while also missing time for multiple stints in the youth national team. He has created a brilliant partnership with Brian Kaltak, with the duo regarded as one of the top defensive units in the league.
McDonalds Fan’s Player of the Year, CCMOSC Player of the Year, Damien Brown Medal – Josh Nisbet
Josh Nisbet received three fan voted awards to kick off the night, being rewarded for his consistent effort throughout the season.
The McDonalds fans Player of the Year is an accumulation of all of the votes for player of the week throughout the season, while the CCMOSC award comes from the Mariners Official Supporters Club. He also walked away with the Damien Brown Medal, named after the Mariners inaugural player.
Lasercraft Volunteer of the Year – Caroline Sutas
Caroline Sutas is one of the original Mariners volunteers, having been a part of the club since it was established. She has always gone above and beyond, being a familiar face at the ground over the years.
Her current role is to co-ordinate all of the ball kids, making sure that they are prepared and looked after. She also manages all match balls, an extremely important job. Everyone at the Central Coast Mariners wants to thank Caroline for her incredible contribution to the club.
