Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Bran Kaltak, a Perth Glory keeper, was honored for his outstanding first time in purple at the club’s end-of-season awards night on Tuesday. The towering centre-back was named the team’s men’s Most Beautiful Player.
Tijan McKenna, a self-assured fresh gun, won the women’s Most Beautiful Player award despite playing in a position for the majority of the season, cementing her position as one of Australia’s best prospects.
Kaltak became the 13th person in its 29-year past to get the men’s MGP, and the first one since Mark Beevers in 2023, in a typically dominated by soldiers.
The 32-year-old overcame a slower start to the period where he initially struggled to find the kind that gave him the edge in Central Coast Mariners ‘ remarkable vocals in 2024.
Kaltak and other recruit Scott Wootton formed a strong centre-back partnership as part of a much improved Glory defense that scored 17 goals less this year.
According to FotMob, Kaltak was ranked second in the league in terms of clearances ( 173 ) and seventh in terms of blocks ( 22 ) and interceptions ( 33 ).
McKenna, 21, won the women’s top individual award last year after winning the players ‘ player and members ‘ player of the year awards.
Following Naomi Chinamma’s season-ending damage, McKenna was shifted to center-back after originally playing full-back and central midfield and excelled.
After a slow start in the center of defence, McKenna’s on-ball calmness and numerous last-ditch interventions earned her the A-League Women’s Player of the Month title in December, and she kept up her strong shape throughout the period.
Kaltak, who also won the people’s users’ and people ‘ participant of the year awards, broke Adam Taggart’s two-game MGP winning streak, but he was not left with a bag because he shared the golden shoe prize with Tom Lawrence and Nicholas Pennington.
Teresa Morrissey won the women’s users’ and people ‘ player of the year awards despite her excellent first time in Perth.
Gio De Abreu, a tough playmaker, and Grace Johnston, a constantly present full-back, were named men’s DT38 fresh player of the year and women’s best young person, both.
Rola Badawiya won the women’s gold boot and purpose of the year for her rounded two attack against Brisbane Roar, while Jaiden Kucharski won the men’s objective of the year prize for his crackling, injury-time winner against Auckland FC.
The pub also paid a special gift to retired story Josh Risdon to indicate his retirement from the professional game following a glittering 16-year career that saw him break the A-League record.
