GREEN Gully skipper Dean Fak capped off another immaculate season by being named the club’s player of the year for 2006.
The unassuming defender was honoured for his fantastic season at the Cavaliers’ presentation night on Friday.
Fak won the award ahead of retiring midfielder Lubo Lapsansky, with New Zealand international Jeffrey Fleming third.
The captain played 26 games for the Cavaliers this year, anchoring the defence brilliantly and also sneaking forward for one goal. He played a major part in Green Gully’s mid-season resurgence, which saw the team sneak into the finals before being eliminated by eventual premier South Melbourne.
Fak also led the Cavaliers to their fourth Victorian Premier League premiership last year.
Kurt Farrugia, who arrived at Green Gully Reserve this season from Maltese club Pieta Hotspurs, was named under 21 player of the year.
At Melbourne Knights, another defender took out the best and fairest, with Neven Antic a popular winner at the club’s presentation on Saturday.
Similarly to Fak, Antic proved almost impassable in the Melbourne defence, playing 25 games and finding the score sheet once.
The demoted Sunshine Georgies had cause for optimism at the weekend when midfielder Brett Gilmour was rewarded for his outstanding season by being named club champion.
Gilmour won the award from a deserved second-place winner Colin Azzopardi.
St Albans defender Ilija Rados won his club’s best and fairest award in the Saints’ first season back in State League One, while goalkeeper Damir Salcin was named players’ player of the year.
