18-year-old defender Sam Gallaway has been named the Player of the Season for the National Youth League side.
Taking out the coveted Player of the Season Award for the club-s National Youth League side was 18-year-old defender Sam Gallaway.
The Northern NSW product has had an incredible year, going from living in a dorm room at the AIS to sealing a Hyundai A-League contract with the Jets for the next two seasons.
“It-s amazing, a real dream come true,” Gallaway said during Monday night-s Presentation Evening.
“I started off at the AIS and it was great down there, I learned a lot, then coming to Newcastle was obviously a good decision for me because now I-ve been lucky enough to get a place in the first team. It-s been a great journey.”
“It-s every young boys dream to play at the top level in the country so getting the call-up to play A-League football was definitely a highlight for me this year.”
The Coffs Harbour-born Gallaway has plied his trade as both a right-back and as a central defender for Craig Deans- NYL side this campaign, and his standout performances at the back brought about his call-up to the top grade.
But a humble Gallaway explained that the team around him helped his development and it was his teammates who deserve the credit for his rapid progress.
“There-s a lot of quality boys in our team so to win the award is a thrill. I-m very honoured,” he said.
As he continues on this meteoric rise, Gallaway said he was hoping to spend more time on the park next season with one of the gala night-s other award winners, Nikolai Topor-Stanley.
“He-s amazing to play with. He just controls everything, he-s a great player.”
“But you can only go week-by-week, so we-ll have to see what next season brings,” Gallaway said.
Meanwhile, the Jets’ NYL team has two matches to play this season, with their final home game coming up against Brisbane Roar at Adamstown Oval on February 18.
