Nikolai Topor-Stanley has been named the Newcastle Jets Hyundai A-League Player of the Year for the 2018/19 season.
In a further gong for the commanding centre-back he’s also taken out the Ray Baartz Medal, awarded by the Men of Football.
Vice-captain of the mens side and a pivotal figure in the centre of defence, Topor-Stanley is in the midst of a second term at the Club.
He’s been absolutely crucial over this season for the Jets, playing every single minute of every single game across the Hyundai A-League, AFC Champions League, and the FFA Cup.
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In fact, Topor-Stanley’s run of consecutive games currently stands at 69 – reaching all the way back through last year and to his first stint at the Club which ended in 2012.
Alongside captain and fellow veteran defender, Nigel Boogaard, Nikolai Topor-Stanley has stood tall right throughout the 2018/19 campaign.
The 34-year-old leads the league in interceptions (135), break-ups (134), contests won (175), and aerial contest wins (111).
He’s also right up the charts in a number of other categories, including effective tackles, clearances, and blocks.
The Player of the Year award is selected by the Newcastle Jets coaching staff, and Hyundai A-League Head Coach, Ernie Merrick, deemed Topor-Stanley a deserved winner.
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“He was superb last year but somehow, Nikolai stepped up a gear this season and he’s a deserved winner,” Merrick said.
“You’ve only got to look at the stats to see what kind of a contribution he has made to the team in terms of numbers, but he’s so much more than that off the pitch with his leadership attributes and his presence around the group.
“His ability to pick the side up and drive it in a positive direction, to lead guys around the park, and to menace opposition attackers is first class and they’re all qualities which have been on full display this year.”
Incredibly, this is the second time which Nikolai Topor-Stanley has taken out the Club Player of the Year award. During his first stint at the club, the defender claimed the top honour for the Hyundai A-League 2010/11 season.
