Mackenzie Barry and Kosta Barbarouses have claimed the supreme honours at the Wellington Phoenix awards night, winning women's and men's players of the year following their teams' best A-League regular seasons.
Barry, who was also named the women's players' player of the year, was a rock at the back for the 'Nix in her third A-League season, missing just two of their 22 matches. She became the first women's player to play 50 matches for Wellington in the team's final match of the season.
"I'm stoked, I'm a bit lost for words," Barry said. "I'm super proud of everyone in the team and I'm really happy to be receiving this award.
"It's an amazing honour. Unexpected, but I'm really happy with it."
Barbarouses, 34, led the recordbreaking men's team with 13 goals to claim the Golden Boot award and was also named the men's player of the year by the media.
The forwards enjoyed his second-most prolific goalscoring season, and he's taken his career tally to 93, which is fourth all-time in the men's A-League and the most by a New Zealander.
"I'm very, very proud," Barbarouses said. "I won this [player of the year] award last time I was here, after a pretty disappointing season.
"It feels a lot better to do it when the team's going well.
"I'm a proud Wellingtonian as well, so it means a hell of a lot to me to win this award. I just want to keep helping the club achieve what it deserves to achieve."
Other players were recognised for the roles they played in helping the women's and men's teams to their highest point tallies. Academy graduates Macey Fraser and Alex Paulsen swept the members' awards, winning the U23 and overall players of the year.
Members also voted Fraser's stunning free-kick against Western United in round four the women's goal of the season, while Paulsen's peers named the young goalkeeper the men's players' player of the year.
Venezuela international Mariana Speckmaier received the women's Golden Boot, after finding the back of the net 10 times in her maiden A-League season, and she was also named the women's player of the year by the media.
Attacking midfielder Ben Old collected the men's goal of the season award for his thunderous strike against Adelaide United in round 19, and Ella McMillan and Lukas Kelly-Heald were named the academy players of the year.
Wellington Phoenix men are awaiting the final game of the A-League season - Central Coast Mariners v Adelaide United - to see if they have won their first Premiers Plate. Wellington need the Mariners to lose to claim the title.
