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ABC News

Sport

Fiona Worts and Jake Brimmer take out A-Leagues' top gongs at 2021/22 Dolan Warren Awards

Fiona Worts Jake Brimmer Adelaide United Melbourne Victory Adelaide (Organization) PFA Julie Dolan Melbourne City Sam Kerr Denis Genreau

Brimmer and Worts were voted the A-Leagues' Players of the Year. (Artwork by Kyle Pollard.)

Adelaide United striker Fiona Worts and Melbourne Victory midfielder Jake Brimmer have won the top gongs at Australian football's biggest awards night

Worts, who currently plies her trade for Lillestrøm in Norway, was awarded the prestigious Julie Dolan Medal for the A-League Women's best player in her second stint with the Reds.

She finished one point ahead of Brisbane Roar and Matildas midfielder Katrina Gorry (18), while youngsters Holly McNamara and Mackenzie Hawkesby finished equal-third (15).

Adelaide United's Fiona Worts at Hindmarsh Stadium. (ABC News: Brant Cumming)

The 26-year-old Englishwoman also took out the league's Golden Boot award with 13 goals in 14 games, just pipping Football Ferns and Melbourne City striker Hannah Wilkinson (12) and Adelaide team-mate Chelsie Dawber (10).

In the A-League Men's, Jake Brimmer took out the Johnny Warren Medal after a stand-out campaign with Melbourne Victory, scoring seven goals and assisting seven more as the club bounced back from its wooden spoon last year to finish second, one point behind premiers Melbourne City.

The 24-year-old is the first Australian male player to win the award after Nathan Burns in 2014/15. He finished seven points clear of second-placed James O'Shea from Brisbane Roar (25), while Adelaide United's Craig Goodwin finished third (24).

Both awards are tallied on a 3-2-1 basis by a panel including a technical expert, a media representative, a former professional player, and a combined vote from the match officials.

Worts is the third international player to win the Julie Dolan, and was crucial in helping Adelaide qualify for their first ever finals series with a third-placed finish.

"Julie Dolan has played an incredible part in making football what it is in Australia today, so it's not only incredibly special to receive this award but also to have her announce it," Worts said.

"There's an incredible list of players who've [also] won the Golden Boot in Australia and a lot of amazing players that haven't, as well.

"To see the kinds of careers those players have gone on to have, it just really excites me for what the future might hold for me.

"The ultimate goal of a striker is to try and score as many goals as possible, and obviously to win the Golden Boot means I've done that job for my team this season."

Worts made headlines during the season when she revealed she could not participate in her team's celebrations after their finals qualification because she had to fly back to Adelaide to work a shift at McDonald's the next day.

Her story, as well as her absence from the awards night due to now playing in Norway, highlighted the ongoing plight of Australia's top-flight women players who were seeking to turn football into a full-time career — something many hope next year's Women's World Cup will accelerate.

The men's Golden Boot award was won for a second consecutive time by Melbourne City striker Jamie Maclaren, who netted 25 goals in 24 regular-season games.

The Socceroo also scored the winner in City's semi-final against Adelaide to take them through to Sunday's grand final against Western United. He is the first male player to win three Golden Boots in the league's history.

City's impressive season in both the men's and women's competitions also saw them claim the inaugural Club Championship award in recognition of their combined efforts, finishing first and second in their respective leagues.

Thursday also saw awards presented by Australia's player's union, the PFA, as voted on by the players themselves.

Matildas captain Sam Kerr took out the Women's PFA Player of the Year after a remarkable season with Chelsea, while Socceroos midfielder Tom Rogic won the men's award after clinching the Scottish Premiership title under Ange Postecoglou at Celtic.

Sam Kerr was voted by her peers as the PFA Women's Player of the Year for 2021/22. (AP / PA: Mike Egerton)

Matildas attacker Mary Fowler and Socceroos midfielder Denis Genreau, who recently won promotion to France's top-flight with his club Toulouse, took out the PFA's Young Players awards.