Thompson, Peel and Gossner share honours at Maitland Magpies awards

Thompson was named Most Outstanding Player, Players' Player, Leading Goal Scorer and won the Golden Boot for the best goal.

Thompson also won the Northern NSW NPL Players Player award.

Ty Cousins' breakout year was recognised with the Most Improved Player award.

The major awards were shared in the inaugural Magpies WPL awards with Tahlia Gossner taking out the Most Outstanding Player and young star Bronte Peel being named Players' Player.

Peel also won the Leading Goal Scorer with 10 goals for the season and the club's WPL Player of the Year award.

Her recognition at club level followed being named WPL Young Player of the Year at the competition awards at which she was also named in the WPL Team of the Year.

Madeline Gallegos won the Golden Boot for the best goal of the year for her 94th minute winner against Adamstown.

Taleah Mountford received the most improved player award for the WPL team.

Thompson said his success at the awards was a great way to cap off his best year at the Magpies after they were unable to play finals because of the COVID lockdown.

He said there were a few different factors behind his successful season.

"I think I've matured as a player.

"Given the inexperience of our squad Bolchy (coach Mick Bolch) gave me as much freedom as possible to help the team out on the field," he said.

"I suppose I set a mental goal for myself that if I needed to push myself further if we were going to be successful this season.

"I kind of told myself at the start of the year that with the squad we had we weren't being able to be in the top three position unless someone was going to score 10 goals.

"I didn't think anyone in our team could do that at this stage, I didn't think I could to be honest.

"Someone needed to step up and to be honest a few of us did which allowed me to do what I needed to do and influence the team the way I did."

Thompson played a variety of roles on his way to scoring 12 goals for the season.

"I played left wing, right wing, striker, attacking midfielder pretty much wherever Bolchy needed me," he said.

"We would talk before the match, usually on a Friday night and discuss the opposition line-up and identify any weaknesses and I would be assigned a player to exploit those weaknesses."

Thompson said a full pre-season had also helped him because a bad back had restricted him in the past.

"It was the fittest I had ever been, the strongest I have been and the most driven I guess," he said.

In other awards on the night, Jackie Murnain and Dan Robins were recognised with the President's Award for club person of the year.

Long-time servants Mick Mirisch and Dan Barge received the Bruce Humphries Award for exceptional dedication and commitment.

Tarrel Chisunga was named the Most Outstanding Player in NPL reserve grade and shared the Player's Player award with Ben Martin.

Martin was the leading goal scorer.

Airlie Gray won the Most Outstanding Player in WPL reserve grade.

Taylah Bryde was named the Players' Player and was the leading goal scorer.