GSFL 2023: Railways gun Logan Stubber holds on in tight finish to Coaches’ Player of the Year despite injury

Railways midfielder Logan Stubber has become a dual winner of the Great Southern Football League Coaches’ Player of the Year Award. Stubber is just the second player to win the top honour, judged by the GSFL league coaches, on more than one occasion. Zane Marwick has won the prestigious title on three occasions (2015, 2017 and 2018) and now Stubber is a two-time winner after his triumph on Monday night. The award was announced during the Kleemann Medal presentations and despite missing two of the final three games with injury, Stubber hung on for victory. The 27-year-old failed to poll in the final three rounds but claimed the award with 58 votes, six clear of teammate Jayden Scott (52 votes). Just eight votes separated the top five after 15 rounds with Mt Barker’s Daniel Patching and Albany’s Bryce Blaszkow next with 51 while the Sharks’ Isaac Baum finished with 50. When voting went silent Stubber led by nine votes from Baum with neither polling while Blaszkow moved to outright third. Scott picked up nine votes in his side’s round 14 loss to the Sharks to leap to 52. Patching, Baum and Blaszkow polled in the same round 15 game but it didn’t affect the final result. It is the second time in three seasons Stubber has been the coaches’ pick across the regular season, winning the same honour in 2021. The award, sponsored by WFI Insurance’s Darrell Panizza, is voted on with a 5-4-3-2-1 system of players from both teams by each league coach at the completion of every home and away game. 2023 Coaches’ Player of the Year Award - Final Leaderboard 58: Logan Stubber (RAIL) 52: Jayden Scott (RAIL) 51: Daniel Patching (MB) Bryce Blaszkow (ALB) 50: Isaac Baum (ALB) 42: Stephen Beal (ROY) Zach Jackson (MB) 39: Bodhi Stubber (RAIL) 38: Joel Want (RAIL) 35: Beau Ewen (RAIL) Joel Flick (ROY) 34: Jack Beeck (ALB) 32: Darcy Wallinger (MB) Robbie Lee (ALB) 31: Matt Orzel (NA) 30: Corey Ward (ROY) 26: Kane Pinney (ALB) 24: Nick Barrow (NA) Brayden Parker (ROY) David Parker (ROY) 23: Lee Pavlovich (MB) Taj Williams (ALB) Kane Shephard (RAIL) 22: Tyler Stone (DW) 21: Ryan Flick (ROY) Brett Peake (ALB) Cameron Jones (ALB) 20: Jyrin Woods (NA)