Only one player had done it before. Joe Guest has joined him

Joe Guest has put his name alongside one of Victorian football’s great individual records after taking home the 2026 NPL Victoria Gold Medal.

The Oakleigh Cannons captain and NPL great secured back-to-back honours, becoming only the second player in the award’s history to win it three times.

Guest joins George Jolevski, who won three consecutive Gold Medals between 1997 and 1999.

Football Victoria CEO Dan Birrell said: “It’s always a wonderful night when our football community comes together to celebrate the people who make our game so special.

“While tonight recognises some incredibly worthy individual performances and achievements, it’s also a celebration of the collective effort, passion and commitment that drives football across Victoria every day.

“Congratulations to everyone recognised tonight and thank you for the contribution you continue to make to our game and our community.”

It further cements an extraordinary NPL Victoria legacy for the Englishman.

Guest first won the Gold Medal in 2019 before claiming his second in 2025, when he finished nine votes clear of Heidelberg United striker Bul Juach.

Now, 12 months later, he has done it again. The latest honour follows another influential season at the heart of Oakleigh’s midfield.

Guest scored nine goals as the Cannons claimed the NPL Victoria Premiership and reached the Grand Final, while he was also selected in the competition’s Team of the Season.

His year even included a detour to Germany, where Guest represented Australia at the Socca World Cup and became the Sixaroos’ all-time leading World Cup goalscorer with seven goals as they reached the Round of 16.

Then he returned to Oakleigh and helped drive their push for silverware.

NPLW
Gold Medal: Sarah Cain (FC Bulleen Lions)
Players' Player: Kelli McGroarty (Essendon Royals SC)
Golden Boot: Kelli McGroarty (Essendon Royals SC)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Alyssa Dall’Oste (FC Bulleen Lions)
Coach of the Year: Luka Vah (Boroondara Eagles FC)

NPLM
Gold Medal: Joe Guest (Oakleigh Cannons FC)
Players' Player: Bruno Fornaroli (Avondale FC)
Golden Boot: Bruno Fornaroli (Avondale FC)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Ryan Scott (Preston Lions FC)
Coach of the Year: Nick Hegarty (Hume City FC)

VPLW
Best & Fairest: An Sugamori (Geelong Galaxy FC)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Kelly O’Brien (Southern United FC)
Players’ Player: Isobel Berks (Eltham Redbacks FC)
Coach of the Year: Jake Butler (Geelong Galaxy FC)
Golden Boot: Addison Steiner (Bundoora United SC)

VPLM1
Best and Fairest: Dylan Allshorn (Brunswick City SC)
Players' Player: Marko Basic (Brunswick Juventus FC)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Lucas Trenkovski (Melbourne Knights FC)
Coach of the Year: Michael Calandrella (Melbourne Knights FC)
Golden Boot: Mikey Ghossaini (Melbourne Victory FC)

VPLM2
Best and Fairest: Callum Schorah (Goulburn Valley Suns FC)
Players' Player: Michael Hornsby (Malvern City FC)
Goalkeeper of the Year: Thom Jonkerman (Nunawading FC)
Coach of the Year: Craig Carley (Goulburn Valley Suns FC)
Golden Boot: Eyob Zewdie (Eastern Lions SC) & Stephen MacDonald (Malvern City FC)

Community Awards
Community Goal of the Year: Alby Prendergast
Community Inclusion Award: Melbourne Rovers SC
Community Impact Award: Middle Park FC
Female Coach of the Year: Davide Codini (Darebin Falcons)
Male Coach of the Year: Katie Goodman (Tyers Lightning)
Volunteer of the Year: Jess Hughes (Truganina Lions FC)
Regional Club of the Year: Woodend Eagles SC
Metropolitan Club of the Year: Frankston Pines SC

Football Victoria Referee Awards (awarded Friday, September 18)
Referees’ Referee of the Year: Lucas Mattia & Matthew Ouliaris
NPLM Referee of the Year: Adam Bavcar
NPLM Assistant Referee of the Year: Luke Gennimatas
NPLW Referee of the Year: Angelique Mangion
NPLW Assistant Referee: Helena Panagiotidis
Rising Star: Lynn Cho Man Yan & Matthew Maroulis
State League High Performance: Jonathan Freeman & Ben Hosken
Local Hero: Ben Reeve, Andrew McBurnie & Lauren White
Whistle Of Hope: Ryan Scott (Preston Lions FC)
Men’s Futsal Referee: Adrian Attard
Women’s Futsal Referee: Maria Patrikis
Community Female Referee: Robyn Alhajji
Community Male Referee: Davide Di Francesco

Media Awards
Club Media Award: Hume City
Bill Fleming Media Award: Michael Tzoutzidis (Caroline Springs George Cross FC)
NPLW Media Player of the Year: Kelli McGroarty (Essendon Royals SC)
NPLM Rising Star: Lebib Lebib (Oakleigh Cannons FC)
NPLW Rising Star: Fiorina Iaria (Preston Lions FC)
Les Shorrock Best Football Image Award: Joao Tam