Welch & Malan big winners from 2023 Hockey WA Annual Awards

As excitement and anticipation built toward the 2023 Hockey WA Premier League Grand Final Day, presented by Brightside Live, the state's hockey contingent turned out to the Hyatt Regency to celebrate the efforts of their peers throughout the season.

Premier League players swapped out their hockey uniforms and dressed to the nines on Monday night during the Hockey WA Annual Awards, where Fremantle Cockburn's Jack Welch and Hale's Line Malan were the big winners of the night, claiming the Olympian's Medal and the Charlesworth Medal respectively.

Despite only playing 11 games throughout the 2023 season, the Kookaburra claimed his first-ever Olympians' medal by racking up 27 votes, pipping Melville's Jake Staines by a single vote (26 votes).

A dominant season with Hale earned Malan back-to-back Charlesworth Medals, polling 24 votes - eight votes ahead of Suburban Lions' Priscilla Mateos (16 votes).

The former South African international also had a strong year outside of the Premier League, receiving her Australian citizenship and representing the Australia A side before lining up for the Perth Thundersticks.

UWA's Cam Geddes and YMCC's Max Freedman continued their meteoric rise through the ranks, with the pair named joint winners of the Paul Gaudoin Youth Player of the Year.

Both Geddes and Freedman made the Burras squad and will look to impress at the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup in December.

Geddes will also line up for the Perth Thundersticks this Hockey One season, while Freedman made the extended squad.

Elyssa Melville claimed the Rechelle Hawkes Youth Player of the Year award following a strong effort during her first Premier League season after Whitford were promoted to the top division this year.

The 19 year old, who was also selected for the Perth Thundersticks for the first time, also put up a massive effort in the Charlesworth Medal vote count, polling 14 votes to finish fifth.

Fremantle Cockburn Hockey Club's Ben Rennie and Old Guildfordians Mundaring Hockey Club's Hunter Banyard were named joint winners of the Fairest and Best Male Goalkeeper award, while Curtin University Hockey Club's Evie Dalton won the Fairest and Best Female Goalkeeper award.

Hale Hockey Club's Liam Flynn added a sixth Eric Pearce Top Goal Scorer for Men award to his collection, scoring a record 57 goals throughout the 2023 season, while Westside Wolves Elly Buckley won the Jackie Pereira Top Goal Scorer for Women award with her 19-goal effort, two years after she won the same award in 2021.

Aran Zalewski and Karri Somerville were named the Perth Thundersticks Players of the Year.