Club members from Wynnum Wolves FC bid a sad farewell to their Japanese midfield maestro, Naoki Maeda, at the club’s Awards Night last Saturday.
Maeda announced his retirement from football at the end of the current season and will be returning home to Japan this week after being away from home on a personal football journey over an eight-year stretch.
“I love this club, but it is time for me to go home to my family,” Maeda said.
The diminutive midfield general will be sorely missed by his Wynnum family and teammates next season, not only for his outstanding footballing ability but for the passion and personality he has brought to the club over the past two years.
There was not a dry eye in the house at the Officers’ Mess, New Farm on Saturday as the club played a final tribute video to Naoki to say thank you and to wish him a heartfelt farewell.
Fittingly, Naoki also took out the club’s major award on the night, the Clarrie Shenton Medal and Perpetual Trophy, after being named Wolves’ NPL Men’s Players’ Player of the 2025 season. This follows on from his Wayne Gracey Medal as the Coach’s Player of the Year in 2024.
A crowd of 180 were in the room on Saturday night for Wynnum’s major 2025 Awards Night to celebrate a fantastic season of football from its senior teams.
The winner of the 2025 Wayne Gracey Medal and Perpetual Trophy for NPL Men’s Coach’s Player of the Year was midfielder Josip Milicevic, a reward for an outstanding season in his first year at the bayside club.
The FQPL 3 Women took out the Eddie Wilkins Perpetual Trophy as the club’s Senior Team of the Year following their fourth-placed finish and semi-finals appearance in 2025.
Winner of the FQPL Women’s Player of the Year Award was Mikayla Coates, while youngster Charlotte Reid was voted the team’s Players’ Player and goalkeeper Charlie Myers the Rookie of the Year for 2025.
Our Golden Boot Awards went to Jez Lofthouse (10 goals) and Lara Randles (20 goals).
The club’s Academy 17 Girls and Academy 18 Boys were also a part of the club’s major Awards evening for the first time, having trained closely with our FQPL Women and NPL 23s during the season.
Their Award winners were:
Academy 18 Boys – Coach’s Player of the Year, Tyler Bruton; Players’ Player of the Year, Arie Kerkwyk.
Academy 17 Girls – Coach’s Player of the Year, Nala Milani; Players’ Player of the Year, Dominique Hepplewhite.
To see a full gallery of our award winners from the night, click here
ENDS