Thunder coach ends on top

DANDENONG Thunder coach Stuart Munro was named the VPL Coach of the Year at Football Federation Victoria’s annual Gold Medal night.
It was just reward for the first-year Thunder coach who led his charges to 15 wins, five draws and just two losses in the regular season, seeing Dandenong claim the minor premiership in a canter, four wins ahead of second-placed Altona Magic.
The achievement was all the more remarkable with Munro forced into a late-season reshuffle after he lost two of his star defenders, Jack Hingert (A-League) and Sam Bayley (injury).
In other news from the night, Joe Di Iorio claimed the Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals during the regular season with 18, three ahead of Heidelberg United’s Osagie Ederaro.
Hume City’s Ross Thompson won the Gold Medal, the award for the best player in the league.