Royals celebrate trifecta of award winners at 2024 Football Victoria Gala Night

Essendon Royals’ brilliant seasons at senior level was recognised at the 2024 Football Victoria Gala Night last Friday, which saw three players come away with league-wide awards.

Bethany Mason-Jones’ incredible season in goals for the Royals senior women’s side was rewarded by winning the NPLW Victoria Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Meanwhile, senior men’s duo Graham Kelly and Jordan Adeyemi took home the VPL2 Players’ Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards respectively.

Mason-Jones was central to Royals securing a finals berth on the first-time of asking after their promotion from VPLW, putting together a number of top quality performances between the sticks.

Kelly – on the other hand – was a key fulcrum to the Royals’ fourth place finish this year, marshalling things brilliantly in the middle of the park and adding eight goals to his name.

His teammate, Adeyemi, was one of the signings of the season, scoring 15 goals and finishing equal-first in the Golden Boot race with Goulburn Valley Suns’ Callum Schorah.