Established in season 2008-09, the Western Suburbs Cricket Club Team of the Year was the first award of its kind in the club that recognised contributions to a team performance in that player's role - rather than based on statistics. The team is selected by all senior captains and the club coach, with a chairman conducting the selection process at the captain's dinner at the conclusion of each season.

Selections are based simply on the concept of "Who have been the best openers/spinner/opening bowlers etc. this season?" and aims to fill the voids from the past where players with great seasons have moved up grades and not spent enough time in a grade to win the batting/bowling awards in that grade.

About

Following a workplace accident that left him permanently injured, Chris Mudd dedicated his life to the game of cricket - with his local club Western Suburbs being his ultimate passion. Chris began his involvement in a coaching capacity in the early 1990s with Western Suburbs and over time his efforts had spread into both the senior and junior ranks at the club.

But Chris was more than just a coach at Western Suburbs - he filled a variety of off-field roles including selector, committee member and chief organisor of junior cricketing programs. His long-standing involvement in the sporting careers of many Plovers spanned from the very early ages of junior cricket right up to adulthood - with Chris playing a large part in the development of the players not just on the field, but as a mentor away from the game.

His dedication to the game saw him apply his coaching and administrative skills to not just Western Suburbs, but also to the Maitland, Hunter Valley districts and beyond.

Chris lost his battle with cancer in December 2012 - with Western Suburbs dedicating the Clubperson of the Year Trophy in Chris's honour. There is also a charity Twenty20 match, tradionally played to close out the season, with Chris's two sons Nathan and Lincoln captaining the respective teams. The match aims to raise money for the Chris's nominated charity, the Maitland-Dungog Community Palliative Care Service.

About

Brad Shone's sudden passing at the commencement of the 1992-93 season rocked not only the Western Suburbs Cricket Club, but also the greater cricket communities across the Hunter Valley and Newcastle. To honour Brad's memory and inspire future generations of Western Suburbs cricketers, the club commissioned a memorial trophy to be awarded to the player who most demonstrates the qualities that Brad Shone brought to the club.