The Wanderer Grounds podcast: The very best of the Halifax Wanderers’ 2023 season

The Canadian Premier League will announce its 2023 regular season award-winners on Thursday, Oct. 26, but here at The Coast, reporters Martin Bauman and Matt Stickland have come up with a far more prestigious (and definitely official) set of awards: The inaugural Wanderer Grounds Awards. Er… Groundies? Wandies? We’re still not entirely sure.

Four Wanderers—all in their debut season—are in the running for the CPL’s official end-of-season awards: Lorenzo Callegari (Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year), Dan Nimick (Defender of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year), Massimo Ferrin (Players’ Player of the Year) and Patrice Gheisar (Coach of the Year). That already marks a franchise record for the club. But what of all the other highlights?

On this week’s Wanderer Grounds episode, Matt and Martin debate—and decide on—another set of Wanderers-specific superlatives: Player of the Year, Goal of the Year, Assist of the Year, Match of the Year, Tifo of the Year, Off-Field Moment of the Year, Signing of the Year, Unsung Hero of the Year, Beat Reporter of the Year and Fan of the Year. (They’re also joined by a cast of Wanderers supporters and friends of the show who, very helpfully, submitted their nominations.)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Lorenzo Callegari, Dan Nimick, Massimo Ferrin, Aidan Daniels

GOAL OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Tiago Coimbra (June 21 vs. York United), Jordan Perruzza (Sept. 18 vs. Atlético Ottawa), Massimo Ferrin (June 30 vs. Forge FC), Théo Collomb (July 23 vs. Ottawa)

ASSIST OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Dan Nimick to Théo Collomb (July 23 vs. Ottawa), Dan Nimick to Massimo Ferrin (June 30 vs. Forge), Zach Fernandez to Tomas Giraldo (Sept. 18 vs. Ottawa)

MATCH OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: June 30 vs. Forge FC (2-1 Wanderers win), July 11 vs. Pacific FC (2-1 Wanderers win), Sept. 18 vs. Atlético Ottawa (3-2 Wanderers win), June 17 vs. Cavalry FC (3-1 Wanderers win)

TIFO OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Mighty Mass, Iron Yann, Real Friends of the Common

OFF-FIELD MOMENT OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: The Callum Watson & Fumpa Mwandwe Trivia Hour, the Wanderers go lawn-bowling, the João Morelli comeback, the Andre Rampersad international call-up, the stadium debate, Théo Collomb goes above and beyond for a fan

SIGNING OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Dan Nimick, Doneil Henry, Massimo Ferrin, Lorenzo Callegari

UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Cale Loughrey, Aidan Daniels, Yann Fillion, Jake Ruby, Riley Ferrazzo

BEAT REPORTER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES: Joshua Healey (Wanderers Notebook), Down the Pub Podcast, Derek Simon and Jerry Wurnig, Carlos Benites (Pelota de Maple)