Sarah Cain has added another chapter to her already decorated Victorian football career, claiming the 2026 NPLW Victoria Gold Medal to become a two-time winner of the competition’s highest individual honour.
The FC Bulleen Lions captain finished the count with 37 votes, six clear of next-placed player Essendon Royals forward Kelly McGroarty, to secure the medal outright after previously sharing the honour with Sofia Sakalis in 2022.
Despite leading her side to an equal-third finish on the table and earning selection in the 2026 NPLW Team of the Season, Cain “didn’t have any expectations” of taking home a second Gold Medal.
“I hadn't really given it any thought to be honest. It all comes around quite quickly when the seasons comes to an end,” Cain said.
“I think I was just enjoying hanging out with the team and catching up with people from the league during the night.
“I came down after and was like, ‘Girls, what did I just say?'."
Cain featured in 23 of Bulleen’s matches throughout the campaign, scoring four goals as her side’s finals run came to an end with a 2-0 Preliminary Final defeat to Box Hill United.
Despite falling just short of the Grand Final, Cain explained that it was the strength of the group both on and off the field that made the season so enjoyable.
“It was just a really nice, lovely group of humans that all really enjoyed each other's company,” she said.
“We really enjoyed the week-to-week, the training sessions. I think there was just a lot of really strong friendships on and off the field, which makes any good season enjoyable.
“More so than results, obviously winning and having success always helps with team morale, but I think that the level of just love and connection amongst the girls made it really fun because then you can still have some time regardless of whether results are going your way or not.”
Cain also paid tribute to outgoing Bulleen Head Coach Caitlin Friend, whose influence helped shape the environment behind the team’s memorable campaign.
“Having your coach like Caity and someone like that at the head of the group was a big part of that as well in terms of making sure we had a really strong culture, really positive, hard-working environment,” she said.
The 2026 Gold Medal is the latest individual recognition in a career that has now spanned more than a decade in the Victorian topflight.
Cain first emerged through the Victorian pathway, progressing into the senior FV Emerging squad as a teenager before establishing herself at the top level.
Her first Gold Medal came in 2022, when she captained FV Emerging to fourth place in the NPLW Victoria home-and-away season. Cain finished the campaign with eight goals and played a key role as the young Emerging side secured its first and only finals berth.
At the 2022 Gold Medal Night, Cain finished on 21 votes alongside Box Hill United’s and her former Emerging teammate Sofia Sakalis, with the pair becoming only the second joint winners of the NPLW Gold Medal.
Four years later, the colours may have changed, but her approach to the honour remains much the same.
“I think the way I see it is like it's a very nice kind of reflection or something that's maybe a by-product of a season where I've just actually really enjoyed playing football,” Cain said.
“I think I've just really enjoyed football very consistently this season. In that sense it probably is a really nice kind of thing to have to remember this season by.”
Cain became just the sixth player to win the NPLW Gold Medal on multiple occasions, joining an exclusive group featuring Sarah Fitzgerald, Louisa Bisby, Anthea Vardakas, Catherine Zimmerman and teammate Tiffany Eliadis.
While she acknowledged it was an honour to join that group, she was quick to put the individual recognition into perspective.
“It's definitely a privilege and an honour to be on that list,” she said.
“There are very quality players who either aren't playing anymore or are still in the league. It's nice to be recognised amongst them.
“I was sitting next to Tiff (Eliadis) all night at Gold Medal Night. She's a multiple winner as well, so it was nice to have her there.
“Maybe there's a bit of imposter syndrome there too, but it's always an honour.”
Cain already has her sights set on next season, with the Bulleen captain hoping the disappointment of this year’s finals exit can fuel the side’s push for silverware in 2027.
“Hopefully we can do one better in both the cup and the league,” she said.
“I think that losing finals just makes you more motivated and more hungry to then win the next year and do one better.
“That's probably where the majority of the group are thinking and feeling moving forward. It's just about getting those important wins when they count.”