The 2024 Rugby Australia Awards is here as the stars converge on Randwick Racecourse for the ceremony.
It’s a stacked night of events celebrating all levels of the sport in what was a pivotal year for the sport.
Watch every game of the Wallabies Spring Tour live and exclusive on Stan Sport.
Rob Valetini has become the third man to win back-to-back John Eales Medals.
Meanwhile, there was a first time winner for Wallaroos Player of the Year as Maya Stewart took out the honour.
FOLLOW BELOW FOR ALL THE ACTION FROM THE 2024 RUGBY AUSTRALIA AWARDS
10:15 pm – Full award winners
John Eales Medal – Rob Valetini
Wallaroos Player of the Year – Maya Stewart
Shawn Mackay Award for Men’s Sevens Player of the Year – Nathan Lawson
Shawn Mackay Award for Women’s Sevens Player of the Year – Maddison Levi
Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year – Fraser McReight, QLD Reds
Buildcorp Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year – Siokapesi Palu, ACT Brumbies
Rookie of the Year Award – Tim Ryan, QLD Reds
Junior Men’s Player of the Year – Toby Macpherson, ACT Brumbies
Junior Women’s Player of the Year – Caitlyn Halse, NSW Waratahs
Cadbury Try of the Year – Tim Ryan, QLD Reds vs. Blues
Fedex Referee of the Year – Nic Berry
Nick Farr-Jones Spirit of Rugby Award – Graeme Tosch, Rugby Victoria
Joe French Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rugby – Kim Evans, Rugby Union South Australia
Geoff ‘Bunter’ Shaw Community Coach of the Year Award – James Barkell, NSW Rugby
Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year – Ian McGowan, QLD Country Rugby Referees
Cadbury Club of the Year – Wagga Wagga Junior Rugby Union Club
9:55 pm – John Eales Medal
Rob Valetini is your 2024 John Eales Medalist
Valetini goes back-to-back after another incredible season in the gold jersey.
It was an all backrower top three as he narrowly edges out Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight
Read more here
9:50 pm – Wallaroos Player of the Year
Maya Stewart is a well deserving Wallaroos Player of the Year after her incredible season.
She has bested Ash Marsters and Tabua Tuinakauvadra to take out the honour.
Stewart claimed the record for most tries by a Wallaroo in history after scoring in seven straight games to finish the year
Read more here
9:40 pm – Shawn Mackay Awards
Maddison Levi and Nathan Lawson have taken out the respective Shawn Mackay Awards
Levi makes it back to back medals after an incredible season that saw her break the world series and Olympic try-scoring records.
Meanwhile, Lawson’s honour is well deserved after his incredible season.
Read more here
9:30 pm – Sevens retirees
A couple of Sevens icons have been celebrated as Nick Malouf and Dom du Toit called time on their careers.
Malouf leaves as one of the most successful Sevens captains in the team’s history after their World Series success in 2021-22.
Meanwhile, du Toit ends her career with a stack of accolades, including Commonwealth Games gold and World Cup success
9:10 pm – Now the big ones
A small break before the big awards
The Shawn Mackay Medalists will be crowned alongside the Wallaroos Player of the Year and John Eales Medal
9:00 pm – Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year
Siokapesi Palu has stormed home to claim the SRW Player of the Year
It was widely expected a Waratah could take it out but Palu’s efforts in guiding the Brumbies to the semi-finals was enough to grab the eyes of voters as the NSW girls split votes
8:55 – Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year
Fraser McReight makes it back-to-back as he takes out SRP Player of the Year
McReight bests a competitive field that included Brumbies duo Rob Valetini and Tom Wright as he guided the Reds to the quarter-finals.
Is that a sign to come for McReight? The flanker is up for the John Eales Medal alongside Valetini and Harry Wilson
8:50 – Referee of the Year
Nic Berry has continued his dominance over the award as he claims Referee of the Year
Berry took the reins a number of big games in 2024, including the Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final
8:45 – Try of the Year
Back to back as Tim Ryan’s incredible solo effort has rightly been awarded Try of the Year.
Ryan lit up Suncorp Stadium with a stunning effort that saw the winger step past Taufa Funaki and Mark Tele’a, stepping the covering fullback for the try.
A dream couple of minutes for Ryan as he walks away with awards in both hands
8:40 – Rookie of the Year
Tim Ryan takes out Rookie of the Year!
The Reds flyer has had an incredible 2024 campaign, scoring nine tries in his nine Super Rugby games.
Recovery remains his focus after missing the end-of-season matches with a foot injury
8:38 – Junior Women’s Player of the Year
Caitlyn Halse continues her dream season with the Junior Women’s Player of the Year.
Halse became the youngest Wallaroo in history when she debuted against the USA and has become an essential part of the team.
The fullback is a bright talent and follows in the footsteps of fellow young gun Faitala Moleka, who took out the honour last year.
8:30 pm – Junior Men’s Player of the Year
Toby Macpherson has been rewarded for his strong year for the Australia U20s with the Junior Men’s Player of the Year
Macpherson led the Australians at the U20s Rugby Championship, capturing a win over South Africa before translating this into a sixth place finish.
The Brumby beats home a stacked field that includes Aden Ekanayake and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips
8:00 pm – Quick break
A quick break as food is served following the opening round of awards.
After this, we’re set for the Super Rugby awards along with the Referee and Rookie of the Year
7:45 pm – Cadbury Club of the Year
A new award for this year, the Wagga Wagga Junior Rugby Club have taken out the honour for their work in promoting the game and its values.
The club has helped support player participation at all levels and provides support for those who may not have the means to participate.
7:42 pm – Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year
Ian McGowan has been named the Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year.
McGowan is the current President of Darling Downs Rugby Referee Association and an active member of the Australian Defence Force Referees Association along with a World Rugby trainer
7:40 pm – Geoff ‘Bunter’ Shaw Community Coach of the Year Award
The community awards continue as James Barkell has been handed the Geoff Shaw Award for his work in community Rugby.
Barkell has been influential across the grades from Shute Shield to U15s Rugby, recently coaching the NSW Junior team at the Australian Schools and U18s Champs
7:35 pm – Joe French Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rugby
South Australian Kim Evans has been awarded the Joe French Award, well deserved recognition of her committee to the game.
She was first elected to the Old Collegians committee in 1999 and currently serves as the President of Adelaide Uni Rugby Club.
Evans was key in the Club investing heavily into the Sevens program, including their participation in the AON Uni Sevens in 2017
“This is quite heavy. A girl could brain something with this and a girl might,” Evans said, an early front runner for quote of the night.
7:30 pm – Nick Farr Jones Spirit of Rugby Award
Victorian Rugby icon Graeme Tosch has taken out the Nick Farr Jones Spirit of Rugby Award for his services to the sport.
Tosch has been an integral part of the Cereverus and Maroondah Rugby clubs for close to 20 years, with the clubs now playing for the ‘Toschy Cup’, such is his influence.
7:15 pm – Wallabies and Women’s Rugby Hall of Fame
The start of the night sees a deserving group of legends go into their respective Hall of Fames
Toutai Kefu and Matt Burke are the latest entries into the Wallabies Hall of Fame after storied careers in the gold jersey.
Meanwhile, trailblazers Selena Tranter (nee Worlsey), Cheryl Mcafee (nee Soon) and Emilee Barton (nee Cherry) inducted as the inaugural members of the women’s Hall of Fame.
A worthy trio to open the Hall of Fame
5:45 pm – Welcome
Welcome to Rugby.com.au’s coverage of the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards
Rugby’s superstars are just about to walk the red carpet, with the ceremony set to commence in just over an hour.
Follow this blog to find out the award winners from the night or Rugby AU socials.
As a reminder, here are the nominees for the major awards for the night.
John Eales Medal
Fraser McReight
Rob Valetini
Harry Wilson
Wallaroos Player of the Year
Ash Marsters
Maya Stewart
Tabua Tuinakauvadra
Shawn Mackay Medal
Men’s
Ben Dowling
Nathan Lawson
Dietrich Roache
Women’s
Madison Ashby
Madison Levi
Faith Nathan
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