2022 GAGR POTY

[RugbyReg]

The votes have been counted, and its time to run through them - Brownlow style

Game 1 v England in Perth. Australia win 30-28 (Porecki and Neville debut)

8 player poll points. Top three were:

3 - Dave Porecki
2 - Cadeyrn Neville
1 - Noah Loloesio

Game 2 v England in Brisbane. England win 25-17 (Frost debuts)

11 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Matt Philip
2 - Tom Wright
1 - Nic White

Game 3 v England in Sydney. England win 21-17 (Vunivalu debuts)

9 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Nick Frost
2 - Marika Koroibete
1 - Tom Wright

At the end of the England series, the table looks like:

1st - 3 points = Porecki, Philip, Wright, Frost
5th - 2 points = Koroibete, Neville
7th - 1 point = White, Loloesio

Game 4 v Argentina in Mendoza. Australia win 41-26 (Holloway and Gibbon debut)

9 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Folau Fainga'a
2 - Rob Valetini
1 - Darcy Swain

Game 5 v Argentina in Sun Juan. Argentina win 48-17. (Pollard and Fa'amusili debut)

6 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Rob Valetini
2 - Len Ikitau
1 - Marika Koroibete

Game 6 v South Africa in Adelaide. Australia win 25-17.

8 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Marika Koroibete
2 - Fraser McReight
1 - Noah Loloesio

Game 7 v South Africa in Sydney. South Africa win 24-8.

10 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Rob Valetini
2 - Len Ikitau
1 - Allan Ala'alatoa

Game 8 v New Zealand in Melbourne. New Zealand win 39-37.

7 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Pete Samu
2 - Rob Valetini
1 - Bernard Foley

Game 9 v New Zealand in Auckland. New Zealand win 40-14.

6 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Pete Samu
2 - Rob Valetini
1 - Andrew Kellaway

The ladder for the Rugby Champs GAGR POTY is therefore:

1st - Valetini (12 points)
2nd - Samu (6)
3rd - Koroibete & Ikitau (4)
5th - Fainga'a (3)
6th - McReight (2)
7th - Loloesio, Swain, Ala'alatoa, Foley, Kellaway.

Game 10 v Scotland in Edinburgh. Australian win 16-15. (Gleeson and Campbell debut)

9 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - James Slipper
2 - Nick Frost
1 - Tate McDermott

Game 11 v France in Paris. France win 30-29.

9 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Jed Holloway
2 - Len Ikitau
1 - Nick Frost

Game 12 v Italy in Florence. Italy win 28-27. (Nawaqanitawase and Donaldson debut)

9 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Will Skelton
2 - Darcy Swain
1 - Len Ikitau

Game 13 v Ireland in Dublin. Ireland win 13-10.

10 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Michael Hooper
2 - Mark Nawaqanitawase
1 - Nick Frost

Game 14 v Wales in Cardiff. Australian win 39-34. (Talakai debuts)

9 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Mark Nawaqanitawase
2 - Len Ikitau
1 - Lachlan Lonergan

The ladder for the EOYT GAGR POTY is therefore:

1st - Nawaqanitawase & Ikitau (5 pnts)
3rd - Frost (4)
4th - Slipper, Holloway, Skelton, Hooper (3)
8th - Swain (2)
9th - McDermott, Lonergan (1)

 

[RugbyReg]

And the overall winner, and in what shouldn't really be a shock to anyway, is Rob Valetini.

Full ladder is:

1st Valetini (12 pnts)
2nd Ikitau (9)
3rd Frost (7)
4th Koroibete & Samu (6
6th Nawaqanitawase (5)
7th Porecki, Philip, Wright, Fainga'a, Slipper, Holloway, Swain, Skelton, Hooper (3)
16th Neville, Loloesio, McReight (2)
19th White, Ala'alatoa, Foley, Kellaway, McDermott, Lonergan (1)

 

[RugbyReg]

Roll call of winners:

2010 David Pocock
2011 Will Genia
2012 Michael Hooper
2013 Scott Fardy
2014 James Slipper
2015 David Pocock
2016 Will Genia
2017 Sean McMahon and Adam Coleman
2018 David Pocock
2019 Marika Koroibete
2020 Michael Hooper
2021 Michael Hooper
2022 Rob Valetini

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I know it's been put together by number, but it seems perfect. Valetini and Ikitau by far our most consistent and best.

Available and clean players at the top. Love seeing 3 young blokes 1,2,3

Nice job doing this mate

 

[Braveheart81]

Thanks Reg.

I think that's a pretty fair reflection. I have felt all season that Valetini was going to win (and the JEM) and the only player that was close was Len Ikitau.

I expect the JEM will have a greater separation between them and the rest of the field. I think our MOTM voting tends to shift a few more points to good performances by rookies which I don't think really happens in the JEM.

 

[whitefalcon]

Back row dominance continues.

Not at all surprised with those results.

 

[RugbyReg]

Thanks Reg.

I think that's a pretty fair reflection. I have felt all season that Valetini was going to win (and the JEM) and the only player that was close was Len Ikitau.

I expect the JEM will have a greater separation between them and the rest of the field. I think our MOTM voting tends to shift a few more points to good performances by rookies which I don't think really happens in the JEM.

Yep and while there's been lots of late focus on Nawaqanitawase , I think this demonstrates that Frost has a bigger claim perhaps for Rookie of the Year.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yep and while there's been lots of late focus on Nawaqanitawase , I think this demonstrates that Frost has a bigger claim perhaps for Rookie of the Year.

Yeah, I think Frost has to be rookie of the year.

It's not really reasonable for a guy playing two tests to win ROTY (that's something World Rugby would probably do though).

 

[wamberal]

Yep and while there's been lots of late focus on Nawaqanitawase , I think this demonstrates that Frost has a bigger claim perhaps for Rookie of the Year.

Let's hope we can keep them both in Wallaby colours for the next, say, 12 years?

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Yep and while there's been lots of late focus on Nawaqanitawase , I think this demonstrates that Frost has a bigger claim perhaps for Rookie of the Year.

Absolutely.

Even off the amount more footy Frost played for Aus should have him over Mark right now. We all thought it was a joke Arundell was nominated for International Rookie of the year. Would basically be the same

 

[qwerty51]

is JEM medal still previous year EOYT up to current EOYT?

I noticed Hooper last year got awarded it in February this year and not before the 2021 EOYT (and no one this year as of yet?) so maybe it's just a proper calendar year now?

 

[liquor box]

Game 12 v Italy in Florence. Italy win 28-27. (Nawaqanitawase and Donaldson debut)

9 players poll points. Top three were:

3 - Will Skelton
2 - Darcy Swain
1 - Len Ikitau

So as a group this forum thought we had 9 good players in that game!

 

[Braveheart81]

So as a group this forum thought we had 9 good players in that game!

Or an indication that it was really unclear who performed well because many didn't and you still have to vote for three people.

 

[Froggy]

You gotta love the fact that four of our top six, Valetini, Ikatau, Frost and Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) are all under 25!

 

[Merrow]

You gotta love the fact that four of our top six, Valetini, Ikatau, Frost and Marky Mark (Nawaqanitawase) (Nawaqanitawase) are all under 25!

What I love more is that 4 of the top 5 are also Brumbies

 

[Sword of Justice]

And the overall winner, and in what shouldn't really be a shock to anyway, is Rob Valetini.

Full ladder is:

1st Valetini (12 pnts)
2nd Ikitau (9)
3rd Frost (7)
4th Koroibete & Samu (6
6th Nawaqanitawase (5)
7th Porecki, Philip, Wright, Fainga'a, Slipper, Holloway, Swain, Skelton, Hooper (3)
16th Neville, Loloesio, McReight (2)
19th White, Ala'alatoa, Foley, Kellaway, McDermott, Lonergan (1)

Reminder that whilst our Hooker's performance has fallen off a cliff they have played very well at test level previously.

I have to say though given Fainga'a has had periods of unreliability in the past I'm now of the mind that Porecki is a better candidate to persist with. He was very strong over the ball early on this year and quite dynamic, whilst also seeming to be more 'clutch' on important lineouts but that's just to my eye.

 

[Jagman]

Yeah, I think Frost has to be rookie of the year.

It's not really reasonable for a guy playing two tests to win ROTY (that's something World Rugby would probably do though).

Its pretty impressive though to play 2 tests, one off the bench from memory, and finish 6th on this poll.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

This seems bang on to me. Bobby V has been outstanding this season and is one of the first names on the team sheet. He's durable too. Ikitau is in the same boat, as is Samu.

I concur with the Ghost that having young blokes at the top of the voting pile is a good omen for our footy going forward.

There is plenty of reason for optimism beyond 2023 I feel. The generation from the U/20's (that I maintain is the best crop of talent this century) are going to become mainstays in the next couple of RWC cycles.