John Eales Medal 2009

[Moses]

It's the night of nights for Australian Rugby, starting on FoxSports 3 in 30 mins (probably not in backwards states though)

Former winners George Smith and Nathan Sharpe have been listed among the top five contenders for the 2009 John Eales Medal.

The frontrunners for the prestigious annual award have been unveiled with the public also encouraged to choose between the five Qantas Wallabies players to decide Australia’s Choice – 2009 Wallaby of the Year.

The five John Eales Medal candidates – those who collected the most number of votes from teammates on a 3-2-1 basis after each Test taking in the 2008 Spring Tour, the 2009 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series and the 2009 Bundaberg Rum Tri Nations – are Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau, Benn Robinson, Sharpe and Smith.

The winners of the two major awards in the John Eales Medal and Austraia’s Choice – 2009 Wallaby of the Year will be announced in Sydney at the John Eales Medal presentation on Thursday, 22 October.

The John Eales Medal awards night will be screened on Fox Sports.

The public is invited to cast its votes online for the Australia’s Choice award – for the best and most consistent Qantas Wallabies player across the time period nominated – at www.rugby.com.au , www.foxsports.com.au and www.rupa.com.au.

Voting is open from 9.30pm Thursday, 24 September, until 5pm Sunday, 18 October.

 

[Moses]

I'm going for Robinson, he's consistantly been awesome all year.

 

[Gagger]

Seconded

 

[BillyWebb]

Yep, Robinson for me too.
Made the single biggest difference to the Wobblies team.

 

[Gagger]

When I said "Seconded", I actually meant second, which is where he came, behind MATT GITEAU!!

tweet from Mark CAshman at the do:

Matt Gitea named John eales medal winner Well done gits but the cat was hot on your heels

 

[Moses]

Stuart Dickinson awarded referee of the year

 

[Moses]

Three Hall of Fame Inductees
Dr Alec Ross
Tony Miller, no 8 from 1952
John White, lock/prop 1958-1965

 

[Moses]

Nick Farr-Jones won the Joe French Award for outstanding service to the Australian Rugby Union.

Clarkey shook his hand behind the podium to hide the limpness of the brick thrower

 

[Moses]

The 7's award is now known as the Shawn MacKay medal, nice touch. Shawn's dad John MacKay is presenting it, poor bastard trying not to cry.

Debbie Hodgkinson wins this award

 

[cyclopath]

Giteau? What a crock!
And how was Sharpe in the mix?
What numpties vote for this? Oh, that's right, the Wallabies. Pffft.

 

[Moses]

Benn Robinson wins the people's choice award for player of the year

 

[Moses]

Giteau? What a crock!
And how was Sharpe in the mix?
What numpties vote for this? Oh, that's right, the Wallabies. Pffft.

Sharpe should be shot for failing to score with just a halfback between him and the line.
Giteau winning is a joke, though I guess he kicked a lot of goals. The highlights package for Benn was freaking awesome.

 

[Moses]

Rookie of the year

Nominations are
David Pocock
Quade Cooper
Sekope Kepu
James O'Connor
Peter Kimlin
Pekahou Cowan
Will Genia


and the winner is JOC (James O'Connor). Alan Jones is presenting his award, gave a very loving handshake with uncomfortable eye contact

 

[Moses]

Sharpe couldn't actually make it to the awards night, dick.

Player of the year is ... drumroll.... MATT GITEAU. You heard it here last

 

[Moses]

Full points table here: http://www.twitpic.com/mgfkm

 

[cyclopath]

Rookie of the year

Nominations are
David Pocock
Quade Cooper
Sekope Kepu
James O'Connor
Peter Kimlin
Pekahou Cowan
Will Genia


and the winner is JOC (James O'Connor). Alan Jones is presenting his award, gave a very loving handshake with uncomfortable eye contact

Which eye did he contact? Innuendo, innuendo!!

 

[TheRiddler]

Rookie of the year
and the winner is JOC (James O'Connor). Alan Jones is presenting his award, gave a very loving handshake with uncomfortable eye contact

Someone at FoxSports/ARU has got a great sense of humour asking Jones to present the award. And I wish I could lipread - would love to know what he said as O'Connor passed him on the steps, "Room 712, see you when this thing wraps up"????

 

[TheRiddler]

Player of the year is ... drumroll.... MATT GITEAU. You heard it here last

How the fuck did that happen? Even Mrs Riddler was amazed. Fair play to Gits though, he looked genuinely shocked as, even by his own admission, he has had a pretty crook year (no matter how hard Clarkey tried to dress it up).

And for Sharp to be in the running? And O'Connor up there as well? WTF? Either all of these players have been having a lend of each other all year round - which could explain the lack of passion on the field - or this is one almighty stitch up. :nta:

 

[Lindommer]

Not one of our better years, all round.

Alan Jones hanging around young blokes involved in ceremonies sort of sums it all up.

 

[louie]

i didn't watch the award but opened the fox page just then.
my honest reaction was laughter.
Australian Rugby is fucking joke.