Above: Four of the Wellington Premier clubs' award winners for 2015. OBU's Premier Player of the Year Mitch Clarke (left), Ories' Back of the Year Aukuso Tuitama (right) and Tawa's MVP TJ Fermanis and MSP's Sportsman of the Year Issac O'Connor remonstrating with the referee in their Jubilee Cup semi-final (centre).
The curtain has all but come down on the fifteen-a-side club and representative rugby season for another year.
Just the Wellington Lions, playing in a semi-final against Otago, and the Wellington Pride, contesting the Women’s NPC final with Auckland, are in action this coming Saturday. Clubs and teams are gearing up for the Sevens season which gets underway soon.
The 2015 Premier Swindale Shield, Jubilee Cup, Hardham Cup and Women’s competitions were all crackers. Below is our second annual compilation of each of the clubs’ top sides’ individual Player of the Season award winners (in alphabetical order):
Men’s Premier
Forward of the year: Dan Sione
Back of the year: Cameron Cross
Player of the year: Shane Fawcett
Women's:
Forward of the year: Iva Polaia
Back of the year: Mary Jane Ale
Player of the year: Caroline Sio
Men's Premier:
Marist Brothers Old Boys All Star Trophy Top Premier Player: Sheridan Rangihuna
Players Trophy Club Player of the Year: Sheridan Rangihuna
Team MVP: Simon Malaeulu
Women's
Sarah Harrison Cup Player of the Year: Petra Kriklanova
Neroli Knight Captain Cup: Rosie Stirling
Team Most Valuable Player: Atalina Milovale:
Best Forward: Antony Pettett
Best Back: Vili Dakunimata
Players’ Player of the Year: Ha’mea Ahio
Marist St Pat’s Sportsman of the Year (Paul Donoghue Trophy): Issac O’Connor
Mick Horan Memorial Trophy: Vincent Sakaria
Men’s Premier:
Most Valuable Player: Daley Ena
Best Back: TK Bishop
Best Forward: Johnwhite Silva
Women’s:
Most Valuable Player: Leah Conley
Best Back: Vaine Marsters
Best Forward: Phoenix Collins
Ian Archibald Trophy - OBU Premier Player of the Year: Mitch Clarke
Most Improved Premier Player: Alex Barendregt
Women’s Most Valuable Player: Georgia Daals
Men’s Premier:
Best Forward: Hunter Prescott
Best Back: Aukuso Tuitama
Women’s:
Best Forward: Noeleen Nonu and Kirsty Stewart
Best Back: Amanda Rasch
Premier MVP: Tane McMillan Parata
Player of the Year: Danny Herewini and Teariki Kie Tonga
Ian Upston Trophy Open Grade Player of the Year: Lester Maulolo
Watson Cup Most Valuable Back: Lester Maulolo
Plant Cup Most Valuable Forward: Marcus Roil
Premier Player of the Year: Galu Taufale
Players’ Player of the Year: Galu Taufale
MVP Points Cup: TJ Fermanis
Most Valuable Player: Apa Heemi
Best Forward: Mitchell Markov
Best Back: Joyner Key
Premier Men’s
Player of the Year: Henry Stowers
Forward of the Year: Glen Angus
Back of the Year: Teru Time
Women’s:
Most Valuable Player: Suzanne Yee and Uesa Opetaia
Best Forward: Alice Soper
Best Back: Acacia Te Iwimate
Premier MVP: Sam Gard’ner
Forward of the Year: Simon Shearer
Back of the Year: Penijamini Nabainivalu