2008 Qld Rugby awards announced
Brothers’ goal kicking ace Brendan McKibbin was a runaway winner of the inaugural Alec Evans Medal for the best and fairest player in the Trinity Queensland Premier Rugby competition for 2008.
The medal was presented at the Queensland Rugby Awards Dinner, which recognised achievements and contributions across the broad spread of the grassroots game.
The Brothers captain and scrumhalf was the competition’s leading points scorer for the regular season with 223, but it was the 30 points he received from the votes of match referees that earned him the medal ahead of GPS centre James Kite (20) and Easts’ flanker Phil Braban (17).
McKibbin scored eight tries and kicked 51 conversions and 21 penalties during the season and was rewarded for his performances with a callup to the QR Reds’ end-of-season development tour of Ireland and France.
McKibbin earned voting points in 12 matches during the season and claimed the maximum three points in seven of them.
Former Wallaby Andrew Walker (21) would have finished second but the Easts fullback was ruled ineligible with a red card sendoff in the second last round.
The new medal acknowledges the contribution to the club game of Alec Evans as both a player and coach. During an impressive coaching career at every level of the game, Alec Evans was particularly successful in club rugby, coaching Wests, Souths and the Gold Coast to Premierships.
The Ballymore dinner, attended by over 200 guests, also featured a special tribute to the QR Reds’ John Roe, who announced his retirement in July after 107 games for his state.
The Queensland Colt of the Year award went to Sunnybank prop Albert Anae and Premier Colt of the Year to Sunnybank Colts captain Jake Schatz. Both were members of the QR Reds’ end of season development tour.
Easts’ Premiership winning coach Pat Richards was named Queensland Coach of the Year and the Premier Referee Medal went to Test referee Geoff Acton.
The Queensland Country Player of the Year award was shared by Michael Zovko and Stephen Mulqueen, based on their performance, attitude and teamwork during the Australian Rugby Shield competition.
Zovko, from the Teachers West Rugby Union Club in Townsville, played for the Townsville Brolgas in the country championships. His outstanding performance for the Hutchinson Builders Queensland Country Heelers led to a stint in Premier Rugby with the Souths club in Brisbane. Fellow Heeler Mulqueen played for Cairns Thunder in the country championships and is a member of Port Douglas Rugby Union Club.
The Ian MacMillan Trophy for Queensland Schoolboy of the year was presented to Jarrad Butler from The Southport School, captain of the Queensland Schools team that won the national championships in Canberra in July and a member of the Australian Schools team to play Fiji Under 18 in the curtain raiser to this Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup Test at Suncorp Stadium.
The Queensland Rugby Football Schools Union also awarded a Life Membership to John Edwards, now of the Sunshine Coast, who has been involved in schools rugby for over 30 years as coach, manager, administrator and selector.
In the volunteer recognition categories, Shane Sullivan from the Redcliffe Demons Rugby Union Club was declared Volunteer of the Year and Service to Rugby Awards were presented to long serving junior rugby administrator Narelle Cathcart and to Ballymore Ladies group convenor Lisa Smith.
The Queensland Rugby Club’s Norbert Byrne Medal for service to Rugby was awarded to Des Hogan from the Brothers club in Brisbane.
The contributions to Queensland Junior Rugby of state championships administrators Richard Stokes and Dr John Moran were also acknowledged at the dinner.
