Rugby Australia Awards 2024 Finalists announced

Mon, Oct 28, 2024, 5:56 AM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson
All the candidates for the 2024 Rugby Australia Try of the Year

The finalists for the major awards for the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards have been confirmed.

The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, with the winners announced on Rugby Australia's socials and the event to be live blogged on Rugby.com.au.

Follow all the action from the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards at Rugby.com.au

The John Eales Medalist will be won by a backrower as Rob Valetini, Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight make up the finalists.

Valetini will be hunting for back-to-back John Eales Medals after a standout season and would be the third person to win consecutive medals alongside Israel Folau and Michael Hooper.

Wilson has experienced a remarkable comeback season, stepping up as captain for the Rugby Championship.

He is joined by Reds teammate Fraser McReight, who was inspirational throughout the July series and Bledisloe Cup Tests.

Record-setters Ash Marsters and Maya Stewart alongside backrower Tabua Tuinakauvadra make up the finalists for the Wallaroos Player of the Year.

Marsters set the record for most caps by an Australian women's Test player in the WXV 2 triumph over Scotland.

Fellow backrower Tuinakauvadra is also up for the honour after a breakthrough season in the gold jersey.

As for Stewart, she scored in the last seven Tests of 2024 to claim the record for most tries ever by a Wallaroo.

She is also up for Try of the Year, with Tim Ryan's stunner against the Blues, Maddison Levi's game-winner against France and Filipo Daugunu's breath-taking finish against Wales amongst the seven nominees.

Levi will be out for back-to-back Shawn Mackay Medals after breaking the record for most tries in a world series with 69.

Fellow try-scoring freak Faith Nathan and Madison Ashby are also in contention following their Madrid Grand Final success.

For the Men, Ben Dowling, Nathan Lawson and Dietrich Roache are the three nominees for the prestigious award.

Dowling was one of the standouts of the fourth-place finish in Paris, their best Olympic performance.

Lawson led the way with 25 tries for Australia in the world series, fourth on the overall tally whilst Dietrich Roache was runner-up to Terry Kennedy for the most points (150).

Further awards on the night include the Super Rugby and Super Rugby W Player of the Year alongside Rookie of the Year, with two inductees set to go into the Wallabies Hall of Fame and three to the Australian Women’s Rugby Hall of Fame.

2024 RUGBY AUSTRALIA AWARDS FINALISTS
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

Try of the Year (As they appear in video)

1. Maya Stewart v ACT Brumbies

2. Desiree Miller v Melbourne Rebels

2. Maddison Levi v France (Hong Kong Bronze Medal match)

3. Tim Ryan v Blues

4. Filipo Daugunu v Wales (first Test)

5. Tom Wright v Wales (second Test)

6. Maya Stewart v Wales (WXV)

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