Queensland Rugby League celebrates 2023 award winners
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Redcliffe Dolphins fullback Trai Fuller and Wynnum Manly Seagulls second rower Shaniah Power have today been recognised as the premier players in their respective competitions.
Fuller was announced as the recipient of the Petero Civoniceva Medal as the best and fairest player in the Hostplus Cup, while Power was presented with the Steph Hancock BMD Premiership Player of the Year.
Their achievements were celebrated by 350 guests who attended the QRL Awards lunch at Brisbane City Hall.
For Eidsvold Eagles junior Fuller, the medal capped off a breakthrough season for the electric speedster, who scored a brilliant try during his National Rugby League debut for The Dolphins last month.
Fuller finished the medal count on 22 points (adjudicated by the referees under a 3-2-1 points system), three clear of Central Queensland Capras hooker Trey Brown and Burleigh Bears halfback Guy Hamilton.
Papua New Guinea Hunters fullback Morea Morea (18) and Souths Logan Magpies fullback Tristan Sailor (17) rounded out the top five.
In the BMD Premiership, Power was a constant threat to opposing teams throughout the regular season and finals series.
Power earned points in five consecutive premiership matches to finish on 11 points, one clear of Burleigh Bears star Zahara Temara.
Shenae Ciesiolka (Norths Devils) and Emma Manzelmann (Mackay Cutters) received eight points each.
Today’s awards brought together players, coaches, administrators, volunteers and referees across QRL statewide competitions, community leagues and Queensland representative programs.
Other major awards within the QRL statewide competitions included the naming of the Hastings Deering Colts Player of the Year and the Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup Player of the Year.
Brisbane Tigers fullback Lachlan West was a runaway winner in the Colts, while Townsville Blackhawks forward Jamal Shibasaki finished two points clear of Wynnum Manly’s Coby Black in the Meninga Cup.
The Souths Logan Magpies had plenty to celebrate, with Karmichael Hunt (Hostplus Cup) and Maia Tua-Davidson (BMD Premiership) announced as the premier coaches.
The Magpies also had players named in the Hostplus Cup Team of the Year and BMD Premiership Team of the Year (full list below).
The 2023 awards celebrated the community rugby league family, with guests treated to some stunning video tributes that highlighted the immense contribution made by participants and volunteers across Queensland.
A red-hot field of players were in the mix for State of Origin awards within the QRL representatives program, following series victories for the Queensland Maroons and Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons.
Queensland forward Reuben Cotter was presented with his first Ron McAuliffe Medal as the Maroons’ players’ player, while Lindsay Collins was announced as the recipient of the FOGS Peter Jackson Memorial Award.
The prestigious FOGS award is a long-standing honour that recognises a player or staff member who epitomises the famous Queensland ‘spirit’.
The equivalent in the women’s Origin is the Renae Kunst Medal, which this year went to tenacious halfback Temara.
The Annie Banks Medal for Player of the Year was awarded to classy fullback Tamika Upton.
Queensland Rugby League awards
Petero Civoniceva Medal
Trai Fuller (Redcliffe Dolphins)
Steph Hancock BMD Premiership Player of the Year
Shaniah Power (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Hastings Deering Colts Player of the Year
Lachlan West (Brisbane Tigers)
Auswide Bank Mal Meninga Cup Player of the Year
Jamal Shibasaki (Townsville Blackhawks)
Hostplus Cup Rookie of the Year
Morea Morea (Papua New Guinea Hunters)
Hostplus Cup Coach of the Year
Karmichael Hunt (Souths Logan Magpies)
Hostplus Cup Leading Points Scorer
Josh Rogers (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Hostplus Cup Leading Try Scorer
Jonathon Reuben (Norths Devils)
BMD Premiership Coach of the Year
Maia Tua-Davidson (Souths Logan Magpies)
BMD Premiership Rookie of the Year
Destiny Mino-Sinapati (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
BMD Premiership Leading Points Scorer
Zahara Temara (Burleigh Bears)
BMD Premiership Leading Try Scorer
Kalisi Longopoa (Souths Logan Magpies)
Hostplus Cup Team of the Year
Fullback - Tristan Sailor (Souths Logan Magpies)
Winger - Jordan Pereira (Souths Logan Magpies)
Centre - Deine Mariner (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Five-eighth - Josh Rogers (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Halfback - Jack Campagnolo (Souths Logan Magpies)
Prop - Bailey Butler (Central Queensland Capras)
Hooker - Trey Brown (Central Queensland Capras)
Second rower - Jacob Alick (Burleigh Bears)
Lock - Sam Coster (Burleigh Bears)
BMD Premiership Team of the Year
Fullback - Evania Pelite (Souths Logan Magpies)
Winger - Emily Bass (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Centre - Julia Robinson (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Five-eighth - Zahara Temara (Burleigh Bears)
Halfback - Ashleigh Quinlan (Burleigh Bears)
Prop - Dannii Perese (Burleigh Bears)
Hooker - Chante Temara (Burleigh Bears)
Second rower - Shaniah Power (Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Lock - Shannon Mato (Mackay Cutters)
State of Origin awards
Ron McAuliffe Medal
Reuben Cotter
FOGS Peter Jackson Memorial Award
Lindsay Collins
Annie Banks Medal
Tamika Upton
Renae Kunst Medal
Zahara Temara
Wellbeing awards
Murray Hurst Education Award – male
Brent Woolf (Tweed Seagulls)
Murray Hurst Education Award – female
Dannii Perese (Burleigh Bears)
Acknowledgements
Community Coach of the Year
Zeke Field (Caboolture Snakes)
Auswide Bank Community Social Responsibility Program of the Year
Stanley River Junior Rugby League Club
XXXX Community Club of the Year
Zenadth Kes Rugby League
Shell V-Power Volunteer of the Year
Joe Pennisi (Herbert River Crushers)
Harvey Norman Contribution to the Female Game Award
Ana Fotu (Pine Central Holy Spirit)
Club Administrator of the Year
Jaz Burton (Pine Central Holy Spirit)
Community Match Official of the Year
Heath Zygnerski (Gold Coast Referees’ Association)
Young Person of the Year
Trinity Maclean (Brothers Ipswich / Ipswich Referees’ Association) & Douglas Brown (Dysart Bulls)
Referees
John Topp Medal
Adam Rossiter
Eddie Ward Medal
Ben Watts
