2 weeks Ago By Nick Wasiliev
The finalists of the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards have been announced, celebrating the standout performers of the 2024 season. Set to take place on Wednesday, the Awards will celebrate all aspects of professional Australian rugby – including Super Rugby Pacific, Super Rugby Women’s, Wallabies, Wallaroos, Sevens and more. In a stunning reflection of the power of Australia’s loose forwards, the John Eales medal is set to be claimed again but a loose forward, with Rob Valetini, Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight making up the finalists.
Should Valetini win, he’ll become the sixth player to win multiple John Eales medals – and only the third player, after Israel Folau and Michael Hooper, to win back-to-back medals. More Rugby The women’s side of the game will see record-setters galore, with new highest-capped Wallaroo Ash Marsters and highest-scoring Wallaroo Maya Stewart making up the finalists, with breakthrough Brumbies backrower Tabua Tuinakauvadra rounding out the top three after a stunning breakthrough season in Super Rugby Women’s and in gold. No surprise, Maya Stewart is also up for try of the year, twice – alongside sevens star Maddison Levi, Reds breakthrough star Tim Ryan, and Wallaby Filipo Daugunu.
It is set to be a big night for the Sevens, with Levi looking to win back-to-back Shawn Mackay Medals after breaking the record for most tries in a season – with 69. The night will also see the Super Rugby and Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year, the Rookie of the Year, and additionally, two new inductees into the Wallabies Hall of Fame – with three new inductees for Australian Women’s Rugby Hall of Fame. Rob Valetini, 2023 John Eales Medalist winner and Eva Karpani, 2023 Buildcorp Wallaroos Player of the Year.
(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images for Getty Images) 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 Maya Stewart v ACT Brumbies Desiree Miller v Melbourne Rebels Maddison Levi v France (Hong Kong Bronze Medal match) Tim Ryan v Blues Filipo Daugunu v Wales (first Test) Tom Wright v Wales (second Test) Maya Stewart v Wales (WXV) The Rugby Australia Awards will be streamed live on rugby.com.au.
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