Canberra Raiders prop Josh Papalii has capped off another wonderful NRL season for the club, winning his third Meninga Medal tonight as Canberra Raiders player of the year.
The Meninga Medal is voted on a 3-2-1 basis by the NRL players and coaching staff, with Papalii finishing on 27 points for the season, four-clear of second placed Jack Wighton on 23 points.
Raiders new recruits Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and John Bateman rounded out the top four with 16 points each.
Papalii becomes the first Raider to win three Meninga Medals and now trails only club legend Laurie Daley, who won the clubs Player of the year five times during his career at the club.
Dunamis Lui was rewarded for his most consistent season to date with the NRL Coaches Award, while Bailey Simonsson and Corey Horsburgh were joint winners of the club’s rookie of the year award for wonderful debut seasons.
Club Captain Jarrod Croker was awarded the Fred Daly Memorial Club Person of the year award for a remarkable record-breaking season, where he became the clubs leading try-scorer of all time and became the youngest player in NRL history to reach 1900 career points.
Sam Williams was awarded the Geoff Caldwell Welfare and Education Award for his off-field study.
Rising star Harley Smith-Shields took out the Jersey Flegg Player of the Year award, for a wonderful season for the clubs under 20s team, with Kai O’Donnell winning the Jersey Flegg Coaches award.
2019 Meninga Medal Award Winners
Jersey Flegg Coaches Award – Kai O’Donnell
Jersey Flegg Player of the Year – Harley Smith-Shields
Gordon McLucas Junior Rep Player of the Year – Darby Medlyn
Geoff Caldwell Welfare and Education Award – Sam Williams
Fred Daly Club Person of the Year – Jarrod Croker
NRL Coaches Award – Dunamis Lui
NRL Rookies of the Year – Bailey Simonsson and Corey Horsburgh
Meninga Medal – Josh Papalii
