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PALMYRA’S JOE SAVAGE CLAIMS 2013 PG HAMPSHIRE AWARD
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EMIRATES WESTERN FORCE MEDIA RELEASE Friday, 30 August 2013
PALMYRA’S JOE SAVAGE CLAIMS 2013 PG HAMPSHIRE AWARD
Palmyra prop Joe Savage has been recognised as the 2013 Pindan Premier Grade’s most outstanding player after receiving the PG Hampshire Award at the RugbyWA Awards Breakfast this morning.
Savage’s consistency at the set piece ensured Palmyra’s front-row was one of the toughest in the competition and his powerful general play helped him cross for 13 tries this season, including a hat-trick against UWA in Round Three.
The PG Hampshire Award is voted upon by referees on a 3-2-1 basis, with Savage claiming maximum points on four occasions and polling in nine of the 17 games he played during the season to finish with 21 points.
Savage took the tally board lead in Round 9 and held it for the remainder of the season with Cottesloe scrumhalf and 2014 Emirates Western Force recruit Ryan Louwrens finishing runner-up with 16 points.
The inaugural Championship First Grade Player of the Year was won by Joondalup Brothers flyhalf Carlos Waretini, finishing with 14 points. Waretini was the go-to kicker for the Joondalup side and polled in five games this season, taking the maximum points on four occasions.
Coach of the Year Award was presented to Wests Scarborough’s First Grade coach, Dwayne Grace, who took his side to the finals in the club’s first year following their move to Bennett Park. Wests Scarborough qualified for their first finals series since 2006, defeating Palmyra in their minor semi-final before narrowly missing out on a grand final berth, falling just short of Cottesloe despite a blazing 22-point comeback.
UWA fullback, Christian Joubert claimed the competition’s Top Try Scorer after crossing the chalk 16 times in 12 matches this season including braces against Wests Scarborough, Nedlands, Rockingham and Wanneroo in Rounds Six, Seven, 11 and 17 respectively.
Versatile Rockingham back Andrew Smith contributed to the scoreboard in every game for his side this season to take out the Top Points Scorer award. Smith crossed for seven tries, including a double in the 30-17 victory over Associates in Round 12, and booted 26 conversions and 22 penalties to finish with 153 points for the season.
The competition’s Most Improved Player went to Kalamunda flanker, Lukas Birch, who made a return from a recent shoulder reconstruction and transition into the forwards to hold down a starting role and remain a consistent performer for the Bulls during the 2013 season.
Cottesloe flyhalf and Australian Sevens squad member Natasha Haines was identified as the Women’s Best and Fairest player ahead of her side’s grand final against Wanneroo on Saturday.
Western Australian Rugby Union Referees Association Secretary, Julie Skiba was recognised for her commitment to rugby with Life Membership to RugbyWA. Skiba has been officiating rugby union for many years and was the second female to be accredited as a referee in New Zealand at the age of 16. She spent 10 years on the Western Australian Junior Rugby Union Executive Committee and is currently on the Senior Referee Executive, undertaking all administrative tasks and appointing referees for 45 senior and over 100 junior games every weekend.
Referee Graham Cooper received the Referee Award for his consistency with officiating games this season and will officiate the Pindan premier Grade Grand Final on Sunday. Cooper has had a standout year with the whistle, assistant refereeing Super Rugby matches between the Reds and Sharks (Week 13), and Waratahs and Brumbies (Week 14). He was recently appointed to the IRB Sevens Referee Development Panel for the upcoming 2013/14 season.
Cottesloe was crowned 2013 Premiership Club Champions with four of their eight teams finishing in the top four of their respective grades, including the minor premiers in both the Pindan Premier Grade and Reserve Grade.
The 2013 Championship Club Champions was Curtin Uni, who finished minor premiers in the second and third grades and second in the first grade. All three teams also made it to the grand finals on Saturday.
The Champion Club – which takes into consideration the performances at both senior and junior level – was won by Palmyra.
16 – Ryan Louwrens (Cottesloe) 14 – Pierre Roberts (Wests Scarborough) 12 – Anare Koliavu (Kalamunda) 12 – Andrew Smith (Rockingham) 12 – Luke Burton (UWA) 11 – Michael Ruru (Nedlands) 11 – Sean Martin (Cottesloe) 11 – Teava Terangi (Wests Scarborough) 10 – Tobias Hoskins (Cottesloe) 10 – Ethan Carlisle (UWA)
PG Hampshire Award – Previous Winners 2013 – Joe Savage (Palmyra) 2012 – Nick Haining (Cottesloe) 2011 – Anare Koliavu (Palmyra) 2010 – David Cloete (Cottesloe) 2009 – David Cloete (Cottesloe) 2008 – Ryan Tyrrell (Rockingham) 2007 – Nathan Roberts (Nedlands)
Championship Player of the Year: Carols Waretini (Joondalup Brothers) Premiership Club Champions: Cottesloe Champion Club: Palmyra 1.40pm – Championship 2nd Grade: ARKS v Curtin Uni 12.00pm – Goodlife Health Clubs Under 20s: UWA v Associates |