Thirroul young gun Tarje Whitford has capped a breakout individual season in the Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup by claiming the Paul McGregor Medal.
Whitford, pictured above with Justin Brown from Mojo Homes, claimed the competition’s top individual honour from Corrimal forward Shalom O’Ofou, Dapto metre-eater Tui Ieremia, Helensburgh half Max Batty and Collies premiership-winning No. 7 Zeik Foster.
It continues the medal’s lengthy tenure at Gibson Park, with former Butchers skipper Joel Johnson having claimed the honour in 2018 and 2019 – the latter being the last time it was awarded pre-COVID.
Despite a host of different halves partners, Whitford was the back-line constant for a Butchers outfit that dropped just one regular season fixture en route to the Bob Brown Memorial Trophy as minor premiers.
It also saw Whitford pick up the Frank Smith Trophy as Best Back, with O’Ofou awarded the George Grofus Award as Best Forward.
In other major awards, Collegians’ premiership-winning campaign netted all major point-scoring awards, with the Dogs claiming the Bob Lowrie for most first grade tries (80), while Jason Gillard earned the Jack Royall award as top try-scorer.
Max Devlin was the first-grade leading point-scorer with 134 points, with Collies also claiming the overall club championship, with the Dogs reaching the first grade and first division deciders.
Helensburgh stalwart Jesse Cobb was First Division Player of the Year, while rising Dapto star Jaxon Lavender claimed the Alex Jack Memorial Trophy as under 18s Player of the Year.
Berkeley’s Dean Hodgson was the Harrigan Shield Player of the Year, while Collies star Sienna Yeo was the South32 Open Ladies LeagueTag Player of the Year.
Mitch Jennings article courtesy of the Illawarra Mercury
2022 Award Winners
- Club Championship – Collegians RLFC
- Bob Brown Memorial Trophy – Minor Premiers – Thirroul RLFC
- Bob Lowrie Trophy – Most tries – Collegians RLFC
- Jack Royal Trophy – Highest point scorer – Jason Gillard Collegians RLFC
- Highest points scorers – each grade
- Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup – Max Devlin Collegians RLFC
- Mojo Homes First Division – Braiden Hooper – Collegians RLFC
- Harrigan Shield – Cody Buckman – Berkeley RLFC
- Mojo Homes Under 18s – Callum Leikvoll – Dapto RLFC
- South32 OLLT– Brielle Luccitti – Collegians RLFC
- South 32 Women’s Player Of The Year – Sienna Yeo – Collegians
- Harrigan Shield Player Of The Year – Dean Hodgson – Berkeley
- Mojo Homes First Division Player Of The Year – Jesse Cobb – Helensburgh
- Alex Jack Memorial U18 Player Of The Year – Jaxon Lavender – Dapto
- George Groufs Trophy (Best Forward) Shalom O’ofou Corrimal
- Frank Smith Trophy (Best back) – Tarje Whitford – Thirroul
- Paul McGregor Medal – Tarje Whitford – Thirroul