{"id":365941,"date":"2024-02-07T09:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T10:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=365941"},"modified":"2024-02-07T11:03:27","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T11:03:27","slug":"wallabies-bruiser-wins-aussie-rugbys-top-honour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=365941","title":{"rendered":"Wallabies bruiser wins Aussie rugby's top honour"},"content":{"rendered":"

With big hair and the game to match, Rob Valetini has become Australia's 13th John Eales Medallist at the Rugby Australia Awards<\/a> in Sydney on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n

The 25-year-old Wallabies backrower was rewarded for his consistency in 2023, tallying 141 voting points to edge prop Angus Bell (132) and winger Marika Koroibete (116).<\/p>\n

Valetini played \ufeffall nine Tests for Australia last year, earning the respect of his teammates with punishing physicality in both attack and defence.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season on the home of rugby, Stan Sport, kicking off on February 23.<\/strong><\/em> Every match ad free, live and on demand in 4K UHD<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Rob<\/p>\n

Prop Eva Karpani was named Wallaroos player of the year following a breakout season in which she started all eight Tests at tighthead prop.<\/p>\n

Karpani scored a hat trick in Australia's upset win over France and a try of the year contender in a victory over Wales.\ufeff<\/p>\n

The electric Maddison Levi claimed the Shawn Mackay Award for women's sevens player of the year after scoring a record 57 tries in the 2022-23 world series.<\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> Under-siege team boss breaks silence on driver fiasco<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> 'Huge shock' tipped as Maguire refuses Teddy guarantee<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong> What snubbed Matilda was told in brutal phone call<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Rob<\/p>\n

Levi was also a finalist at the 2023 World Rugby Awards, a year after being named rookie of the year at the glitzy gala event.<\/p>\n

Henry Paterson was named Australia's men's sevens player of the year after being picked in World Rugby's dream team for 2022-23.<\/p>\n

Queensland duo Fraser McReight and Cecilia Smith were judged \ufeffSuper Rugby Pacific and Super W player of the year respectively.<\/p>\n

\"Aussie<\/p>\n

John Eales Medal \u2013 Final Points:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Rob Valetini \u2013 141 pts<\/p>\n

2. Angus Bell \u2013 132<\/p>\n

3. Marika Koroibete – 116<\/p>\n

Buildcorp Wallaroos Player of the Year \u2013 Final Points:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Eva Karpani \u2013 146 pts<\/p>\n

2. Ashley Marsters \u2013 140<\/p>\n

3. Georgina Friedrichs \u2013 118<\/p>\n

2023 Rugby Australia Awards<\/strong><\/p>\n

John Eales Medal \u2013 Rob Valetini<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wallaroos player of the year \u2013 Eva Karpani<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shawn Mackay Award for men's sevens player of the year \u2013 Henry Paterson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shawn Mackay Award for women's sevens player of the year \u2013 Maddison Levi<\/strong><\/p>\n

Super Rugby player of the year \u2013 Fraser McReight, Reds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Super W player of the year \u2013 Cecilia Smith, Reds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rookie of the year \u2013 Carys Dallinger, Wallaroos<\/strong><\/p>\n

Junior men's player of the year \u2013 Teddy Wilson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Junior women's player of the Year \u2013 Faitala Moleka<\/strong><\/p>\n

Try of the year \u2013 Jake Upfield, Reds vs Highlanders<\/strong><\/p>\n

Referee of the Year \u2013 Angus Gardner<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nick Farr-Jones spirit of rugby award \u2013 Bernard Tuaimau, Sydney Junior Rugby Union and Nathan Maiava, Melton Rugby Club<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joe French Award for outstanding contribution to rugby \u2013 Tim Gavin, Eastern Suburbs and NSW<\/strong><\/p>\n

Geoff 'Bunter' Shaw community coach of the year award \u2013 Michael Crank, Mount Maria College<\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrew Cole community match official of the year \u2013 Anthony Furey, Central Coast Rugby Union Referees<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With big hair and the game to match, Rob Valetini has become Australia's 13th John Eales Medallist at the Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney on […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":365943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365941"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=365941"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":365946,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/365941\/revisions\/365946"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/365943"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=365941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=365941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=365941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}