The Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies have crowned their best and fairest of the local competitions during their annual MacDougall Medals event tonight.
Gungahlin halfback Klayton Thorn was named the 2024 MacDougall Medalist after a scintillating season wth the Eagles, guiding them to finals as they hope to go back to back in the Bentspoke John I Dent Cup this season.
After missing some of the midseason due to injury, Thorn says he "didn't think [he] was half a chance," despite still accumulating enough points to take home the top prize.
A humble winner, he gave credit to his side the Gungahlin Eagles for giving him the go forward needed to reach a new level in 2024. Concluding the evening Thorn sent out a warning to other John I Dent Cup sides, saying that his side can indeed go back-to-back in 2024.
Women's try-scoring titan April Downey continues her incredible season by claiming the Louise Ferris medal after also recieving her Premier 15's top point scorer award in the same night. Scoring 21 tries win 11 matches this season, Downey has been the key to Gungahlin's impressive season as her presence at the back proves to be a deciding factor in many matches in 2024.
Thorn also secured the John Hunter Memorial Trophy for top try scorer, joining Queanbeyan's Cullin Cooper-Jones (Gus Vallance Memorial Trophy - Highest Point Scorer) at the top of the John I Dent Cup scoring tallies at the end of the regular season.
Heading the powerhouse of the Tuggeranong Vikings, the genius behind the dominance Ryan Schultz was awarded the Michael Hickey Memorial Trophy for Coach of the Year.
Full list of award winners can be found below.
- MacDougall Medal: Klayton Thorn (Gungahlin Eagles)
- Louise Ferris Medal: April Downey (Gungahlin Eagles)
- Michael Hickey Memorial Trophy - Coach of the Year: Ryan Schultz (Tuggeranong Vikings)
- Premier Women's Highest Try Scorer: April Downey (Gungahlin Eagles)
- John Hunter Memorial Trophy - Highest Try Scorer: Klayton Thorn (Gungahlin Eagles)
- Premier Women's Highest Point Scorer: April Downey (Gungahlin Eagles)
- Gus Vallance Memorial Trophy - Highest Point Scorer: Cullin Cooper-Jones
- Tommy Bryne Memorial Trophy - Griffins Rep Player of the Year: Cameron Holt (Tuggeranong Vikings)
- Kestrels Rep Player of the Year: Biola Dawa (Canberra Royals)
- Bob Hitchcock Territory Shield: Tuggeranong Vikings
- Sole-X Cup: Tuggeranong Vikings
- The Peter Lawler Trophy - Referee of the year: Brodie Ingram
- The Anderson Trophy for Sportsmanship: Meilani Salale (Uni-Norths Owls)
- HS Quinn Trophy for services to rugby: Richard Taplin (Uni-Norths Owls)
- ACT & SNSW RU Volunteer of the year: Jaye Grieshaber (Gungahlin Eagles)
- Bill Priest Trophy - Monaro Rep player of the year: Dylan Johnson (Jindabyne Bushpigs)
- First Division Best and Fairest: Darcy Eason (Wests Lions)
- Community Coach of the Year: Ash Mewburn (Goulburn Dirty Reds)
- Monaro Club Championship: Canberra Royals
- Premier Club Division Championship: Tuggeranong Vikings
- Monaro Women's Rep Player of the Year: Chloe Waddell (Goulburn Dirty Reds)
