Vodafone Warriors players feature strongly among the finalists in several categories for the 2014 New Zealand Rugby League Awards to be announced at Auckland’s Floating Pavilion next Wednesday.
Captain of both club and country Simon Mannering is joined by fellow Vodafone Warrior Shaun Johnson and Melbourne front rower Jesse Bromwich for the Kiwi Player of the Year.
Mannering, who led the Kiwis to Four Nations victory in Wellington last November, won the Vodafone Warriors’ Player of the Year crown for the fourth time – and the third time in three years – last season while Johnson was crowned the Golden Boot winner in December.
Two members of the NYC premiership-winning Vodafone Junior Warriors – fullback Brad Abbey and Sam Lisone – are finalists for the NZRL Junior Player of the Year accolade.
The highly promising Erin Clark, who’s in the 2015 Vodafone Junior Warriors’ NYC squad , is one of the three finalists for the 18s Player of the Year and ex-Vodafone Junior Warrior Jethro Friend is in contention for the Domestic Player of the Year; Friend has been training with the Vodafone Warriors’ New South Wales Cup squad in the offseason.
Finalists for the player categories are:
Kiwi Player of the Year | Jesse Bromwich (Melbourne Storm), Shaun Johnson (Vodafone Warriors), Simon Mannering (Vodafone Warriors)
Kiwis Rookie of the Year | Peta Hiku (Manly Sea Eagles), Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys), Martin Taupau (Wests Tigers)
Junior Player of the Year | Bradley Abbey (Vodafone Warriors), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm), Sam Lisone (Vodafone Warriors)
16s Player of the Year | Dylan Clark (Upper Central), Rory Ferguson (Southern), Morgan Harper (Upper Central)
18s Player of the Year | Erin Clark (Akarana), Reuben Porter (Akarana), Ken Tofilau (Southern)
Domestic Player of the Year | Jethro Friend (Counties Manukau), Ken Tofilau (Southern), Cody Walker (Akarana)
Women's Player of the Year | Sarina Fiso (Counties Manukau), Teuila Fotu-Moala (Counties Manukau), Atawhai Tupaea (Counties Manukau)
Awards will also be presented for Match Official of the Year, Male and Female Volunteer of the Year and Grassroots Club of the Year.
