At the end of a disjointed and incomplete season, Goulburn Rugby had a few things to cheer about at the 2021 MacDougall Awards presentations.
The Dirty Reds were named Monaro Club Champions and First Division First Grade Minor Premiers, while individually Adam Lachlan was awarded the Bill Priest Trophy Monaro Rep Player of the Year, and Mik Webber was named First Division Best & Fairest Player of the Year.
In other awards, Uni-Norths lock Will Sankey claimed the MacDougall Medal award after an outstanding season leading the Owls as captain.
Sankey’s side finished second on the John I Dent Cup ladder before the season was cancelled due to the ACT’s COVID-19 lockdown, becoming the first Uni-Norths Owls player to win the MacDougall Medal since the club’s establishment in 2001.
Brumbies star Grace Kemp was named best and fairest in the Premier 15s competition, taking home the Louise Ferris Medal in 2021 after winning player of the match in the 2020 Grand Final in a winning effort for Royals.
Sankey’s Uni-Norths teammate Jordan Thompson was the John I Dent Cup’s top points scorer, thanks largely to his metronomic left boot while Gungahlin Eagles flyer Corey Toole was top try scorer.
Owls recognition extended to the coaching ranks as well with Uni-Norths mentor Sam Rolfe claiming the Michael Hickey Memorial trophy for Coach of the Year.
Royals veteran Ben Johnston earned the Anderson Trophy for Sportsmanship while Tuggeranong’s Greg Hayes was honoured with the HS Quinn Trophy for Services to Rugby.
The Peter Lawler Trophy for Referee of the Year was awarded to Matt Hogan while Watson Blakie’s contribution to the Uni-Norths Owls was recognised with the ACRTU Volunteer of the Year award.
Gungahlin’s tremendous season across the grades saw the Eagles claim both the Premier Division Club Championship, the Turner Cup and the Bob Hitchcock Territory Shield, the first time they have won the shield and just the third club to do so.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
- MacDougall Medal – Will Sankey, Uni-Norths Owls
- Louise Ferris Medal – Grace Kemp, Canberra Royals
- John Hunter Memorial Trophy – Highest Try Scorer – Corey Toole, Gungahlin Eagles (14)
- Gus Vallance Memorial Trophy – Highest Points Scorer – Jordan Thompson, Uni-Norths Owls (121)
- Michael Hickey Memorial Trophy: Coach of the Year – Sam Rolfe, Uni-Norths Owls
- The Anderson Trophy for Sportsmanship – Ben Johnston, Canberra Royals
- HS Quinn Trophy for Services to Rugby – Greg Hayes, Tuggeranong Vikings
- The Peter Lawler Trophy: Referee of the Year – Matt Hogan
- The ACTRU Volunteer of the Year – Watson Blakie, Uni-Norths Owls
- The Bill Priest Trophy: Monaro Rep Player of the Year – Adam Lachlan, Goulburn Dirty Reds
- Second Division Best & Fairest Player of the Year – Seva Camaivuna, Bungendore Mudchooks
- First Division Best & Fairest Player of the Year – Mik Webber, Goulburn Dirty Reds
- Community Coach of the Year – Ian McFarlane, Yass Rams
TEAM AWARDS
- Premier Division Club Championship: The Turner Cup – Gungahlin Eagles
- Bob Hitchcock Territory Shield – Gungahlin Eagles
- Monaro Club Championship – Goulburn Dirty Reds
MINOR PREMIERS
- John I Dent Cup – Tuggeranong Vikings
- Premier 15s – Uni-Norths Owls
- Premier Division Second Grade – Tuggeranong Vikings
- Premier Division Colts – Gungahlin Eagles
- First Division First Grade – Goulburn Dirty Reds
- First Division Second Grade – Tuggeranong Vikings
- Second Division – Bungendore Mudchooks
- Womens 10s – Western District Lions
