The players and supporters were dressed in their best fashions in the field clothes, and the yabbies were itching to get racing as the Goulburn Rugby Union Football Club wrapped up the season with a presentation dinner / yabby racing event.
With food supplied by Delish Azz and beats and tunes provided by local band Brew, the club celebrated a mixed season, including all of the highs and lows, as they farewelled 2024 and prepared for a bigger and better 2024.
The phrase “mixed season” got a fair workout in 2024 with the depleted two men’s sides finishing last in their competitions, and the undefeated women’s side finishing premiers, but the men were able to talk about the bonding and camaraderie built up in a year of backing up and battling fatigue on top of all of their opponents and the women considering a jump to XV a side rugby. Preparations are already well under way for a stronger 2025.
Club president Beck Rudd, and coaches John Maxwell, Boyd Newby and Corbie Yeo reflected on the season, praising the players who dug in in good times and bad, and the sponsors who ensured the games were played at all. Numerous players made the Monaro and ACT Country teams and there were many other highlights along the way.
The premiership-winning Women’s coach, Ash Mewburn, was absent with representative coaching duties but shared her reflections through her coaching team of Jordan Brooker and Pete Oliver.
The awards for the year were as follows:
Team Awards
Women’s
Best & Fairest – Jessie Abnett
Players’ Player – Blyss Burke
Most Improved – Merrin Eagles
1st Grade Men’s
Best & Fairest – Dallas Brown
Players’ Player – Connor Minehan
Most Improved – Cooper Camden-Smith
2nd Grade Men’s
Best & Fairest – Jack White
Players’ Player – Campbell Kruger
Most improved – Justin Thompson
Club Awards
Simon Poidevin Best Forward Award
Campbell Kruger
Jessie Abnett
Geoff Richardson Best Back Award
Connor Minehan
Josephine O’Brien
Kevin “Bubby” Fitzsimmons Encouragement Award
Livia Minikin
John Osmond Most Dedicated Player Award
Brandon Courts
Jessie Abnett
Mark Longhurst Most Outstanding Prospect Award (Male)
Pat Craig
Emily Stanberg
Bruce Bailey Most Outstanding Achievement Award (donated by Rick Buckley & Joe Fitzgibbon)
Eric Brown
Bella Sheen
Kelly Anable Commendation for Promoting Women’s Rugby
Caren Maxwell
Matt Klem Club Person of the Year (donated by Chris Browne)
Corbie Yeo
Novelty Awards
Animal of the Year – Brandon Courts
Village Idiot – Cooper Camden-Smith
Pooey Pooey Moi Moi Award – Michael Cooke
Charlie Brewer Yabbie of the Year – Jack White
Rob Sheekey Dummy Spit of the Year – Martin Dumesq
Sinner of the Year – John Maxwell
Butchered Try of the Year – Josh Metz
Barbie Award – Bella Sheen
Sooky Sooky Moi Moi Award – Grace Cummins
White Rabbit – Jordan Brooker
Photos: Peter Oliver Imagery.
