Join myself, sixtiesboy and Chris live from Curzon Hall at 6:30PM as we bring an official close to a singularly unique season. Feel free to join the conversation throughout the night by dropping comments in this blog or hitting us up on twitter on @RugbyLeagueTCT!
And we are live! Howdy to all the folks who will be following the 2016 Ken Thornett Medal with The Cumberland Throw tonight.
It is all pretty cruisy here as everyone slowly finds their places. Yvonne Sampson will be the host of tonight’s festivities and will presenting the following gongs throughout the night:
Blue and Gold Army NRL Player of the Year
Ray Price NRL Community Award
Brett Kenny NYC Coaches Award
Steve Ella NYC Players’ Player Award
Geoff Gerard NSW Cup Coaches Award
Bob O’Reilly NSW Cup Players’ Player Award
Michael Cronin Club Person of the Year Award
Eric Grother Snr NRL Rookie of the Year Award
Jack Gibson NRL Coaches Award
Ken Thornett Medal
An early dishonourable mention goes to a companion who we shall refer to as Joe Borg for his wily efforts to charm the lovely registry attendants.
Yvonne Sampson quietens the general hubub as the night opens with a highlight video from the 2016 season. Plenty of great tries throughout and it encapsulates all the sweetness from a bittersweet year.
John Grant is late. Boo! Yvonne rattles off the official greetings to all the major attendees and pays homage to the traditional owners of the land. As expected, the club via Yvonne pay homage to the Mayor of Parramatta after his recent passing. A short tribute video plays.
Max Donnelly makes a humourous quip about every ones take on the black tie dress code before launching into all the statistical benchmarks the club broke in 2016 on the field. He moves onto a commercial angle as he notes how the club has shrugged off incredible adversity to continue to grow off the field but does caution it all by stating the he realises there is still plenty of work to do.
Blue and Gold Army NRL Player of the Year
Clinton Gutherson
Gutherson jokes about decidedly different fan reactions after the first couple of games in 2016 but the young man is a most deserved winner of the award after lighting the NRL up in the back end of this year.
Ray Price NRL Community Award
Tim Mannah
Peter Wynn is on hand to announce this award and mentions the special efforts made by the namesake Ray Price. Mannah, as always, is humble in accepting this award as he quickly praises all of his other team mates for their efforts in the community. Yvonne goes on to congratulate him for the young bub he has coming.
Time for a break from the official proceedings as the first course is served. Baked savoury tart shell filled with West Australian ash-dusted goat’s cheese, kalamata olives, semi dried tomatoes and fresh garden herbs served on a capsicum coulis or traditional potato pillows tossed with crispy pancetta, cherry tomatoes and sweet bread beans infused with lightly spiced chilli and garlic apparently. That was a bigger mouthful to pronounce than what it will take to fill my mouth I reckon!
John Grant has finally entered the building. John Grant follows through on Max Donnelly’s original quip about Parramatta black-tie formal. Lukewarm reception from the crowd. Grant goes on to honour Ken Thornett and also share his respects with the traditional owners of the land. The messy ordeal of 2016 is touched on in some depth as Grant covers the NRL’s actions in both punishing the old power brokers at Parramatta and also returning the Eels to the status as a powerhouse in the NRL. Grant calls for members to support the likes of Donnelly and Gurr whilst also laying to rest the factional warfare that has torn our club asunder and then lavishes praise on the efforts of our coach and players in a difficult year.
Luke Burt is the man that will present the Brett Kenny Coaches Award and the Steve Ella Players’ Player Award. Burt shares with everyone that coaching it a pretty tough gig (who would have thought!) before giving an optimistic outlook on 2017.
Brett Kenny NYC Coaches Award
Jack Morris
Worthy choice from Burt. Morris lifted his game to a new level in 2016, making the QLD Under 20s team.
Steve Ella NYC Players’ Player Award
Troy Dargan
Following his selection in the Holden Cup Team of the Year, Troy Dargan takes out the player’s player award. Dargan lavished thanks on his coach and team mates.
Geoff Gerrard NSW Cup (Intrust Super Premiership) Coaches Award
Cameron King
Great pick for this award. King played in both the halves and hooker for the Magpies and was instrumental in nearly guiding Wenty to an unlikely finals berth.
Bob O’Reilly NSW Cup (Intrust Super Premiership) Players’ Player Award
Sam Gorman
No surprise here for mine. Gorman busted his arse for Wenty every week and is an incredible effort player. He was the first to lead the defensive line and was always the player pushing up in support in attack. Congratulations to Sam!
Hahahaha! Yvonne Sampson gives Holden Cup player Jack Miller a gentle roasting as she jokes about him knowing all of the lyrics from Shannon Noll’s six or seven song set tonight. Quality banter from our MC.
Michael Cronin Club Person of the Year Award
Brad Arthur
Hail to our king. Well done Brad.
Eric Grothe Snr NRL Rookie of the Year Award
Bevan French
Like there was any doubt? Our superstar rookie was typically humble in accepting the award and gave a lovely speech about his relationship with his mom and footy. Champion.
Jack Gibson NRL Coaches Award
Isaac De Gois
Hot off notching a try-scoring double against the Warriors, Isaac De Gois picks up the Jack Gibson Coaches Award. BA praises his effort at both training and game and calls him a winner that helps lift the team. IDG himself speaks to the camaraderie in the club from the 20s right through to first grade.
Ken Thornett Medal
Manu Ma’u
A faultless pick. Manu elevated his game even further in 2016 and solidified his reputation an elite player in the NRL. Manu proceeds to deliver arguably the greatest acceptance speech of all time as they soft-spoken enforcer drops several f-bombs as he searches for the right words. He gives BA plenty of love in a decidedly Manu-fashion. What a player, what a bloke.
Thanks for joining me here on TCT tonight everyone! Hope you had as much fun as I did!
Cheers Forty. I got the tip this morning you would be updating us…..
Do we have a market for Thornett winner…?
My tip is Manu, closely followed by Gutho, and Bev. Sounds like a good night.
Please be sure to update on the what food is served, and speakers.
I’d be interested to see if Burnie Gurr speaks, besides BA.
ENJOY MEN, and we know you will all behave.
Work tomorrow sixties…👍🏻🍻🇦🇺😎
I’m not sleeping on Beau Scott as a potential medalist either but I can’t otherwise knock the field you have got there mate!
Yeah, B Scott has been a superb leader this year…
Would Bernie Gurr be in the country or still in th US.
Oops Yes John, you are right. Somewhere I recall reading he won’t be here till November. I was hoping he’d be there as I’d like to hear what he has to say. Thanks for reminding me.
I believe Bernie is still in the US, John.
Have fun gents and thanks for the updates.
Do they have a Rookie award? Bevan French would be a shoe in for that. I do not think that TM can win it again he lost too many games thru injury but you would have to think that Scott, Mau and Gutho would be up there.
The full break down of the awards list is as follows:
Blue and Gold Army NRL Player of the Year
Ray Price NRL Community Award
Brett Kenny NYC Coaches Award
Steve Ella NYC Players’ Player Award
Geoff Gerard NSW Cup Coaches Award
Bob O’Reilly NSW Cup Players’ Player Award
Michael Cronin Club Person of the Year Award
Eric Grother Snr NRL Rookie of the Year Award
Jack Gibson NRL Coaches Award
Ken Thornett Medal
Thanks for that Forty
The Guth Bus would get my vote. I had huge doubts about him most of the season, thought it was a joke that he got picked for City vs Country. Bloody hell though did he prove me wrong. He just got better and better each game. Really hope he gets to partner Norman in the halves. Would be fantastic.
Thought Tepai had his best season yet. Especially when he got moved back into the Second-Row. Beau Scott, Mau, Kenny Edwards, Taka, all fantastic players
Is there a possibility that our new signings will be announced tonight??
New signings tonight, that would be good and an appropriate way to introduce them. Unless of course they are still involved in finals.
Good morning forty, you gave that Joe Borg a dishonourable mention well I watched that blokes work from close by and it appeared to me that he was the only one to get a lot of smiles and lovely banter from said young ladies also hi work with the beautiful Yvonne Samson was something to behold. Anyway mate I watched you work tonight and for the last few years I just keep saying I do not know how you do what you do and still enjoy yourself. The whole evening was great the company on our table was first class [ SPECIAL MENTION TO A PARTICULAR TEACHER WHO HAS TROUBLE REMEMBERING NAMES POOR STUDENTS} Good work mate see you soon.
Outstanding work from Forty tonight. Even getting to meet the lovely Yvonne Sampson could not distract Forty from his coverage of the night. Briffa-Borg, stop mixing up your aliases.
Sounds like a good night. Any whispers around what’s happening with the Medal winner and Semi contract wise?
Mau and semi going nowhere ,in negotiations at this moment
Credibility Award , well that goes to this sight and the people therin , just great sensible reports and insights minus the stupidity and vitriol that pervades the one eye eel , accept the award boys !!
Cheers Grumpy. After a great evening and some really good feedback we’re happy to accept that feedback. We won’t rest too much in the off season. We aim to be bigger and better moving forward.