Origin winners at QRL Awards

Author: Michael Hillier QRL Media
Timestamp: Fri 20 Sep 2024, 02:48 PM

Queensland’s State of Origin stars and those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes have been acknowledged at today’s QRL Awards.

Tom Dearden was the named the Maroons’ best player and the recipient of the Ron McAuliffe Medal, while the team’s long-serving head trainer Matt Barradeen was presented with the FOGS Peter Jackson Memorial Award.

Dearden played all three Origin games for the Maroons’ at five-eighth, the same position he will play in tonight’s NRL finals match for the North Queensland Cowboys.

When the Origin series was on the line in Brisbane, Dearden produced a tenacious performance for the gritty Maroons, with that effort and the consistency he displayed across the first two games earning him his first McAuliffe Medal.

Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons forward Shannon Mato was also rewarded for her outstanding form across the first ever three-match women’s series.

Mato was announced as the recipient of the Annie Banks Medal, having also received the Nellie Doherty Medal as player of the series following the historic series win in Townsville.

The Renae Kunst Medal – awarded to a player or staff member who most embodies the Maroons spirit – was presented to Zahara Temara for a second-straight year.

Today’s event featured an opening address from FOG and QRL chief executive officer Ben Ikin.

Ikin welcomed former Maroons coach Wayne Bennett, who delivered a stirring address that paid tribute to retiring QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher.