Hornby
Wins Coveted Integral Energy Dragons Medal
Report
from: Dragons
media release (www.dragons.com.au)
16/09/03
St
George Illawarra fullback Ben Hornby has won the
2003 Integral Energy Dragons Medal at a formal presentation
at the WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong, tonight.
Hornby,
23, who made his debut as captain of the Dragons
this season during the absence of the injured Trent
Barrett, Lance Thompson and Shaun Timmins, won the
club's NRL "player of the year" award
ahead of final nominees Luke Bailey, Matt Cooper
and Thompson.
The
Medal, won by Timmins last year, is determined by
a mixed criteria including a voting system involving
the first grade players and coaching staff, and
qualitative factors taken into account by the club.
Hornby,
scored five tries in 24 games, joining Mark Riddell
as the only Dragons to play all Telstra Premiership
games this season. He also played out of his favoured
fullback position at five-eighth on several occasions
because of the Dragons injury woes.
Cooper,
24, who had an outstanding season scoring 11 tries
in 23 games and rep honours for the NSW Country
team, was awarded the Geoff Selby Memorial NRL Coaches
Award, determined by the first grade coaching staff.
This award was won by Hornby last year.
NSW
Origin star and Kangaroos debutante Luke Bailey
won the Red V Members Player of the Year, voted
on by the Dragons supporters. Bailey played 20 games
this season, with Origin duties and injuries ruling
him out of the others.
Nathan
Tutt, 23, who played four NRL games, won the Mark
Coyne Award for Premier League Player of the Year,
while NRL rookie Dean Young won the Paul McGregor
Award for Most Valued Contribution to the Club (last
year, the award was for Jersey Flegg Player of the
Year).
This
year the award recognises an up-and-coming younger
player for their contribution and attitude on and
off the field and Young, 19, more than qualifies.
Young, a Jersey Flegg player last season, played
22 NRL games in his rookie first grade season this
year.
Award
Winners
Ben Hornby Integral Energy Dragons Medal
(other nominations were Luke Bailey, Matt Cooper
and Lance Thompson)
Matt Cooper Geoff Selby Memorial NRL Coaches Award
Luke Bailey Red V Members Player of the Year
Nathan Tutt Mark Coyne Award – Premier League
Player of the Year
Dean Young Paul McGregor Award – Most Valued
Contribution to the Club
