‘Exceptional’ Munster, Dearden clinch Maroons awards
Joel Gould |
Queensland halves Cameron Munster and Tom Dearden have won the two most prestigious State of Origin awards after their heroics for the Maroons.
Dearden received the Ron McAuliffe Medal as the Maroons’ best player of the Origin campaign for the second year in a row, for how he stepped into halfback to help inspire the 2-1 series win after former captain Daly Cherry-Evans was dropped.
The award is named after the former senator McAuliffe who was also the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) boss and one of the most influential figures in the game.
The 24-year-old Dearden had earlier won the Wally Lewis Medal, presented to the best player on either team.
Munster took out the FOGS Peter Jackson Memorial Award for the inspirational way he captained the side in the 24-12 win in game three of the series in Sydney, following the death of his father Steven just four days prior.
The award, named after the late Maroons legend Jackson, is presented to the player or member of staff who makes the greatest contribution to the squad each year and represents what the Queensland spirit is about.
Maroons chairman of selectors Gene Miles said Munster’s selfless and brave actions would forever be remembered.
“What he did was just exceptional and it was so emotional too,” Miles told AAP.
“He had to leave camp and go home and be with his mum and family. After spending a few days there he came back into camp and switched on for a footy match.
“I don’t know that too many people would be able to do that. In hindsight that proved a great inspiration to the team, just to see what he did and how he wanted to play from day one.”
Miles, also the executive chairman of FOGS (Former Origin Greats), played alongside larger-than-life Jackson in their own stellar Maroons careers.
“Jacko will be all smiles up there looking down and seeing that another larrikin has won the Peter Jackson Award,” Miles grinned.
“Munster is a clone of Jacko. Jacko used to do the things Munster does these days. He is a larrikin and that was Jacko to a tee. They have loved a good time.
“Jacko was the life of the party and I am sure Munster has got that title too even though he is the skipper.”
Miles said Dearden was unfortunate not to have started in game one of the series, won 18-6 by NSW, where he shone off the bench.
Coach Billy Slater and his fellow selectors had no doubt he would handle the pressure of replacing Cherry-Evans.
“There was no debate about who was going to slot in there. It was always going to be Tommy,” Miles said.
“We had to find a spot for him after he was so good for us the previous series.
“Tommy turned up everywhere. They sent traffic at him to test his defence and he handled everything tossed at him.”
In other QRL awards presented in Brisbane on Thursday night, Ipswich hooker Oliver Pascoe won the Petero Civoniceva Medal as Queensland Cup player of the year.
Queensland winger Julia Robinson was the winner of the Annie Banks Medal following her consistently powerful displays in the three-match women’s Origin series, won 2-1 by NSW.
AAP
