Farraway flies to player of the year title

For Miriam Vale's Jed Farraway, he admitted that this year in the Northern Districts Rugby League was make or break for him.

BEST AND FAIREST: Gary Stehbens Medal winner Jed Farraway from Miriam Vale. He is with Hayden and Roslyn Stehbens who are the relatives of the late Gary after whom the medal is named. Picture: Neil Redfern

LEAGUE: 'To be honest I said to my partner at the start of the year this could quite possibly be the last year I play football'.

For Miriam Vale's Jed Farraway, this year in the Northern Districts Rugby League was make or break for him.

The 25-year-old wanted to play his part in the Magpies, lead from the front and deliver glory personally and for the team.

"I told my missus if I don't get a player of the year, or mention for the club (at best and fairest), that will be me done,” Farraway said.

The hard work and dedication to make sure he got recognised paid off on Saturday night when Farraway was voted the Gary Stehbens player of the year in the NDRL.

The award is named after the late Stehbens who was involved in the sport for more than 40 years as a player, committee member and referee.

Farraway won the award by six votes over Gin Gin's Matt Lawton who charged to second in the final few rounds.

"It's a very hard thing to take it all in at once,” he said.

"I worked hard all year, as all the boys did at the club.”

Farraway played in last year's premiership for the Magpies, with the side in contention to go back to back in a couple of weeks.

He said the motivation to do well was simple.

"It comes from playing in a good country town, with good country people,” he said.

"It is about putting it back into the club.”

Farraway has risen to the occasion when the side needed, playing at centre, in the forwards and even in the halves to deliver the side a win.

"Big thanks to the coach Mitch Brennan and a big thanks to all our major sponsors,” he said.

"Without them we wouldn't have a club.”

Farraway dominated the awards on the night with the Magpie taking out the most points, most goals and most tries awards as well.

In other awards, Blake Santalucia from Avondale and Jackson Brown from South Kolan won rookie of the year, with Avondale claiming the title for the minor premiers.

The finals (right) start this weekend in South Kolan.