Winners are grinners: All the award winners at the MDRL presentation evening
The Mackay and District Rugby League celebrated the best of the best from season 2024 at Saturday’s presentation. Find out why each award winner was recognised as the best in their respective competitions.
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The Mackay and District Rugby League sent off the 2024 season in style at Saturday night’s presentation evening, find out who took out the best player awards and why.
Lochie Hussey (Wanderers) - U13 Boys
The Wanderers’ second-rower was the most prolific point scorer in the competition this season, finishing up with a monster total of 162 points including 23 tries.
Kobi Livermore (Wests) - U14 Girls
Wests’ premiership skipper, Livermore scored the third-most tries in the competition from the hooker position and led her side to a premiership from fifth-place at the end of the home and away season.
Cooper Venz (Magpies) - U14 Boys
The Magpies lock was a critical component of their premiership-winning under-14s outfit, captaining the side to the ultimate success.
Sangwani Chiluna (Magpies) - U15 Boys
The Magpies prop finished as his team’s leading try scorer, racking up 15 for the season, good for fifth-most in the competition.
Cianna Faulkner (Wanderers) - U16 Girls
Yet another premiership captain, there was no better showcase of Faulkner’s talents than the grand final in which she scored two tries and nailed three conversions. Finished top three in tries for the season with 11 and had the fourth-most points with 58.
Caleb O’Brien (Wanderers) - U16 Boys
The fourth premiership skipper on the list, O’Brien was the leading point scorer in the under-16 competition with 102 thanks to being a deadeye goal-kicker while also scoring the equal third-most tries in the competition.
Jack Townsend (Wests) - U17 Boys
This talented second-rowers pure stats may not jump off the page the way some others might, but those who witnessed the games could see his influence on both sides of the ball.
Selina Cowley (Souths) - U18 Girls
The Sharks’ second-rower was one of the most damaging players in the competition, racking up the equal second-most tries in the competition as she helped lead Souths to an undefeated home and away record.
Jaffahl Skillington (Magpies) - U20 Men
We’re not finished with premiership captains just yet, with the Magpies fullback Skillington was yet another skipper who was able to lead his side to the ultimate glory while being recognised as his competition’s best player. He registered the equal-second most tries in the league with eight to his name by seasons end.
Dylan Patteson (Moranbah) - Reserve Men
The Miners’ number 11 was far from the flashiest player in the competition - he didn’t even make the top 50 try scorers in the reserves grade - but some players have a value to their club that cannot be measured on the statsheet, and he’s a prime example.
Imogen Healy (Brothers) - A-grade Women
And add one final premiership skipper to the list, as Healy led the charge for Brothers in their pursuit of the ultimate glory. Another player whose efforts didn’t always show up in the stat sheet for herself, Healy played a critical role for Brothers in the halves.
Brad Campbell (Brothers) - A-grade Men
Another player whose value is not always apparent purely on the stat sheet, the Brothers halfback only had the six tries on the season but was a creative force for his side moving into attack.
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