Up and coming Parramatta Eels and Bankstown Bruins players get top gongs at awards night

Rising rugby league star William Kei Fine Paiaaua was one of two young talents recognised at last night’s NewsLocal Junior Sports Star Awards.

Rising rugby league star and cousin to the late Jonah Lomu, William Fine Paiaaua Kei, won the 2016 Canterbury-Bankstown Junior Sports Star award.

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Rising rugby league star William Kei Fine Paiaaua was one of two young talents recognised at last night’s NewsLocal Junior Sports Star Awards.

The Greenacre teenager, who scored the winning try for NSW under 16s against Queensland in the State of Origin curtain raiser in Sydney last year, won the 2016 Canterbury-Bankstown Junior Sports Star award.

Chester Hill basketballer Brayden Paranihi-Patolo was also honoured, winning the Young Sporting Spirit award for our area.

Brayden Paranihi-Patolo, 12, won the Young Sporting Spirit award for Canterbury-Bankstown.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, held at Waterview at Sydney Olympic Park, William said: “Praise God for getting me here and for giving me this opportunity and for opening doors for me.”

The 16-year-old, who plays for the Parramatta Eels SG Ball under 18s side, was the top scorer in Harold Matthews Cup last year and in 2015.

William Fine Paiaaua Kei, 16, is one to keep an eye on. Picture: Phil Rogers

But his fondest memory was beating Queensland last year: “it was overwhelming to beat a team that you grew up disliking,” he said.

He is also the cousin of the late All Blacks star Jonah Lomu.

Brayden, 12, said he was: “pretty surprised” to receive the sporting spirit award.

After being inspired to play the game from his father two years ago, Brayden was soon after diagnosed with juvenile absence epilepsy.

Chester Hill's Brayden Paranihi-Patolo. Picture: Carmela Roche

Despite his condition, Brayden played for the Sydney South West PSSA basketball team which competed at the PSSA State championships last year. He also plays for the Bankstown Bruins under 14s division 1 side and was in the U12s team last year.

Matildas and Western Sydney Wanderers football player Ellie Carpenter, 16, from Pemulwuy, took out the top honour at the NewsLocal Junior Sports Star awards, winning the overall medal for outstanding performance in 2016.

Ellie Carpenter accepted the top award by video, as she was en route with the Matildas to Portugal to take on Sweden. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The awards, sponsored by Rebel, are open to rising sporting stars aged from 10 to 16 and were presented at a gala dinner held at Bicentennial Park’s Waterview conference centre on Wednesday night.

Olympic kayak medallist Jessica Fox and former world champion discus thrower Dani Samuels are both former winners of the awards.

The Team Spirit award went to the Hills Junior Baseball team which competed at the Little League World Series in the US. Norman Hill, a member of the Coogee Surf Life Saving club for 77 years, won the the Service to Sport award.

NewsLocal would like to thank major sponsor, Rebel; Simonds Homes for sponsoring the Young Spiriting Spirit and Service to Sport awards, and Sports TG for sponsoring the Team Spirit Award.