Kirwan High’s Jeremiah Nanai wins the inaugural Michael Morgan Medal

The star of Kirwan High player Jeremiah Nanai continues to shine bright after the barnstorming second rower took out the inaugural Michael Morgan Medal.

Kirwan bears player Jeremiah Nanai. Picture: Evan Morgan

The star of Kirwan High player Jeremiah Nanai continues to shine bright after the barnstorming second rower took out the inaugural Michael Morgan Medal.

Nanai, 17, was named as the best player of this year’s Aaron Payne Cup competition on last night’s School Footy Show, fending off strong competition from other footy nurseries such as Ignatius Park College and The Cathedral College, Rockhampton.

Nanai said he was shocked to learn he had won the prestigious award while tuning in to last night’s program.

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“I was watching it on the lounge with my home stay, and he told my I had to let my parents know and let my family know, and I said ‘yeah I’ll call them tomorrow’,” Nanai said.

“I’m honoured to win the Michael Morgan Medal, I feel humbled and I’m proud to get it

“But I wouldn’t have got it if it wasn’t for the boys.”

Nanai played in last year’s Kirwan outfit that won last year’s NRL Schoolboys Cup, and is leading by example as vice-captain of this year’s team.

The Cowboys-contracted backrower combines a powerful ball-running game with remarkable agility, and has been likened to Jason Taumalolo by opposition coaches when it comes to his on-field impact.

Which could be a good omen given that Nanai is just a couple of months from joining the Cowboys and training alongside Taumalolo, and the namesake of the medal he’s just won.

“NRL’s my big dream. It will be good with the fulltime boys like Taumalolo all those boys, so it will be a big dream for me to make it,” Nanai said.

“It’ll be pretty cool to see Morgo as well....whenever I see him, I might mention it (the medal win).”

But Nanai’s focus is squared firmly at the task at hand; Wednesday’s Aaron Payne Cup semi-final against St Patrick’s College, Mackay.

The school of NRL alumni such as Daly Cherry Evans, Wendell Sailor and Ben Barba, St Patrick’s has shown form in recent games to seal fourth place at the end of the regular season and a semi-finals berth.

“We’re happy with what we’ve achieved so far, but it’s a long way to go and we haven’t won anything yet,” Nanai said, who said Kirwan’s upset loss to Ignatius Park had revealed some home truths.

“We just weren’t there. We didn’t turn up, so we let ourselves down there, but I think we needed that to show we can come back stronger and better.

“There’s big target on us. Everyone’s coming for us now, but it’s not going to stop us.

“We just have to work hard, and hopefully we get thee win again.

Originally published as Kirwan High’s Jeremiah Nanai wins the inaugural Michael Morgan Medal