Gold Coast rugby Bob Sinclair Medal nominations revealed

The race for the Gold Coast District Rugby Union’s Most Valuable Player award, the Bob Sinclair Medal, has hit the final straight. Here are eight players who could win the award.

The shortlist for the Gold Coast District Rugby Union’s Most Valuable Player award, the Bob Sinclair Medal, has been released.

Eight coaches have nominated their team’s star player for the consideration of the Gold Coast Referee’s Association, who will select the winner at a function ahead of the grand final.

North Sydney Bears forward Piki Rogers - Intrust Super Premiership | Round 23 | Illawarra Vs North Sydney | Jubilee Oval | 12/08/2017. Photo Steve Little www.redandblackzone.com.

The players nominated were: Harrison Cumming (Colleges), Scott Sutherland (Nerang), Whitney Ueta-Siteina (Helensvale), Rodney Pita (PBC), Joel Lonsdale (Surfers), Piki Rogers (Coomera), Angus Blake (Eagles) and Xavier Pereka (Bond).

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PBC Alleygators new recruit Rodney Pita. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

Griffith University Colleges Knights skipper Jaye Paton was the award’s inaugural winner in 2019.

He said receiving an award named for the former Gold Coast rugby chairman and founder of the Surfers Paradise rugby club was a special honour.

Surfers Paradise centre Joel Lonsdale runs at the Eagles defence during their rugby union match at James Overell Park, Southport. Photograph : Jason O'Brien

“Getting those awards is always great,” the former Bond University premier grade player said.

“To win them you have a really good team beside you and I’ve been lucky for the past three years to have had good footballers beside me who allowed me to play the game how I wanted to play.”

Gold Coast District Rugby Union match between Gold Coast Eagles and Surfers Paradise at James Overell Park. Photo of Eagles lock Angus Blake is tackled by Surfers No.8 Jono Makris. Picture: Richard Gosling

The undefeated Knights are in rare form in 2020 and Paton said any one of 10 players from his club could have scored the nomination onto the Medal’s shortlist.

That didn’t detract from the pride he felt for his flank-mate Cumming.

“Harro will be stoked,” Paton said.

Griffith University Knights flanker Harrison Cumming during the Gold Coast Rugby Union Captains media call for the 2020 Rugby launch at Burleigh Heads. Photo Scott Powick Newscorp

“He’s a solid, no-frills footballer who runs and tackles hard. I’m sure teams don’t want to play against him.

“Obviously it’s special to be nominated but we’re not getting too wrapped up in individual awards.

“We’re about the big one at the end of the year.”