Nightcliff’s Robbie Butcher wins Frank Johnson Medal following strong NRL NT season with the Dragons

Nightcliff’s Robbie Butcher started the 2021 NRL NT season with his eyes on playing reserve grade but finished cemented in the A-grade unit and the winner of the coveted Frank Johnson Medal.

NIGHTCLIFF’s Robbie Butcher started the 2021 NRL NT season with his eyes on playing reserve grade but finished cemented in the A-grade unit and the winner of the coveted Frank Johnson Medal.

Butcher made a massive impact in the Dragons halves unit proving dangerous on the offence scoring 30 points, including three tries, throughout the regular season and setting up many more.

He’s no stranger to picking up accolades in NT sport with his Frank Johnson adding to his record equalling three Eric Johnston’s, the best and fairest medal in the Darwin Rugby Union season.

Supported by his direction and creativity Nightcliff became the 2021 minor premiers, though the season didn’t end the way the side would have wanted as they lost the preliminary final.

MORE NT SPORT STORIES

The NT News looks at the talking points from the semi-finals of the 2021 NRL NT season

Palmerston Raiders focused on fierce rivals Nightcliff Dragons in the NRL NT preliminary final

But for Butcher he has enjoyed the return to his junior club where he has managed to make easy connections with players he knows from union including Jone Vakacegu and Wise Sekitoga.

Butcher was also named in the NT News Team of the Year alongside fellow Nightcliff stars Clint Chettle, Brent Crisp and coach Reg Rose.

“I’m hugely honoured. I didn’t expect this, I only came down to play with the boys in B-grade to help out my junior club,” Butcher said.

“I’m thankful to the opportunity to play footy for Nightcliff. It was great to come back, there’s a lot of guys that I played junior footy with and union with.

“They made it easy for me to come in, I’ve enjoyed playing and these guys at the Dragons have helped me develop.

“These medals are named after guys who paved the way in Territory sport so it is a great honour to have picked these up. It was a good season, it didn’t end the way that we wanted but that’s how it goes in footy so all the best to everyone who is playing finals.”

Nightcliff Dragons Robbie Butcher won the Frank Johnson Medal Photo: NRL NT

Elsewhere, Nathan Dixon, the 2021 Eric Johnston winner, picked up the NRL NT Rising Star Award after a breakthrough season with the Litchfield Bears.

The Bears were in a transitional year in 2021 but plenty of their younger players earmarked themselves as ones to watch going forward.

Dixon was chief among them with eyes on making the five eighth jersey his own in the seasons to come on the back of his strong showings throughout the union season.