Dave Dennis voted Player of the Year

Dennis picked up the award at the annual Matthew Burke Cup Dinner held tonight at Sydney’s Doltone House and attended by the squad and key sponsors, stakeholders, members and Waratahs Rugby staff. 

 

The flanker finished the season with 245 votes, 47 votes clear of 2008 and ‘09 champion Wycliff Palu, whose second overall placing earned him the Best Forward Award.  Just five points behind him was 2010 champion Tatafu Polota-Nau.

 

After finishing in third place last season, Dennis’ award is further recognition of the outstanding form that has already earned him his Qantas Wallaby debut. 

 

In his first season in NSW colours, Adam Ashley-Cooper picked up the award for Best Back after finishing on 132 points, fourth position in the overall voting, 13 points clear of fifth-placed Kane Douglas and 24 points clear of second-placed backs, Berrick Barnes and Bernard Foley, who each amassed 108 votes.

 

Leading the voting after round five, Dennis polled strongly in four of the first five matches, collecting 81 votes to Palu’s 77, a tally boosted by a massive 43 of the possible 63 votesavailable against the Rebels in round two.  Those positions were reversed after round 11, with Palu edging to a 156-144 vote lead after both players polled highly across the board.  After a slow start that saw him sit just 13^th after five rounds, Polota-Nau’s 79-point haul from four mid-season matches saw him jump 10 places to take third position.

 

But Dennis’ strong finish to the season, including a season record 46-point haul against the Hurricanes (equalled only by hooker John Ulugia’s round eight performance against the Bulls) saw him top the table in the final standings.

 

Each player in the 22-man match day squad submitted votes on a 3-2-1 basis after each round to determine the overall result.

 

Newcomer Bernard Foley received the Chris Whitaker Aspiring Waratah Award, won last year by Tom Kingston, while Pat McCutcheon collected the prestigious Waratah Medal for on- and off-field excellence.  McCutcheon’s leadership and influence within the playing group was further recognised by his appointment to a new club captain position, an off-field role that will see him lead by example throughout the team’s preparation for the 2013 season.

 

Presented for the first time in 2012, the inaugural Members’ Choice Player of the Year Award went to Tatafu Polota-Nau, who polled 30% of members’ votes, beating Dennis (24%) and third-placed Berrick Barnes (15%), with Benn Robinson and Adam Ashley-Cooper completing the top five.   

 

Polota-Nau was presented with his award by one of the members that voted for him, Christina Lawrence, who also received a specially-commissioned Waratah pendant. Designed exclusively by one of Waratahs Rugby’s new partners, PENDANTS Australia also created commemorative, personally engraved rings for all 2012 medal winners, designed in conjunction with Tom Carter and Drew Mitchell.

 

Ten players were presented with their NSW debut jersey after making their first state appearances for the HSBC Waratahs this season, while centurian Benn Robinson was honoured after becoming the sixth player to earn 100 state caps for NSW.

 

Players also paid tribute to two long-serving team mates, Dean Mumm and Daniel Halangahu, who will be leaving the HSBC Waratahs.

Chris Whitaker Aspiring Waratah Medal – Bernard Foley

Waratah Medal – Pat McCutcheon

Members’ Choice Player of the Year Award – Tatafu Polota-Nau

Best Back – Adam Ashley-Cooper

Best Forward – Wycliff Palu
Matthew Burke Cup for Players’ Player of the Year – Dave Dennis

 

Adam Ashley-Cooper (Round 1 v Reds, #1580)

Brackin Karauria-Henry (Round 1 v Reds, #1581)

Sarel Pretorius  (Round 1 v Reds, #1582)

Lopeti Timani (Round 1 v Reds, #1583)

Jono Jenkins (Round 2 v Rebels, #1584)

Nathan Trist (Round 2 v Rebels, #1585)

Tevita Metuisela (Round 3 v Highlanders, #1586)

Peter Betham (Round 10 v Crusaders, #1587)

Richard Stanford (Round 14 v Cheetahs,#1588)

Grayson Hart (Round 17 v Brumbies, #1589)

 

 

 

Honour Roll	Waratah Medal	Chris Whitaker Aspiring Waratah Award
2012	Pat McCutcheon	Bernard Foley
2011	Tom Carter	Tom Kingston
2010	Tatafu Polota-Nau	Kane Douglas
2009	Ben Mowen	Damien Fitzpatrick
2008	Phil Waugh	Dan Palmer
2007	Rocky Elsom	Pat McCutcheon
2006	Chris Whitaker	Lachie Turner