Kiwis battle for award
Six players from the World Cup-winning Pirtek Kiwis are vying for the International Player of the Year accolade to be announced at the 2008 New Zealand Rugby League Awards in Auckland on Sunday.
All six along with 16 of their World Cup team-mates and management will be together for the awards event, which will be televised live by Sky Sport from the Otahuhu Rugby League Club (starting at 12 noon).
The finalists are divided evenly between backs and forwards although back rower Simon Mannering – the Vodafone Warriors’ 2008 NRL Player of the Year – was used in the centres when the Pirtek Kiwis stunned Australia 34-20 at Suncorp Stadium on November 22.
Three of Mannering’s club-mates are among the other five finalists – halfback Nathan Fien, fullback Lance Hohaia and winger Manu Vatuvei – along with captain Nathan Cayless (Parramatta) and loose forward Jeremy Smith, now with St George Illawarra after leaving Melbourne.
The judging panel had been challenged to narrow the field down on the basis of performances in the Pirtek Kiwis’ World Cup campaign and principally in the final.
“Voting was quite diverse and the common feedback from the judges was how difficult it was single out their top three choices as requested,” said NZRL general manager Peter Cordtz.
“In the past we have had the greatest difficulty bringing players together for our annual awards function but this time we basically have the entire team on hand. That makes this a very special occasion after an unforgettable year for the game in this country.”
Among other awards announced will be the International Rookie of the Year, the Bartercard Coach of the Year and the NZRL Personality of the Year.
Contesting the rookie award are winger Jason Nightingale (Kiwi No 747), utility Setaimata Sa (No 748), hooker Issac Luke (No 749), second rower Sika Manu (No 750) and prop Evarn Tuimavave (No 751).
Also in attendance will be members of the World Cup-winning Kiwi Ferns, who clinched the women’s title for a third straight time in November.
The NZRL Awards function is one of three feature events during the Pirtek Kiwis’ two-day World Cup celebration in Auckland.
The players and management assemble late tomorrow, being reunited for the first time since New Zealand’s breakthrough World Cup success 54 years after the competition started.
On Sunday the entire squad will be at Henham Park – the Otahuhu Rugby League Club’s home ground at Mt Richmond – to launch the NZRL’s Kids 2 Kiwis programme, an initiative designed to boost registration numbers among children in the 6-12 year old age group. Along with the Kiwi Ferns, the Pirtek Kiwis will be involved in running coaching clinics as well as signing autographs and posing for photographs.
On display throughout will be the Rugby League World Cup trophy, which the public can be photographed with. Due to start at 9.45am, the event will be televised live on Sportbox on Prime TV.
The Pirtek Kiwis will break away from the activities about 11.15am to get changed for the awards function before rejoining the public for a barbecue.
On Monday morning, the World Cup winners will be guests in the Auckland City Council’s chambers before a civic reception at the Louis Vuitton Pacific series village in the Viaduct Harbour precinct. It runs from 11.45am to 12.45pm with some players in line to show their skills on grinding machines. The World Cup will again be on display with the players also involved in a signing session for fans.
While the players based in Australia return on Monday afternoon, coach Stephen Kearney will remain in Auckland to attend the Halberg Awards dinner at the Vector Arena on Tuesday night (along with the seven Vodafone Warriors in the World Cup squad). Kearney is one of four finalists in the Coach of the Year category while the Pirtek Kiwis are among the four finalists for the Team of the Year title.
Kearney said the whole squad welcomed the chance this weekend to thank the public for their support throughout the World Cup campaign.
“Winning the World Cup was hugely satisfying. It’s the biggest thing that has happened for the game in New Zealand and the fans had a lot to do with it,” he said.
“It will be great to see as many of them there as possible for the Kids 2 Kiwis launch and also at the civic reception.”
Kearney has also indicated he will use the get-together to put plans in place for the Pirtek Kiwis’ 2009 programme, especially the Anzac Test in Brisbane in May.
NZRL chairman Ray Haffenden said it was vital rugby league benefited from the World Cup success.
“We need more kids playing rugby league in the 6-12 range,” he said.
Kids 2 Kiwis will see the Rugby League World Cup go on tour to key areas in the country as a focal point of the drive to boost playing numbers.
“To encourage increased participation we will provide incentives for the kids to register in the mini and mod football grades in 2009,” he said.
This will include free posters, Kids 2 Kiwis wrist bands, Kiwi tattoos and promotional mail-outs for those registered in the League Net database (like the Captain Cayless Christmas postcards which were sent out to thousands of registered young players around the country late last year).
“During the February/March registration period, we’ll be sending the Rugby League World Cup trophy on tour to spend time in each district that has mini-mod football,” said Haffenden.