Sea Eagles Cherry Ripe as second half swoop downs Eels
9 hours ago | Sam Bourke
Melbourne Storm hooker Cameron Smith has been awarded the 2006 Dally M Player of the Year award.
In a result which mirrors our own adjudication at League Unlimited, the nuggetty rake capped off a memorable season by taking out the prestigious award tonight at the Sydney Town Hall.
Smith, a goal kicking hooker, has been a mainstay of the Storm side for some years now and represented Queensland with distinction in this year's State of Origin series. Following the withdrawal of Danny Buderus, Smith looks likely to receive his first Test cap in this years's Tri-Nations tournament.
Other notable winners were rookie Jarryd Hayne and coach Craig Bellamy.
Here are the full details of the night?s awards:
Rookie of The Year: Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels)
Nominated - Greg Eastwood, Jarryd Hayne, Darius Boyd, Luke Douglas, Grant Rovelli
2006 Top Tryscorer: Nathan Merritt (South Sydney Rabbitohs) 22 tries
2006 Top Pointscorer: Hazem El Masri (Bulldogs) 274 points
Captain of The Year: Ben Kennedy (Manly Sea Eagles)
Nominated - Ben Kennedy, Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Andrew Ryan
Provan Summons People's Choice: Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta Eels)
Nominated - Nathan Hindmarsh, Ben Kennedy, Willie Mason, Andrew Johns
Peter Frilingos Memorial Award for Headline Moment of the Year: Brett Finch (State of Origin I)
Nominated -
The Brett Finch field goal, SOO1
The Brett Stewart try, Manly v Tigers
Hodgson's pass in SOO3
Gorrell's sideline conversion to sink the Broncos at Suncorp
Coach of the Year: Craig Bellamy (Melbourne Storm)
Nominated - Craig Bellamy, Steve Folkes, Jason Taylor, Matt Elliott
Representative Player of the Year: Darren Lockyer (Queensland Maroons & Australian Kangaroos)
Nominated - Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva, Jonathon Thurston, Willie Mason
ARL Hall of Fame inductees:
The late Ken Kearney
Sid Pearce
Charles Fraser
George Treweek
Duncan Hall
Peter Sterling
POSITIONAL AWARDS:
Fullback: Clinton Schifcofske (Canberra Raiders)
Nominated - Greg Inglis, Rhys Wesser, Brett Stewart, Clinton Schifcofske
Winger: Brian Carney (Newcastle Knights)
Nominated - Hazem El Masri, Eric Grothe, Brian Carney, Nathan Merritt
Centre: Mark Gasnier (St George-Illawarra Dragons)
Nominated - Justin Hodges, Mark Gasnier, Matt Cooper, Adam Mogg, Jake Webster
Five-eighth: Darren Lockyer (Brisbane Broncos)
Nominated - Scott Hill, Jason Smith, Darren Lockyer, Preston Campbell
Halfback: Cooper Cronk (Melbourne Storm)
Nominated - Matt Orford, Cooper Cronk, Andrew Johns, Johnathan Thurston
Prop: Roy Asotasi (Bulldogs)
Nominated - Luke Bailey, Roy Asotasi, Petero Civoniceva, Mark O'Meley
Hooker: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Nominated ? Danny Buderus, Aaron Payne, Robbie Farah, Cameron Smith
Second row: Nathan Hindmarsh (Parramatta Eels)
Nominated - Willie Mason, Nathan Hindmarsh, Steve Simpson, Ryan Hoffman
Lock: Ben Kennedy (Manly Sea Eagles)
Nominated - Ben Kennedy, Alan Tongue, Reni Maitua, Dallas Johnson