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9 hours ago | Aidan Edgecomb
MERCURIAL Redcliffe Dolphins hooker Michael Roberts has continued his stellar record at QLD Wizard Cup level, claiming an unprecedented third Qantas Airways Player of the Year award.
Roberts received the award from Qantas Airways Queensland Corporate Manager Mr Shaun McKee at the QRL grand final luncheon in the Paddington Room at Suncorp Stadium prior to today?s Grand Final.
The major prize for the artful Roberts is two return airline tickets, through Qantas, from either Cairns or Brisbane to Hawaii, 7 nights accommodation at a luxury resort and spending money.
The Dolphins veteran previously won the award playing halfback in Redcliffe?s grand final teams of 1999 and 2001.
Unfortunately he was unable to secure the double in either of those years as Redcliffe lost the ?99 decider to Burleigh (12-10) and then Toowoomba claimed the 2001 title with a 28-26 win at Dolphin Oval.
Roberts joins previous winners of this prestigious award, introduced in 1996 to coincide with the launch of the State-wide competition format - Robbie Schmidt ? Cairns Cyclones (1996), Alan Wieland ? Wests Panthers (1997), Shane Perry ? Logan Scorpions (1998), Chris Lawler ? Ipswich Jets (2000), Scott Thorburn ? Easts Tigers (2002), Wynnum Manly Seagulls five-eighth Denny Lambert (2003), Jace Van Dijk ? Souths Logan (2004) and last year?s recipient Ipswich Jets halfback Ricky Bird.
When the first tally of votes was conducted after Round 7 Burleigh Bears playmaker Adam Hayden was a runaway leader on 14 points having received votes in six matches.
Others to feature in the first tally were Brad Davis from Tweed Seagulls on 12 votes, Ipswich Jets skipper Danny Coburn with 11 and Souths Logan pair Brandon Costin and Quentin Laulu-Togagae both having secured 9 points.
At that stage Roberts was well in the mix with a total of 10, after he received votes in four matches.
When votes were again tallied after 15 rounds of the competition it was youngster Laulu-Togagae who led the field having accumulated 13 votes in only six games to sit on 22 points.
Easts Tigers halfback Luke Branighan added four - 3 point games to his previous total, as the Tigers kick-started their season, to move to 22 votes.
Davis moved to 18, Hayden to 17 points and Costin added another three man of the match votes to take his total to 18 from only six games where he registered points.
Bears hooker Ryan Gundry added eleven votes to join team mate Hayden on 17 points. Meanwhile Roberts could manage only 5 votes to move his total to 15 and seemingly out of touch.
But in a masterful run into the finals the wily Roberts claimed maximum points in four games and also a 1 point vote to finish the season with a total of 28 points to pip Laulu-Togagae by three votes.
The Magpies fullback could manage only three more points in the final rounds. Courier-Mail Best and Fairest for 2006 Costin came up with two more games where he scored maximum points to finish on a total of 24 votes. Costin?s record of maximum points in eight games would have taken some beating in the eventuality of a countback.
Others to finish in the leading group were Branighan, Davis, Coburn and Gundry with young Luke Dalziel Don from Wynnum Manly and Easts? Mark Cantoni also finishing the year strongly.
The Comets' Scott Porter, recently named the club?s best back for 2006 polled eleven votes in the final rounds to finish with a healthy 21 point total.
Boom Toowoomba front row prodigy David Taylor was the Clydesdales? leading player with 17 votes in the season.
Roberts won the 1999 award with a total of 26 points from big Wests Panthers front rower Rob Campbell (24) and another big ?book end? Burleigh Bears? Shane O?Flanagan who finished with 23 votes.
In the 2001 season, Roberts held off team mate Adam Mogg (16) to claim his second Qantas award, securing the title with a final tally of 19 votes.
Easts Tigers Scott Thorburn, who went on to win the 2002 award, also finished with 16 votes, and Matt Lockyer then playing for the Souths Logan Magpies receiving 15 points.
Votes for the Qantas award are lodged each week by the opposition team coach on a 3-2-1 basis.
The involvement and the co-operation of the coaches to participate in the voting procedure is acknowledged.
The teams in the Queensland Wizard Cup was proud to use Qantas Airways as its carrier for away teams in 2006.
FINAL STANDINGS
Michael ROBERTS Redcliffe 28
Quentin LAULU TOGAGAE Souths Logan 25
Luke BRANIGHAN Easts 24
Brandon COSTIN Souths Logan 24
Luke DALZIEL DON Wynnum Manly 24
Brad DAVIS Tweed Heads 23
Mark CANTONI Easts 22
Danny COBURN Ipswich 22
Ryan GUNDRY Burleigh 21
Scott PORTER Central 21
Jimmy AHMAT Wynnum Manly 21
Source: qrl.com.au