Rugby League : International Federation (RLIF) Player of the Year Award

Monday, November 17, 2008

Melbourne, Queensland and Australian fullback Billy Slater has capped an outstanding centenary season by winning the inaugural Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) Player of the Year Award announced at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium tonight.

Slater, who scored a hat-trick of tries in Australia’s 52-0 win over Fiji in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup semi-final last night, joins six Kangaroos, one Kiwi and two English players in the Team of the Year named at the RLIF awards for achievements between October 2007 and October 2008 (including the NRL and Super League Grand Finals). Current World Cup performances will count towards next year’s awards.

The RLIF decided to mark the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and the game’s centenary in Australia by introducing the international awards that will provide ongoing recognition of players throughout the world.

RLIF Chairman and RLWC08 Tournament Director, Mr Colin Love AM, said: “It is important for the game to officially recognise its players and officials through an awards night such as this.

“The RLIF feels that there could be no better time than this World Cup and the Centenary of the game in Australia to institute an annual awards night to honour the best in Rugby League from around the world.”

The Awards ceremony, attended by the full squads of the RLWC08 finalists Australia and New Zealand, will take in all international and club competitions as they recognise the Rookie, Team, Coach, Referee and Team of the Year, as well as the Nations’ International Players of the Year.

Slater won the prestigious Player of the Year title ahead of Melbourne, Queensland and Australian team-mates Cam Smith and Greg Inglis, Manly’s Matt Orford, and England’s Super League players James Graham (St Helens), Leon Pryce (St Helens), Jamie Peacock (Leeds) and Rob Burrow (Leeds).

Slater started the 2008 season in spectacular form and won the Australian fullback jumper for the Centenary Test in May; played in all three Origin games for Queensland; and was in superb form as the Storm progressed to the NRL minor premiership.

Slater was also named Fullback of the Year in the Team of the Year, which is:

Fullback Billy Slater Melbourne, Queensland and Australia
Winger Manu Vatuvei Warriors and New Zealand
Centre Israel Folau Melbourne, Queensland and Australia
Five-eighth Greg Inglis Melbourne, Queensland and Australia
Halfback Scott Prince Gold Coast, Queensland and Australia
Lock Paul Gallen Cronulla, NSW and Australia
Second rower Gareth Ellis Leeds and England (tied vote)
Anthony Laffranchi Gold Coast, NSW and Australia (tie)
Front Rower James Graham St Helens and England
Hooker Cam Smith Melbourne, Queensland and Australia

Folau was also named Rookie of the Year for his sensational debut year in the 2007 NRL premiership season. He crowned his maiden season in the top-grade by becoming the youngest ever Australian Test player when — at 18 years and 194 days — he scored two tries on his debut against New Zealand in Wellington.

His 2008 season was equally impressive, as he played on the wing in the Centenary Test and for Queensland in the State of Origin series, and was superb in the centres for the Melbourne Storm, eventually being named the Dally M Centre of the Year.

The Nations’ International Players of the Year were selected from the teams that competed to qualify for the 2008 RLWC, with the exception of Australia, England and New Zealand:

Lebanon George Ndeira
Ireland Damien Blanch
USA Greg Stellutti
Tonga Michael Jennings
Japan Shunsuke Tamura
Samoa Tony Puletua
Wales Dave Halley
France Christophe Moly
Russian Roman Ovchinnikov
Scotland Iain Morrison
Cook Islands Adam Watene
PNG Paul Aiton
Serbia Soni Radovanovic
Fiji Ashton Sims

Manly’s premiership coach Des Hasler was named Coach of the Year and Australian Tony Archer, who controlled the NRL Grand Final, was named Referee of the Year.

The Spirit of Rugby League Award, which recognises a person who has made a significant contribution to the game in their lifetime, was awarded to Paul Barriere, who died in May, aged 87. Founder of the International Board and former French Rugby League Federation boss, he was the instigator of France's first tour of the southern hemisphere and recognised as the “father” of the Rugby League World Cup.

An international selection committee, made up of past players, members of the Australian rugby league media and nominations from the UK Rugby League Writers’ Association, was formed to judge the 2008 Awards. The members of this committee were: Greg Alexander, Ray Chesterton, Ray French, Dave Hadfield, Paul Kent, Ian Laybourn, John Ledger, Roy Masters, David Middleton, Malcolm Reilly, Steve Ricketts, Brad Walter, Andy Wilson and Dave Woods.