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International second-rower Gareth Ellis has today set a benchmark that will be hard to beat after winning the Wests Tigers Player of the Year award for the third consecutive season.
Rated as the world’s best second-rower, Ellis played 18 games this season and is the only player to have won the Wests Tigers Player of the Year award three times. The Player of the Year Award is voted on by the Wests Tigers players.
“I’m pretty overwhelmed to be honest. I missed a few games this year but I just can’t say thank you enough for the award, particularly the boys who obviously voted for me,’’ Ellis said.
“It has been a fantastic year. The boys are a pleasure to play with week in, week out. We did fall short again this year but hopefully we can look forward to a real strong 2012 and we can have a good go again.”
The Player of the Year award was a number of awards presented in front of more than 1100 people at a sold out Wests Tigers Grand Final luncheon at Le Montage Function Centre in Leichhardt.
Prop Keith Galloway was rewarded for his outstanding season by winning the Noel Kelly Medal for Best Forward.
Galloway played 23 games this season and his high work rate saw him rewarded with a NSW jersey for Origin 3. He also is a strong contender to make the final Australian squad for the Four Nations tournament next month.
Star five-eighth Benji Marshall was a popular winner of the Keith Barnes Medal for Best Back. It is the third consecutive year Marshall has won the award. Marshall enjoyed his finest season for Wests Tigers in 2011, playing 25 games and breaking the record for most points for the Club. He also finished second in the Dally M Player of the Year award.
Talented young prop Aaron Woods was rewarded for his superb debut season by being named the Club’s Rookie of the Year for 2011. Woods played 24 games after making his NRL debut in round one. He was rewarded for his stellar season by being named in the Australian Kangaroos train-on squad for the Four Nations.
High Performance Manager Steve Folkes presented the Iron Men awards for playing al 26 matches this season to centre Blake Ayshford, hooker Robbie Farah, lock Chris Heighington and full-back Tim Moltzen.
Ayshford picked up a second award when he took home the Wests Tigers Members Player of the Year award. The under-rated centre enjoyed a superb year, playing every game and really stepped up as a quality attacking centre.
Galloway collected his second award when he was presented the Wests Tigers Community Award for his work with the ‘Read with Wests Tigers program at the Exodus Foundation Reading Centre at Ashfield.
Keith has also helped feed the city’s homeless by working at the Exodus Night van. He also regularly visits sick children in hospital to help brighten their day.
Wests Tigers also presented awards to their U20s team. The Players’ Player award went to powerful forward Mosese Fotuaika with talented full-back James Tedesco collecting the Coaches Award.
The U20s Community Award went to second-rower and captain Shaun Spence in recognition of his strong work with the reading program at the Exodus Foundation.
2011 Wests Tigers Awards
Player of the Year: Gareth Ellis
Noel Kelly Medal for Best Forward: Keith Galloway
Keith Barnes Medal for Best Back: Benji Marshall
Rookie of the Year: Aaron Woods
Iron Men: Blake Ayshford, Robbie Farah, Chris Heighington, Tim Moltzen.
Community Award: Keith Galloway
Members Player of the Year: Blake Ayshford
U20s
Players Player: Mosese Fotuaika
Coaches Award: James Tedesco
Community Award: Shaun Spence
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Congrats to all of the winners
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Congrats to all the players - I think Benji was hard done by to miss out on the top gong considering the consistent high performances he’s put in this year.
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i am gareth ellis biggest fan but i didnt think he played enough games to be player of year but congrats to al the winners and maybe next year we can win premiership
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Well done to all the winners - all deserved.
Can anyone tell us if Lui was at the lunch?
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Well done to all the awrd winners. Couldn’t agree more.
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Congrats to all the players - I think Benji was hard done by to miss out on the top gong considering the consistent high performances he’s put in this year.
Hard done by by whom?
This award is voted on by the players. They obviously have a different opinion than you. As for Marshall, he was given the award for best back and deservedly so. He was not as consistent as Ellis, who would have to be very close to the best English forward to play in Australia.
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Congrats to all the players - I think Benji was hard done by to miss out on the top gong considering the consistent high performances he’s put in this year.
Hard done by by whom?
This award is voted on by the players. They obviously have a different opinion than you. As for Marshall, he was given the award for best back and deservedly so. He was not as consistent as Ellis, who would have to be very close to the best English forward to play in Australia.
Mate chill out.
All I’m saying is Benji had his best year to date and was usually in our top 3 players each game. Ellis missed a fair chunk of the year through injury and I’m sure I’m not alone here when I say he’s been more dominant in years passed.
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I would’ve given it to Keith over Gaz, but all winners are deserving in my opinion. 3rd time Ellis has won the top gong in as many years.
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Well done to all the winners - all deserved.
Can anyone tell us if Lui was at the lunch?
Doubt it….Humpty last week told us he’s stood down from all official gigs.
He wouldve won the player of the year award apparentlyHard to argue with Gaz though
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Just back from the Lunch and Lui wasn’t there. Can I just say what a wonderful team we have. No matter who I asked for a photo or autograph they were just wonderful and so giving. I nearly teared up when I got a photo with Bryce and told him how wonderful he has been in the last 12 months….he was embarrassed with my comments, but I am sure he is proud of his achievements.
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Just back from the Lunch and Lui wasn’t there. Can I just say what a wonderful team we have. No matter who I asked for a photo or autograph they were just wonderful and so giving. I nearly teared up when I got a photo with Bryce and told him how wonderful he has been in the last 12 months….he was embarrassed with my comments, but I am sure he is proud of his achievements.
while i don’t doubt they aren’t a great bunch of guyz, i hardly think they are going to be rude and give you the brush off at a club funtion
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Im surprised Gareth got it again over Benji.
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Congratulations to all the winners today Hopefully we can go on to bigger and better things in 2012
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Good stuff Gareth! Congrats to all IMO a great effort all round by the Wests Tigers players and staff and let it continue into 2012!
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