Rugby Australia awards 2024 finalists announced
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The finalists for the major awards for the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards have been confirmed.
The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, with the winners announced on Rugby Australia's socials and the event to be live blogged on Rugby.com.au.
The John Eales Medalist will be won by a backrower as Rob Valetini, Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight make up the finalists.
Valetini will be hunting for back-to-back John Eales Medals after a standout season and would be the third person to win consecutive medals alongside Israel Folau and Michael Hooper.
Wilson has experienced a remarkable comeback season, stepping up as captain for the Rugby Championship.
He is joined by Reds teammate Fraser McReight, who was inspirational throughout the July series and Bledisloe Cup Tests.
Record-setters Ash Marsters and Maya Stewart alongside backrower Tabua Tuinakauvadra make up the finalists for the Wallaroos Player of the Year.
Marsters set the record for most caps by an Australian women's Test player in the WXV 2 triumph over Scotland.
Fellow backrower Tuinakauvadra is also up for the honour after a breakthrough season in the gold jersey.
As for Stewart, she scored in the last seven Tests of 2024 to claim the record for most tries ever by a Wallaroo.
She is also up for Try of the Year, with Tim Ryan's stunner against the Blues, Maddison Levi's game-winner against France and Filipo Daugunu's breath-taking finish against Wales amongst the seven nominees.
Levi will be out for back-to-back Shawn Mackay Medals after breaking the record for most tries in a world series with 69.
Fellow try-scoring freak Faith Nathan and Madison Ashby are also in contention following their Madrid Grand Final success.
For the Men, Ben Dowling, Nathan Lawson and Dietrich Roache are the three nominees for the prestigious award.
Dowling was one of the standouts of the fourth-place finish in Paris, their best Olympic performance.
Lawson led the way with 25 tries for Australia in the world series, fourth on the overall tally whilst Dietrich Roache was runner-up to Terry Kennedy for the most points (150).
Further awards on the night include the Super Rugby and Super Rugby W Player of the Year alongside Rookie of the Year, with two inductees set to go into the Wallabies Hall of Fame and three to the Australian Women’s Rugby Hall of Fame.
Fraser McReight
Rob Valetini
Harry Wilson
Ash Marsters
Maya Stewart
Tabua Tuinakauvadra
Men's
Ben Dowling
Nathan Lawson
Dietrich Roache
Women's
Madison Ashby
Madison Levi
Faith Nathan
1. Maya Stewart v ACT Brumbies
2. Desiree Miller v Melbourne Rebels
2. Maddison Levi v France (Hong Kong Bronze Medal match)
3. Tim Ryan v Blues
4. Filipo Daugunu v Wales (first Test)
5. Tom Wright v Wales (second Test)
6. Maya Stewart v Wales (WXV)
