Waikato Rugby celebrated their Gallagher 2023 rugby awards last night (Tuesday 19^th September) at K’aute Pasifika Village Fale.

Black Ferns skipper, Kennedy Simon, was the biggest winner of the night picking up three awards. Firstly, Simon won the PIC Insurance Brokers female club player of the year with her involvement with Hamilton Old Boys Huskiez plus she won both the Gallagher sportsperson of the year and the supreme award, the Ian Clarke trophy. The Ian Clarke Trophy is awarded to a Waikato person who has achieved the highest level whilst upholding Waikato Rugby core values over the past 12 months. Simon becomes the second female player to achieve the Ian Clarke Supreme Award following on from Stacey Waaka who became the first female player to achieve this award back in 2021.

In the Community and Club awards, Margaret Sturm from Morrinsville Sports was named the Gallagher Administrator of the year, for her commitment to the club and how the organization would be lost without her devotion to the club.

After another strong season with the whistle, Michael Winter was awarded the Grassroots Trust referee of the year. This is the fourth time Winter has won this award that again off his hard work in 2023. He was appointed as one of eight referees from the New Zealand national squad to join the Super Rugby referees as an assistant referee for the 2023 season. He also was appointed to two Rugby World Cup warm up test matches as an assistant referee and currently has 4 Bunnings NPC matches refereed to date.

There was one recipient of the Leigh Cooksley Waikato Rugby Service to Rugby award. Shanan Mowatt earned this award due to his dedication to United Matamata Sports for the last 27 years. Earlier this year Mowatt was awarded a life membership at United Matamata Sports

In the coaching awards, Jason Barabarich from Putaruru, won the Junior coach of the year, Thomas Pilkinton, was named Kukri Secondary Schools coach of the year with Morrinsville College. Finally, Sean Hohneck, the head coach of Hautapu Sports premiers was named the winner of the Grassroots Trust senior club coach of the year.

The Waikato Draught men’s club player of the year went to Shauncy Waho after his outstanding season for Te Awamutu Sports, clocking up 50 caps for the club in 2023 and helping the club reach the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons.

Hautapu took out the Power Farming club team of the year award after winning Waikato Breweries Shield in the premiership. While Putaruru claimed the top club prize after being named the Waikato Draught club of the year after increased in player numbers and their community engagements.

In the Representative awards, Waikato Bunnings National Provincial Cup head coach, Ross Filipo, won the Kukri representative coach of the year.

Perry Group Waikato Women’s Development success from 2022 flowed over to their 2023 campaign and the team was again crowned Hendl and Murray Enginneering team of the year.

Strong seasons from Austin Anderson and Kiriana Nolan saw both player claim the Emerging men’s player of the year and the University of Waikato women’s emerging player of the year respectively.

Ollie Norris great 2023 season  was capped off with being named the Waikato Draught Bunnings NPC player of the year and Carla Hohepa earned herself the title of the Waitomo Group Farah Palmer Cup player of the year after being an integral part of their 2023 campaign.

George Dyer took home the Aaron Hopa award, Victoria Makea won the Manatiaki award and Waitomo Group: Waikato FPC captain Chyna Hohepa took home the Hare Whakakaraka Puke Tainui Waka Maori player of the year.

The Gallagher Waikato Rugby awards recognises people and teams that have made an outstanding contribution to Waikato Rugby in 2023. The evening covered the entire spectrum of the game including coaches, players, referees, volunteers and administrators from junior, school, club, and representative levels.

The finalist and winners are listed below:

Gallagher Administrator of the Year

Finalists: Conor Croke, Taurene Rehua, Margaret Sturm

Winner: Margaret Sturm

Leigh Cooksley Waikato Rugby Service to Rugby

Recipient: Shanan Mowatt

Grassroots Trust Referee of the Year

Finalists: Ben Brownlie, Michael Winter, Ben Woolerton

Winner: Michael Winter

Junior Coach of the Year

Finalists: Jasmine Cannon & Kiri Armstrong, Jason Barbarich, Karl Johnson (KJ)

Winners: Jason Barbarich

Kukri Secondary School Coach of the Year

Finalists: Dean Witehira & Pat Harrison, Thomas Pilkinton, Reuben Samuel

Winner: Thomas Pilkinton

Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year

Finalists: Dan Dowell, Sean Hohneck, Reuben Samuel, Steve Shale

Winner: Sean Hohneck

PIC Insurance Brokers Female Club Player of the Year

Finalists: Chyna Hohepa, Leomie Kloppers, Kennedy Simon

Winner: Kennedy Simon

Waikato Draught Club Player of the Year

Finalists: Waisake Salabiau, Mason Tupaea, Shauncy Waho

Winner: Shauncy Waho

Power Farming Club Team of the Year

Finalists: Hamilton Marist Colts, Hamilton Old Boys Huskiez, Hautapu Premiers, Taupiri Women’s

Winner: Hautapu Premiers

Waikato Draught Club of the Year

Finalists: Hamilton Marist, Hautapu Sports, Putaruru

Winner: Putaruru

Kukri Representative Coach of the Year

Finalists: Travis Church, Ross Filipo, Niko Masirewa, Greg Smith

Winner: Ross Filipo

Hendl & Murray Representative Team of the Year

Finalists: Waikato NPC, Waikato Group: Waikato FPC, Waikato Men’s Juniors Perrys Group Waikato Women’s Development

Winner: Perrys Group Waikato Women’s Development

Emerging Men’s Player of the Year

Winner: Austin Anderson

University of Waikato Emerging Women’s Player of the Year

Winner: Kiriana Nolan

Waikato Draught Bunnings NPC Player of the Year

Winner: Ollie Norris

Waitomo Group Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year

Winner: Carla Hohepa

Lone Star Rototuna People’s Star Award

Winner: James Tucker

Aaron Hopa Memorial Trophy

Recipient: George Dyer

Manatiaki Award

Recipient: Victoria Makea

Hare Puke Memorial Trophy Tainui Waka Maori Player of the Year

Recipient: Chyna Hohepa

Gallagher Sportsperson of the Year

Finalists: Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie, Kennedy Simon, Samisoni Taukei’aho,

Winner: Kennedy Simon

Ian Clarke Supreme Award

Recipient: Kennedy Simon

Waikato Supporter Club Awards

FPC Player of the Year: Carla Hohepa

NPC Player of the Year: Cortez Ratima

Article added: Wednesday 20 September 2023