Waikato Rugby celebrated their 2024 SupaPwr rugby awards on Tuesday 8^th October, at K’aute Pasifika village fale.

All Blacks halfback, Cortez Ratima, was the biggest winner of the night picking up two awards. Firstly, Ratima won both the SupaPwr sportsperson of the year followed by 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. 

In the Community and Club awards, John Aarts from Kereone Rugby & Sports Club was named the SupaPwr Administrator of the year, for his commitment of over 40 years to the game and being the treasurer for the club since 2002.

Ben Brownlie was awarded the Grassroots Trust referee of the year. This is the first time Brownlie has won the awards for his efforts with the whistle this season. He was named in the Chiefs region squad and is a leader in the Morrinsville/Matamata sub union and has also helped coach junior referees.

There was one recipient of the Leigh Cooksley Waikato Rugby Service to Rugby award. Shane Derry from Hamilton Marist earned the award due to his over 25 years dedication to being the clubs physio as a volunteer. In 2022 Derry was inducted as a life member to the club.

In the coaching awards, Francis van den Einden from Hautapu, won the Junior coach of the year, Anna Bodle, was named Kukri Secondary Schools coach of the year with Cambridge High School. Finally, Dan Dowall, the head coach of the Morrinsville Sports Under 85kgs team was named the winner of the Grassroots Trust senior club coach of the year.

The female club player of the year went to Subrub’s, Violet Hapi-Wise, after leading from the front and helping to get her club to the Waitomo Group: Women’s Championship final in their debut season in women’s XV. While the Waikato Draught male club player of the year went to Liam Gilheany-Black after his outstanding season leading Hamilton Marist to their first Waikato Breweries Shield title since 2015.

Hamilton Marist Premier A took out the Power Farming club team of the year award after winning Waikato Breweries Shield in the premiership. While Melville Junior Rugby Club 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, Waitomo Group: Waikato Women’s Waikato head coach, James Semple, won the Kukri representative coach of the year.

After an undefeated campaign at the Northern Regions Under 19’s tournament and retained the Dave Rennie Shield, the Waikato Under 19’s were crowned Hendl and Murray Engineering team of the year.

Strong seasons from Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu and Malachi Wrampling saw both player claim the University of Waikato women’s emerging player of the year and the Emerging men’s player of the year respectively.

Grace Houpapa-Barrett great 2024 season was capped off with her being named the Waitomo Group Farah Palmer Cup player of the year and Bailyn Sullivan earned the Waikato Draught Bunnings NPC player of the year after being an integral part of their 2024 campaign.

Laghlan McWhannell took home the Aaron Hopa award, Chelsea Semple won the Manatiaki award and Waitomo Group: Waikato Women’s player, Reece Anderson, took home the Hare Whakakaraka Puke Tainui Waka Maori player of the year.

The SupaPwr Waikato Rugby awards recognises people and teams that have made an outstanding contribution to Waikato Rugby in 2024. 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:

SupaPwr Administrator of the Year

Finalists: John Aarts, Brooke Scott, Jenn Te Whare

Winner: John Aarts

Leigh Cooksley Waikato Rugby Service to Rugby

Recipient: Shane Derry

Services to Refereeing Award

Recipients: Chris Jones, Grant Cotterell, John Gould, Murray Findlay, Bill Heslop

Grassroots Trust Referee of the Year

Finalists: Ben Brownlie, Cole Northcott, Michael Winter

Winner: Ben Brownlie

Junior Coach of the Year

Finalists: Jacob & Luke Farrell, Simon Fredericks, Francis van den Einden

Winners: Francis van den Einden

Kukri Secondary School Coach of the Year

Finalists: Anna Bodle, Greg Fladgate, Johnny Walters

Winner: Anna Bodle

Grassroots Trust Senior Club Coach of the Year

Finalists: Dan Dowell, Daniel Teka, Craig Walters

Winner: Dan Dowell

Female Club Player of the Year

Finalists: Bostyn Brown, Violet Hapi-Wise, Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu

Winner: Violet Hapi-Wise

Waikato Draught Club Player of the Year

Finalists: Logan Allen, Liam Gilheany-Black, David Morris

Winner: Liam Gilheany-Black

Power Farming Club Team of the Year

Finalists: Hamilton Marist Premier A, Hamilton Old Boys Premier Development, Morrinsville Sports Under 85kgs

Winner: Hamilton Marist Premier A

Waikato Draught Club of the Year

Finalists: Hamilton Marist, Hautapu Sports, Melville Junior Rugby Club

Winner: Melville Junior Rugby Club

Kukri Representative Coach of the Year

Finalists: Sean Botherway, Ross Filipo, James Semple

Winner: James Semple

Hendl & Murray Representative Team of the Year

Finalists: Waikato Under 19s, Waikato NPC, Waikato Group: Waikato Women

Winner: Waikato Under 19s

University of Waikato Emerging Women’s Player of the Year

Winner: Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu

Waitomo Group Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year

Winner: Grace Houpapa-Barrett

Emerging Men’s Player of the Year

Winner: Malachi Wrampling

Waikato Draught Bunnings NPC Player of the Year

Winner: Bailyn Sullivan

Joe’s Garage People’s Choice Award

Winner: Daniel Sinkinson

Aaron Hopa Memorial Trophy

Recipient: Laghlan McWhannell

Manatiaki Award

Recipient: Chelsea Semple

Hare Puke Memorial Trophy Tainui Waka Maori Player of the Year

Recipient: Reese Anderson

Gallagher Sportsperson of the Year

Finalists: Damian McKenzie, Cortez Ratima, Kennedy Tukuafu nee Simon

Winner: Cortez Ratima

Ian Clarke Supreme Award

Recipient: Cortez Ratima

Waikato Supporter Club Awards

FPC Player of the Year: Ariana Bayler

NPC Player of the Year: Patrick McCurran

Article added: Monday 14 October 2024