Billy Slater bags International Player of the Year award - Rugby Update
Rugby League International Federation announced the 2011 award winners on Thursday, November 3, at the Tower of London amid a packed house. Australian full-back, Billy Slater, has been voted as the International Player of the Year for the second time in
four years.
With this announcement, the English side should be worried, as they will face the star-studded Australian pack, who dominated the list of nominations, in Saturday night’s clash of the Gillette Four Nations at Wembley.
Slater has clinched this honour for the second time, beating Kangaroos’ team-mate Cameron Smith and the New Zealand skipper Benji Marshall, at the annual awards ceremony. The player won the same title in World Cup 2008 and his performance since then has
been on the rise which explains his very recent feat.
Others who won awards included, Brisbane Broncos’ winger, Jharal Yow Yeh, who made his try-scoring debuts for Queensland and Australia during the earlier spell of the year, and walked away with the rookie -of-the-year award.
The Coach of the Year award was won by Des Hasler for taking Manly to a second Grand Final victory in four seasons.
These awards were disappointing for England because they failed to win in any of the best categories, for the first time in four years. Slater beat Sam Tomkins at full-back, James Roby was rated ahead of Smith at hooker’s position and Matt Scott missed out
to James Graham at prop position.
Sam Thaiday was named the best second rower beating Gareth Ellis and Ben Westwood. Paul Gallen won the loose forward award even though he now fills up for the props spot for both Queensland and Australia.
England had even missed out on the five-player nominations for the centre and winger positions. The Australians completely overhauled this year’s awards, sweeping away the on-field positions completely. However, Tony Archer’ win for the international referee
of the year category, beating Phil Bentham in contention was the icing on the top, despite the fact that he is not part of the ongoing Gillette Four Nations.
The results of annual awards 2011 have added to the already soaring confidence of the series favourites. Aussies should not take their feat to their head but channel their energies completely upon the weekend’s game against England.
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