Kalyn Ponga has capped off an amazing 2018 by being crowned The Players’ Champion at the RLPA awards on Tuesday night.
The award, held at Doltone House at Darling Island, can’t be taken for granted considering it’s his peers who vote on the game's most impactful player.
The 20-year-old Newcastle Knights fullback, who also became the youngest recipient of the award, tallied the most votes out of the remaining four finalists - Rabbitohs’ rake Damien Cook, Warriors skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Sharks’ flyer Valentine Holmes and Storm playmaker Cameron Munster.
It’s the second consecutive year a fullback has won the coveted award after now-Roosters number one James Tedesco took the chocolates in 2017.
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Previous winners of The Players’ Champion include Tedesco (2017), Jason Taumalolo (2016) and Johnathan Thurston (2005, 2013-2015), with the latter considering the award as “the highest individual accolade a player can receive.”
RLPA CEO Ian Prendergast congratulated Ponga on a fantastic year.
“It’s incredible that at such a young age, Kalyn has already gained the recognition from his fellow players as the best performer in 2018,” Mr Prendergast said.
“Despite the Knights not making it through to the finals this season, Kalyn continued to put in dominant performances throughout in his first year at the club.
“The RLPA membership have had their say and for a 20-year-old to be voted the best by his peers, it just shows what a prestigious talent the Newcastle custodian is.
“We have witnessed somewhat of a changing of the guard in 2018, with the emergence of young stars with plenty of character and a number of the game’s longest servants retiring.
“On behalf of the RLPA, I want to congratulate Kalyn and all other award recipients at tonight’s event.”
Other award winners included retiring St George Illawarra Dragons winger Jason Nightingale, who took home The Dennis Tutty Award for 2018 which recognises the veteran's contribution in the wellbeing and education space.
Aussie Jillaroos star Simaima Taufa was chosen as the Elite Women’s Player of the Year for her performances in the Rugby League World Cup.
North Queensland Cowboys star Jason Taumalolo beat out finalists from Australia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea and was named Representative Player of the Year.
Rookie of the Year went to Sydney Roosters rising star Victor Radley, who won the award over Jamayne Isaako, Alex Brimson, Rhyse Martin and Jesse Ramien.
THE PLAYERS’ CHAMPION 2018 FULL AWARD WINNERS
The Players’ Champion: Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
The Players’ 13 Dream Team: Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights), Valentine Holmes (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters), Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers), Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos), Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm), Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys), Andrew Fifita (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm), Viliame Kikau (Penrith Panthers), Tariq Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons), Jake Trbojevic (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the Year: Victor Radley (Sydney Roosters)
Dennis Tutty Award: Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Representative Player of the Year: Jason Taumalolo (Tonga)
Elite Women’s Player of the Year: Simaima Taufa (Australian Jillaroos)
The ‘300 Club’: Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys), Simon Mannering (New Zealand Warriors), Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos), John Sutton (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Billy Slater (Melbourne Storm)
Indigenous Leadership & Excellence: Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
Pasifika Leadership & Excellence: Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra Dragons)
NRL Academic Player of the Year: Dale Copley (Gold Coast Titans)
Women’s Academic Player of the Year: Kody House (Brisbane Broncos)
NRL Academic Team of the Year: Aiden Tolman (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Isaac Liu (Sydney Roosters), Jason Bukuya (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks), Dunamis Lui (Canberra Raiders), Simon Mannering (New Zealand Warriors), Michael Morgan (North Queensland Cowboys), David Gower (Parramatta Eels), Korbin Sims (Brisbane Broncos), Ryley Jacks (Melbourne Storm), Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Euan Aitken (St George Illawarra Dragons), Dale Copley (Gold Coast Titans), Kody House (Brisbane Broncos)
