2020 Meninga Medal

[Bay53]

Top 3 the same as GH Fans award.

Only difference is Whitehead was a joint winner.

[Horace Dove-Edwin]

That was cool watching that.

Can't argue with that result.
Elliot can count himself a but unlucky. Does so much of the unseen work during games.

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

[greeneyed]

Don’t forget... you can watch a replay on Raiders.com.au: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2020/09 ... sentation/

[greeneyed]

That was cool watching that.

Can't argue with that result.
Elliot can count himself a but unlucky. Does so much of the unseen work during games.

Sent from my Mi A1 using Tapatalk

Yes, I really enjoyed it, would be great if we could have a stream every year.

[greeneyed]

Papalii and Wighton happy to win Meninga Medal together

Josh Papalii and Jack Wighton have shared the 2020 Meninga Medal - and they're happy to win it together.

The Medal is decided by 3-2-1 votes every week from the Canberra Raiders playing and coaching group. For Papalii, it his fourth win - and is now only second to Laurie Daley for the most Raiders' Player of the Year awards. But it is Wighton's first, after often finishing second.

Papalii says sharing the honour with Wighton makes this year's honour more special.

"It does, obviously, I've played my whole career with Jack, and to share the Mal Meninga Medal with Jack just means that little bit more," Papalii said today.

"They all mean a lot. I think this one means a bit more doing it with Jack. We started our careers together, from SG Ball to 20s and then playing first grade together. We've just signed some long term deals and I hope we finish together."

"The Medal means so much more to do it with someone who you obviously care about, and who you've been around a long time."

Wighton was still excited this morning about winning the award.

"I'm still stoked," he said.

"It's a massive honour, a big achievement and as I said last night, getting the vote of your peers and someone you work with every weekend and bust your guts for, so it means a lot."

"Instead of coming second... it's probably lasted five years or something, but it's always been for the best... so it's good to finally get one."

A report for The Greenhouse

VIDEO: Papalii aspires to finish career with Wighton: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/09/30/pap ... h-wighton/

PODCAST: Behind the Limelight: Meninga Medal Edition: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2020/09 ... -edition3/

[Seiffert82]

Our fans are on the money.

[greeneyed]

Ryan Sutton takes out an emotional Coaches' Award on Meninga Medal night

Ricky Stuart stood in front of his playing group, at a Meninga Medal presentation like no other in the history of the club.

Due to the pandemic, only those in the Canberra Raiders "bubble" could attend. The ceremony took place in the club's video room at their Braddon Centre of Excellence.

Stuart spoke of the challenges of the year, the things that the club and players have had to overcome. He then turned to present the Coaches' Award for 2020.

"The 2020 winner of the Coaches' Award has handled set back after set back," he started, haltingly. "He's got a wonderful character and...".

Stuart's voice cracked. He paused and then quickly finished.

"I really felt for him last week," he said before calling forward Ryan Sutton to the podium.

Sutton has become a mainstay of a Canberra Raiders forward pack that has been decimated by injury in 2020.

Last season, he was not selected in any of the Raiders finals matches. It is something that has driven Sutton this year. And with just one week to the 2020 finals, Sutton suffered an MCL injury that is expected to sideline him for up to eight weeks, the rest of the season.

It was wonderful to see how much Ricky Stuart cared about the plight of his player.

Sutton says Stuart's emotional reaction almost "set him off".

"It's a real honour to get the Coaches' Award off your head coach," Sutton said.

"He's your boss week in, week out. He's a real leader at the club, so to get an award off your coach is a real accolade and I'm really proud."

"He almost set me off. To see the coach get emotional like that, makes [you see] how much you mean to the club and how much you mean to him. So it was really good to have that."

"The team that we've got here is a really close bunch of people. Not just players, but coach, staff and back room staff as well. We're a family here and it just shows how much we all mean to him."

Sutton is not resigned to missing the rest of the season due to his knee injury, not just yet. He's hoping, with the right treatment, he might be sidelined for as little as three weeks, rather than eight.

"It is bitter-sweet. Obviously, that's just part and parcel of playing rugby league I'm afraid. You get these injuries," he said.

"It just so happens that it's happened at probably the same time as what happened last year, with not playing [in the finals campaign]."

But it's not as bad as what we thought it was, and that's a good thing. I'm going to work as hard as I can to try and get back as quickly as I can."

"Hopefully the boys can get to the [Grand] Final and then I've got a good chance then of maybe getting back into the squad. But I'm going to have to work hard."

"Nothing's for granted in this world and that's something that I'm not going to take for granted. I'm going to work as hard as I can, and if we get there, hopefully I can put my hand up to be in the squad."

A report for The Greenhouse

VIDEO: Sutton humbled by Coaches' Award: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2020/09 ... chs-award/

Everything Rosie for Canberra Raiders rookie of the year Semi Valemei

Raiders Rookie of the Year Semi Valemei had the name "Rosie" etched on his wrist strapping against the Warriors two rounds ago, but told media and club officials it was in reference to his favourite niece back in Fiji. The real story? Rosie is his daughter, born the night before that match.

"She's beautiful," Valemei says when asked about his little girl. "I am just FaceTiming her every night after training, in the morning before training, I just talk to her.

Read more: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239

VIDEO: ‘Shy’ Valemei honoured by rookie recognition: https://www.raiders.com.au/news/2020/10 ... cognition/

PODCAST: Canberra Times Sport: Raiders' humble heroes set for NRL finals: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/ ... /?cs=14239

[raiderskater]

Oh, congratulations, Semi!

God, when Sticky choked up over Sutto I nearly cried right then. Poor Sutto. He's been incredible.

[Seiffert82]

Well done Sutto. He has been fantastic this year. I can see why Stuart gave him the coaches award. He was clearly ready to rock this season.

[greeneyed]

@NRLRaidersNews on Twitter

VIDEO: Hear from Canberra Raiders Jack Wighton, Josh Papalii and Ryan Sutton on the morning after the Meninga Medal presentation. WIN News Canberra reports: http://ow.ly/BXB350BFdp4

#NRL #WeAreRaiders

VIDEO: Canberra Raiders prop Ryan Sutton says he's not given up hope of playing again in 2020, after MCL diagnosis. Plus hear from joint Meninga Medal winners Jack Wighton and Josh Papalii. Nine News Canberra reports: http://ow.ly/HZMZ50BFdOR

#NRL #WeAreRaiders

[sprintman]

We’ve become the club for developing younger players. Good reputation to have

[The Nickman]

Well done to Semi too, a great prospect and he's copped a lot of unnecessary **** from our fanbase.

[afgtnk]

Well done to Semi too, a great prospect and he's copped a lot of unnecessary **** from our fanbase.

[The Nickman]

Look, there's one now! An unnecessary ****!!

[Raiders666]

Well done to Semi too, a great prospect and he's copped a lot of unnecessary **** from our fanbase.

yep probably the smartest thing you have said all year