McCALMAN AWARDED 2015 NATHAN SHARPE MEDAL
Western Force No.8 Ben McCalman has claimed the 2015 Nathan Sharpe Medal at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre in Perth tonight.
In an event that celebrated the club’s 10 seasons in Asteron Life Super Rugby, the award acknowledged McCalman’s outstanding year for the Force, with incumbent Wallaby No.8 also claiming the Geoff Stooke Award for a second successive season with his on-field efforts complemented by his contribution through the team’s Standards Group.
In the other awards, the Sea of Blue’s cult hero Steve Mafi received the Members’ Most Valuable Player while local products Kane Koteka and Ryan Louwrens were joint winners of the club’s Rising Star Award in their first year of Asteron Life Super Rugby.
For McCalman, it was a case of third time lucky after finishing runner-up to Kyle Godwin (2013) and Matt Hodgson (2014) in the past two years. The 27-year-old, who re-signed with the Force for another three seasons last month, polled the most number of votes in five matches during the season – including the first three of the season against the NSW Waratahs, Queensland Reds and Wellington Hurricanes.
McCalman finished with a club record 378 points – eclipsing the previous record of 343 points set by Hodgson last year.
The Nathan Sharpe Medal is determined by each member of the match day 23 voting for their peers on a 3, 2, 1 basis.
McCalman finished ahead of Mafi (225 votes), who is currently on duty with the Tongan national team, and fullback Dane Haylett-Petty (170).
Abrasive back-rower Angus Cottrell (142) stormed home, polling 96 points in the final five matches to finish fourth, while 2014 Rising Star, Adam Coleman, finished the season with 134 votes.
2015 Nathan Sharpe Medal Dinner – Award Winners
Nathan Sharpe Medal: Ben McCalman
Geoffrey Stooke Award: Ben McCalman
Rising Star: Kane Koteka & Ryan Louwrens
Members’ MVP: Steve Mafi
2015 Nathan Sharpe Medal – Top Five
Ben McCalman – 378 votes
Steve Mafi – 225 votes
Dane Haylett-Petty – 170 votes
Angus Cottrell – 142 votes
Adam Coleman – 134 votes
Nathan Sharpe Medal – Honour Roll
2015 – Ben McCalman
2014 – Matt Hodgson
2013 – Kyle Godwin
2012 – David Pocock
2011 – David Smith
2010 – Matt Hodgson
2009 – Matt Hodgson
2008 – Ryan Cross
2007 – Matt Giteau
2006 – Scott Staniforth
Western Force Team of the Decade
1. Pek Cowan, 2. Brendan Cannon, 3. Kieran Longbottom, 4. Sam Wykes, 5. Nathan Sharpe (c), 6. Matt Hodgson, 7. David Pocock, 8. Ben McCalman, 9. Alby Mathewson, 10. Matt Giteau, 11. Nick Cummins, 12. Scott Staniforth, 13. Ryan Cross, 14. Drew Mitchell, 15. Cameron Shepherd.
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