Perhaps it is fitting that, in a historic year for the Cronulla Sharks, there was a historic ending to the club’s Monty Porter Medal night.
Props Matt Prior and Andrew Fifita were named the first joint winners of Cronulla’s player of the year award in its history at Sharkies Leagues Club on Thursday night.
A full house of the club’s players, staff, members and sponsors were there on a special night for the Cronulla Sharks – their first ever annual awards night as premiers.
Prior and Fifita were nominated for the award alongside fullback Ben Barba and veteran captain Paul Gallen, with Barba taking home the Tommy Bishop players’ player title.
The forward pair couldn’t be split by the club’s coaching staff and Prior said to share the award, named after Cronulla’s first ever captain, had made the accolade even more special.
“It’s incredible. Obviously with the team that we’ve got this year to cap it off with this after everything we’ve achieved is so special for me,” he said.
“And to do it with Andrew Fifita is absolutely amazing.
“It’s a year of firsts for the Sharks, definitely. It’s a very special moment for me and Andrew. I’m just super proud.”
Fifita described their combination as “the perfect match.”
“I think everyone knows [what he does]. At the start of the year we all noticed it within the first three games. I think it took two of the semis for people to realise what he does on the field. We knew what he did in house for this team especially,” he said.
“He took my game to another level. He helped me out on defence. I was pretty much just behind him trying to help him. Me and [Matt’s] games just gelled. He had the defence and I had the attack and we just gelled them together.”
Cronulla under-20s captain Jayden Brailey added to his Holden Cup player of the year award, winning the Sharks’ Gavin Miller NYC player of the year title, with Jayden McDonough the Greg Pierce NYC players’ player.
Gallen won the club’s community award, while welfare and education officer Shane Smith was named the Andrew Ettingshausen club person of the year.
2016 Cronulla Sharks Award Winners
Monty Porter Medal and Player of the Year – Matt Prior and Andrew Fifita
Tommy Bishop NRL Players’ Player Award – Ben Barba
Steve Rogers Rookie of the Year – Kurt Capewell
Members’ Player of the Year – Ben Barba
Andrew Ettingshausen Club Person of the Year – Shane Smith
Gavin Miller NYC Player of the Year – Jayden Brailey
Greg Pierce NYC Greg Pierce Players Player – Jayden McDonough
Sharks Support Community Award – Paul Gallen
Wellbeing and Education Excellence Award – NRL – Chad Townsend, NYC – Jayden Brailey
Tackle of the Year – Luke Lewis (Round 18 v Panthers)
Try of the Year – Andrew Fifita (Grand final v Storm)
Iron Man Awards (Players who played every game in 2016)
NRL – Ben Barba, Chad Townsend, Wade Graham
NYC – Jayden Brailey, Lachlan Stein, Ash Nisbet, Tepa Fuiavailili
