RUGBY UNION
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ORANGE Emus capped off a successful 2015 Blowes Clothing Cup season, which netted two titles and another grand final appearance, on Friday night, hosting their presentation at Endeavour Oval.
After having the pleasure of leading his side to the 2015 top grade title, Emus' first grade skipper Nigel Staniforth finished off his strongest season in recent memory by claiming the club's highest honours, the Phil Morrissey trophy for most outstanding player - following in the footsteps of older brother Graydon, who won the award in 2013.
"I didn't actually know Graydon had won it, there you go," Staniforth laughed.
"It's a really nice way to finish a satisfying year, and it was a surprise because there's a lot of guys in our side who probably deserved it too.
"Like any award, it's nice to get recognised for all the hard work, but the team accomplishments are still the highlight."
The club's other most prominent major award - the Tim Cutcliffe award for best clubperson - went to Michelle Howarth, for all her volunteer work behind the scenes.
Carter Hirini, unsurprisingly, claimed the Baden and Clive Walker award for highest try scorer - with 27 - while Nick Hughes-Clapp claimed both the Don Strachan patron's award and the teammate of the year gongs, and club doctor Tim Lowe claimed the Frank Gleeson Memorial Award for most valued club member.
Adam Perri, D'Aquino and Liv Patterson all shared the club's highest representative player awards, having all represented NSW Country.
NSW Country and NSW sevens representative Nikki D'Aquino claimed the Lou Pattinson award for player with the most potential, with second grade skipper Matt Findlay winning the Dick Hutchinson award for best clubman still playing and Matt Pierce awarded the Mick Fisher/Barry Rodwell trophy for the club's best trainer.
Of the individual team awards, bustling prop Nas Havealeta won the top grade best and fairest - the seventh time in the last 10 years a front-rower has done so - while Andrew Cosgrove claimed players' player and Staniforth took the highest point scoring honours.
In Emus' grand finalist second grade team, No.8 Sam Chamberlain was named best and fairest, five-eighth Seb Backhouse was the highest point scorer and flanker Andrew Selwood won the players' player award.
In third grade, halfback Harry Fardell won the highest point scorer and best and fairest gongs, with evergreen prop Mark Kingham claiming players' player honours.
Up-and-comer Jayden Brown cleaned up in colts, winning best and fairest and players' player while winger Jake Roberts claimed the side's highest point scorer gong.
Grace Frankham won the Emus Chicks best and fairest after their title win, while D'Aquino won the players' player award and Liv Patterson was the highest point scorer.