For Justin Toomey-White, it's the little moments that matter the most.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Being named the Group 11 Player of the Year for a record-equalling fifth time on Friday night and receiving all the praise that comes with it was special for the Wellington Cowboys star, but it was time with his young kids Boston and Goldie afterwards that he savoured.
"Boston had tears in his eyes and asked 'are they my trophies, Daddy?'. That's the reason I play, to make my whole family proud," Toomey-White said.
"We've come home and in the last couple of days and Boston has been playing with the trophies and playing football outside with the trophies there. They're the moments."
READ ALSO:
Family and community has always been key to Toomey-White's success.
He spoke about it at length after the Cowboys' drought-breaking Group 11 premiership win in 2019.
Toomey-White coached the side but didn't play a minute of rugby league as he recovered from a bowel cancer diagnosis.
He's returned to action the past two seasons and has been named Player of the Year for both 2021 and 2022.
"Coming back to the rugby league field after the illness I had a couple of years ago, to get back on the field and play one game in front of my kids would have topped it off but to get back on the field and compete with everyone and compete with a wonderful group in Group 11 is a special feeling," Toomey-White said.
A back-rower who's as destructive with ball in hand as he is humble, Toomey-White doesn't like to talk about his own achievements but admitted it was "crazy" to think he's collected the competition's top honour on five occasions.
The Wellington powerhouse joins former Cobar and Macquarie Raiders star Darren Jackson as the only players to have collected the competition's top prize five times since 1973.
Friday's award cemented his status as a great of the game in this region but he said his standing in Group 11 is not something he thinks about.
"Not at all. I never look at it and I haven't thought about it," he said.
"It's probably something I'll think about when I retire and sit back and reflect. For now, my body feels good and I'm still playing football.
"For now it's just about doing what's best for the club and the community."
The 2021 season was a tough one for the Cowboys as they finished at the bottom of the Group 11 pool with just one Peter McDonald Premiership win to their name.
No Wellington side played finals in 2022 but there was plenty of development, particularly among young players and the league tag side, which has Toomey-White and many others feeling optimistic about the future.
If it wasn't the for sacrifice and hard work of our committee and players then I wouldn't be able to go out and play the football I have.
- Justin Toomey-White
Those young players and their attitude and enthusiasm despite some disappointing results was something the captain-coach spoke about at length after collecting his award on Friday.
"It was a shock but it was a good feeling," he said.
"There was tough times throughout the year but the scores and the win-loss ratio doesn't reflect the year we had. We'll take some really good stuff out of this season to build into next year and the near future.
"You don't play rugby league for individual awards. I've said this, but these awards aren't just won by me, the boys and girls in the club and the committee and community deserve it and they won it with me.
"If it wasn't the for sacrifice and hard work of our committee and players then I wouldn't be able to go out and play the football I have. It isn't about me. It's about the club and players around me."
The loss of so many players and sponsors during the off-season had many fearing the Wellington Cowboys wouldn't take to the field in 2022 but that hard-working committee ensured the maroon colours still took to the field.
Those efforts were also recognised on Friday night as Wellington secretary and registrar Julie Blackhall was named Group 11 Volunteer of the Year.
"If it wasn't for people like her and our small committee our players and supporters wouldn't have a team to go and follow on the weekends," Toomey-White said.
"She's busy on Sundays but there's a lot of stuff that happens behind closed doors that not many people know about. Not many volunteers get thanked and I'm so glad they have these awards.
"It's awesome to see where we've come from the start of the year. To win two big awards speaks so much about our club and our town."
Elsewhere on Friday night, Latrell Fing of Dubbo CYMS was named Under 18s Player of the Year while Macquarie's Tristan Delany and India Draper of Parkes collected the top honours in reserve grade and league tag respectively.
Dubbo CYMS won the Club Championship while Justin Walker received the Referee's Achievement Award.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
