By Tania Phillips
The Warwick Cowboys have come away from this year’s Toowoomba Rugby League presentation dinner with a swag of awards including coach and representative player of the year.
It was a big night for New Zealand-born Rugby Union convert Joseph Vite, set to play for Queensland Country in two weeks time, who won both the Centre of the year and Representative player award.
The man who has been outside him on the field all year and fellow Qld Country representative Jake Speed was winger of the year while Nick Carrie took out five eight of the season for his consistent performances.
Reserve grade, set to play in this weekend’s grand final, also featured prominently with Matt Henry being named as the top TRL point-scorer for reserve grade while reserve grade coach Sam Williamson and his team were presented with their minor premiership trophy.
It was a big night for Cowboys A grade mentor, representative and Qld Country Coach Col Speed who was named coach of the year.
Speed said he was “very humble and very grateful – the award is something that instills a lot of pride.”
“I looked at the jersey I received (for winning) it was a 47th Battlion representative jersey,” he said.
“As a player I probably wasn’t ever good enough or had the ability to play in that team but to be able to be coaching it three years in a row, and then to be named the coach – selected from your peers, that’s the other thing as well. It’s a huge honour.
“You can get awards on game days and everything else but the players player is probably the equivalent to what I received.
“You are acknowledged by the other coaches within the competition which is a huge honour.”
Rounding out the awards for the Cowboys, tireless secretary Tracey Sullivan was recognised for her nomination as Volunteer of the year.”
