Tedesco crowned 2019 Players' Champion
Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues Vice-Captain James Tedesco has added yet another award to his already stacked trophy cabinet after being crowned the 2019 Players' Champion at the Foxtel on Oxford on Monday.
Voted by his NRL peers in an end of season player poll, Tedesco finished ahead of a star-studded shortlist including Cameron Smith, Cameron Munster, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, and NSW team-mate Payne Haas.
Meanwhile, Harvey Norman NSW Women's Origin star Jessica Sergis capped a remarkable season of her own after claiming the inaugural NRLW Players' Champion award following a stellar season with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
For Tedesco, it caps a remarkable season having already won the Dally M Player of the Year award, Brad Fittler Medal, Wally Lewis Medal, Jack Gibson Medal, and back-to-back premierships with the Sydney Roosters and back-to-back Origin series victories with NSW.
It's the second time he has been named the Players' Champion after winning in 2017 and joins Johnathan Thurston (3) as the only two players to win on more than one occasion.
Other award winners include Haas who was crowned RLPA Rookie of the Year and Josh Addo-Carr who received the Indigenous Academic Excellence Award.
Tedesco and Haas joined NSW team-mates Latrell Mitchell and Jake Trbojevic in The Players' 13 Dream Team which also included former NSW players Daniel Tupou, and Will Hopoate.
Hopoate, Brett Morris, James Tamou and Jamie Buhrer headline a contingent of former Blues to earn their place in the 2019 Academic Team of the Year.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
NRL Players’ Champion: James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)
NRLW Players’ Champion: Jessica Sergis (St George Illawarra Dragons)
The Dennis Tutty Award: David Gower (Parramatta Eels)
Rookie of the Year: Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
The Players’ 13 Dream Team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Maika Sivo 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Will Hopoate 5. Daniel Tupou 6. Cameron Munster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Payne Haas 9. Cameron Smith 10. Josh Papalii 11. John Bateman 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Jake Trbojevic
Male Academic Player of the Year: Russell Packer (Wests Tigers)
Female Academic Player of the Year: Vanessa Foliaki (Sydney Roosters)
Indigenous Academic Excellence Award: Josh Addo-Carr (Melbourne Storm)
Pasifika Academic Excellence Awards: Jayson Bukuya (Cronulla Sharks)
Academic Team of the Year: Vanessa Foliaki (Currently completing a Bachelor of Psychology, Massey University), Matthew Lodge (Completed a Diploma of Business and currently completing a Bachelor of Business, Swinburne University), James Tamou (Currently completing a Cert III in Carpentry and Cert III & IV in fitness and completed small Business, EABS), Will Hopoate (Completed a Diploma of Community Services and Cert IV in Community, Granville Tafe), Brett Morris (Currently completing a Cert III in Carpentry and Completed cert iv in small business, Gymea Tafe), Daniel Alvaro (Currently completing a Cert III in Carpentry, Meadowbank Tafe), Toafofoa Sipley (Completed a Bachelor of Education in High School teaching, University of Auckland), Jamie Buhrer (Currently completing a Bachelor in Sports Business Management, ACPE), Coen Hess (Currently doing Master of Business Administration and Completed a Diploma of Hospitality and Diploma of Business Management, CQU), Chanel Harris-Tavita (Currently completing a Bachelor of Business, Auckland University of Technology), Keegan Hipgrave (Currently completing a Bachelor of Business, QUT) Russell Packer (Currently completing a Masters Business Administration, UNSW) and Robbie Rochow (Currently completing a Bachelor of Engineering, UNSW)