BATHURST St Pat’s skipper Benjamin John has stormed home to claim last night’s Group 10 premier league Player of the Year award, polling points in three of the final five regular season rounds to win by a point.

On nine votes and sitting in a three-way tie for second after the standings went behind closed doors at the completion of round 12, John bagged man of the match honours in round 14 and then again in round 16 before a earning a single point in his side’s final round loss to Orange CYMS to end 18 rounds with 16 votes and claim the award at last night’s presentation dinner at Bathurst Panthers.

Green and golds enforcer Simon Osborne earned two points in CYMS’ final round win, but it wasn’t enough, falling short by a solitary point to end the season in second on 15 points.

Early season leader, Lithgow Workies skipper Jono Van Veen polled 14 votes to end the year in third.

The Group 10 Player of the Year award caps a stunning 18 months for John, a former Papua New Guinea international, who guided the blue and whites to the 2014 title while also bagging a grand final hat-trick and claiming the Dave Scott Medal, awarded to the man of the match in the premier league grand final. 

In the lower grades, Cowra’s star halves in both the under 18 and first division competitions were runaway winners.

Dan Jeffries capped a brilliant under 18 campaign with the Magpies juniors, polling the maximum three votes on six separate occasions throughout the 2015 3regular season to earn 24 points - six more than his nearest rival.

While Caley Mok was a similar stand-out in first division.

A model of consistency, Mok polled points in 11 of the 16 games he played in 2015, earning 24 points to finish a whopping nine votes clear at the top of the first division standings - Oberon’s Dallas Booth claimed second ahead of Hawks halfback Bobby Rosser, with 15 and 14 points respectively.

In the under 18 minor placings, Mudgee’s Jeff Wrigth ended the year in second spot with 18 points, while Cowra prop Regan Hughes claimed third with 17 points.

Under 18 minor premiers Hawks had two players - halfback Brodie Christopherson and lock Nathan Potts - poll 13 points.

Blayney’s Sophie Stammers won the league tag Player of the Year with 21 points, edging out Lithgow gun and past winner Chrissie West.

In the New Era Cup, Wallerawang halfback Josh Howarth was a clear winner of the second division Player of the Year, earning 23 votes to better CSU Yellow’s Brad Dewar’s 12 points.

GROUP 10 TOP 10:

Benjamin JOHN (Bathrust St Pat’s) 16 points

Simon OSBORNE (Orange CYMS) 15 points

Jono VAN VEEN (Lithgow Workies) 14 points

Josh RAINBOW (Blayney Bears) 12 points

Terry BROWN (Blayney Bears) 11 points 

Blake TIDSWELL (Cowra Magpies) 10 points

Brendon VAN VEEN (Lithgow Workies) 10 points

Jake BETTS (Bathurst Panthers) 10 points

Ben STEWART (Lithgow Workies) 9 points

Tim MORTIMER (Orange CYMS) 9 points