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Queensland’s 20-year awards drought broken, icon’s classy act for Bondi victim
Fraser McReight has snapped a 20-year Queensland drought by winning the John Eales Medal at the Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney on Thursday night.
The outstanding Wallabies flanker became the first Reds player to win the coveted prize since gun Test fullback Chris Latham in 2006.
Fraser McReight of the Wallabies celebrates scoring a try. Getty Images
Voting for the medal is tallied after each Test, with each Wallabies player awarding points on a 3–2–1 basis.
McReight was a consistently strong performer over 14 Tests and scored a career-best six tries including a double against France in Brisbane.
He has carried on a proud tradition of brilliant Wallabies No.7s that includes previous medal winners George Smith, Phil Waugh, David Pocock and Michael Hooper.
“He’s probably the best in the world,” All Blacks coach Dave Rennie said during this month’s Bledisloe Cup series.
“We’re well aware of Fraser’s threat… we had to target him.”
The 27-year-old is set to win his 50th cap in November’s Nations Championship opener against England in London on November 9 (AEDT).
Also at the Ivy Ballroom, Faitala Moleka made history as the youngest woman to win Wallaroos player of the year.
The 21-year-old ACT Brumbies star seems to have found her home at inside centre after previously being used at fullback and five-eighth.
“You look at Tala’s skill-set, and she’s got that physical element to her game as well as the footwork, passing and kicking, so it’s a natural fit,” Wallaroos assistant coach Mike Ruthven said.
“It’s a bit of an evolution for her.”
Moleka has already racked up 36 Test caps after making her debut as an 18-year-old in 2023.
Faitala Moleka of Australia scores. Getty Images
National captains Isabella Nasser and Henry Hutchison took home the Shawn Mackay awards for sevens players of the year.
Queensland Reds fullback Jock Campbell claimed the Super Rugby Pacific player of the year title while ACT Brumbies and Wallaroos captain Siokapesi Palu Sekona got the women’s gong.
Young flyers Amelia Whitaker and Treyvon Pritchard won the rookie of the year awards.
Wallaroos winger Whitaker has also been nominated for World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year.
Brisbane Junior Rugby Union Western Region chair Paula Watkins was honoured with the inaugural Peter Meagher spirit of rugby award, in recognition of her dedication and tireless support for the community game.
Rugby Australia renamed the award to honour Randwick club legend Meagher, who was killed during the 2025 Bondi terror attacks.
The award was previously named after Wallabies legend Nick Farr-Jones, who gladly gave his blessing.
Peter Meagher, a former police officer and Randwick volunteer and manager. Randwick Rugby
Meagher was a retired detective sergeant who gave nearly 40 years of service to the NSW Police Force.
The 61-year-old had been at the iconic Sydney beach enjoying his other post-policing passion of photography.
Meagher had his own business, Marzo Photography, but was taking pictures of the Chanukah by the Sea celebration in a volunteer capacity at Archer Park.
“Marzo embodied the very best of rugby – selfless, passionate and deeply dedicated to the game we love and the people who play it,” RA chief executive Waugh said.
“He will be forever missed by the Australian rugby community, and especially at Randwick, where he continued the Meagher family’s rich and proud history of uplifting the Galloping Greens.
“In honour of his tremendous legacy to the game, we are proud to strike a medal in his honour – the Peter Meagher spirit of rugby award – which will be awarded annually to those who walk the same path of pride and passion as Marzo did for the community game.
“We are grateful to Peter’s family, including his wife Virginia, for supporting this initiative. And we thank our first Rugby World Cup-winning captain Nick Farr-Jones, after whom the medal was originally named, for his full and unequivocal support in ensuring Marzo’s contribution to rugby will forever be remembered.”
Randwick rugby stalwart Peter Meagher was killed in the Bondi terrorist attack. Nine/Today
2026 Rugby Australia Awards - winners list
John Eales Medal - Fraser McReight
Wallaroos Player of the Year - Faitala Moleka
Shawn Mackay Award for Men's Sevens Player of the Year - Henry Hutchison
Shawn Mackay Award for Women's Sevens Player of the Year - Isabella Nasser
Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year - Jock Campbell, Queensland Reds
Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year - Siokapesi Palu Sekona
Siokapesi Palu Sekona of the Brumbies is tackled at Concord Oval. Getty
Men’s Rookie of the Year Award - Treyvon Pritchard, Queensland Reds
Women’s Rookie of the Year Award - Amelia Whitaker, Wallaroos
Junior Men’s Player of the Year - Edwin Langi, Australia U20 and NSW Waratahs
Junior Women’s Player of the Year - Waiaria Ellis, Wallaroos and NSW Waratahs
Try of the Year - Siokapesi Palu Sekona, Wallaroos vs Scotland, Canberra
Defender of the Year - Fraser McReight, Wallabies vs France, Brisbane
Referee of the Year - Nic Berry
Nic White of the Brumbies laughs with referee Nic Berry. Getty
Peter Meagher Spirit of Rugby Award - Paula Watkins, Queensland Rugby Union
Joe French Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rugby - Craig Robberds, ACT Rugby
Geoff ‘Bunter’ Shaw Community Coach of the Year Award - Kieran Smith, NSW Rugby
Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year - Julius Ambat, NSW Rugby
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