Local boy Kane Elgey has capped off a brilliant first season in the NRL by winning the Aquis Titans rookie of the year award, announced at the annual awards dinner tonight at the QT Hotel.
The 21-year-old Tugun junior, who was last week selected in the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII with Daniel Mortimer, last year was chosen as the NRL’s National Youth League player of the year and chosen in the Holden Cup team of the year.
At our awards night last year he picked up the NYC players’ player award. His rise since then has been rapid.
Given a one-year NRL deal at the end of the 2004 season and hoping to get a small taste of NRL football, he has since re-signed with the club and made a big impact in his first season after being elevated into the team for the round four clash with Cronulla after Mortimer was sidelined with a wrist injury.
He played 16 games in his rookie season and scored six tries, and was responsible for 12 line break assists and 10 try assist operating on the left edge.
An ankle injury sidelined him for five games and he was later outed for a fortnight with a hip injury as his 84kg frame adapted to the rigours of the NRL. But his growth during the season in dominating parts of a game and becoming the dominant playmaker during the absence of Aidan Sezer, while Sezer was injured, attracted the attention of many in the game who believe he has a bright future.
To watch some his highights click play above.
Previous winners:
2010 - Bodene Thompson
2011 - Matt Srama
2012 - Aidan Sezer
2013 – Anthony Don
2014 – Paul Carter
