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The stunning late season form of Nedlands halfback Nathan Roberts has propelled him to victory in the 2007 PG Hampshire Award for Best & Fairest Player in the Home Building Society competition at the RugbyWA Awards night held at Burswood Entertainment Complex this evening.
Roberts was nowhere to be seen on the leader board after 12 rounds of voting, but polled strongly in the final six weeks of the season to finish with 17 votes, one ahead of Palmyra’s Jerry Viriki. Brent Walker of Kalamunda (14 votes) and Nedlands forward Tyson Takiari (12) were the best of the rest.
The 24 year old was a member of the successful Perth Gold side that toured the East coast in July, and was runner-up to Tyson Takiari in the Nedlands RUFC 2007 Best and Fairest count, after winning it in 2006.
Originally hailing from the Waikato region of New Zealand, Roberts has been a member of the Nedlands First Grade side since 2005. He will again be in the thick of the action when Nedlands play either Palmyra or Perth Bayswater in the Home Building Society competition Grand Final on Saturday 15 September at Members Equity Stadium.
Other Awards presented on the night went to Palmyra flanker Thomas Rahati (Perth Gold Player of the Year), Perth Bayswater’s John Taylor (Coach of the Year), Nedlands winger Harry Cogin (Most Improved Player), Wests Subiaco centre Kane Allen (Top Try scorer), Nedlands back Barry Mansfield (Outstanding Colt), Referee Matt O’Brien (Referee of the Year), while Cottesloe’s Debbie Hodgkinson and Perth Bayswater’s Stacey Kilmister shared the Sue Roberts Medal for Women’s Best & Fairest.