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In just his second season of professional rugby, powerful centre Ryan Cross has won The West Australian/Rosendorff Emirates Western Force Player of the Year Award for 2008.
The award was announced tonight at the Emirates Western Force Awards Night at the Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth.
In the closest race for the coveted crown in its three-year history, a count back system was implemented to declare the winner after Cross, Drew Mitchell and Scott Fava all finished on equal points (8).
The 28 year old won a magnificent Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II 18ct Gold watch, valued at $14,000 and kindly donated by Rosendorff jewellers and Rolex.
The former Australian Schoolboy led the WA side with four tries, before his streak of 24 consecutive appearances in the ocean blue jersey came to an end when he fractured his cheekbone with two rounds remaining in the 2008 season.
Cross capped his watershed Super 14 season by making his Test debut against France in Sydney last month, before notching up a brace of tries in the second Test in Brisbane last weekend.
In April this year the Waverly College product declared his allegiance to the Emirates Western Force, signing on with the club until the end of 2011.
Cross said taking out the team’s top individual honour was unexpected.
“I was very surprised when my name was read out to be honest. Although I felt I had a pretty good season there were a number of other players in the team who performed well throughout the year,” said Cross.
“I guess that shows in how close the voting was. Any number of players could have won it,” he said.
“But I’m very proud and grateful for the recognition I’ve received for my season. I’ve really enjoyed my first two years with the Emirates Western Force and the staff, players and coaches have made the transition so comfortable for me.”
Cross said there was a sense of “unfinished business” in the team after achieving only some of its goals for 2008.
“Although we didn’t make the semi finals, we still achieved a number of goals and have progressed as a team,” he said.
“Winning in New Zealand was a major goal and we were able to win two from three there this year. We’ve also got a number of exciting young players coming through so there’s good reason to be optimistic about the future,” he said.
“We really want to be contesting semi finals next year and pushing for the title.”
Cross is the third different winner of the award in the team’s three-year history, after Scott Staniforth won the inaugural prize and Matt Giteau claimed the 2007 gong.
He also thanked The West Australian, Rosendorff and Rolex for their generous support of the award.
2008 The West Australian/Rosendorff EWF Player of the Year Award Vote Recipients
Ryan Cross*, Drew Mitchell, Scott Fava – 8pts
Matt Giteau, Tom Hockings – 7pts
Nathan Sharpe, Scott Staniforth – 6pts
David Pocock, Matt Hodgson – 5pts
Tai McIsaac, Richard Brown – 4pts
Nick Cummins – 3pts
Cameron Shepherd, Tamaiti Horua, Dane Haylett-Petty – 2pts
Pek Cowan – 1pt
* Winner on count back
FACT FILE - Ryan Cross
Position: Centre
Physical: 1.91m, 100kg
Age: 28 (Born 6/10/79 in Sydney, NSW)
Super 14 Caps: 24
Super 14 Points: 35 (7t)
Super 14 Debut: 2007 v Highlanders, Perth
Test Caps: 2
Test Points: 10 (2t)
Test Debut: 2008 v France, Sydney
Representative Honours: Australian Schoolboys (1996-97), Australia A (2007), Australian Wallabies (2008).
Tom Hockings was up there in equal 2nd, thats a great achievement for him.
Crossy, well deserved. Its a testament to his season and him as a player. After only 2 seasons in Union and he has achieved this, times ahead look exciting for him. Congratulations.
I think:
They go back through the votes and see who got the most number of 3's and if thats a draw then they see who got the most number of 2's and then 1's. Well that's what they said in chat anyway.
well done crossy!!
blr: i learnt on chat that they vote for this person first, then this person second and when they draw, the second votes get counted. and if they do it again it goes to third and fourth till someone winsthanks jono
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry
well done crossy
well deserved!!!!!
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BOKKE“Let me put it this way, A Springbok team contains Afrikaners, Englishmen, coloureds and blacks. It has parochial foes in Bulls, Sharks, Stormers, Cheetahs and Lions. It is a recipe for war! Yet in all the years of John Smit’s captaincy, there has never been one unhappy customer, not one voice of rebellion against his leadership. He is the glue that holds the Springboks together. The man is a legend!”- Jake White
I had a premonition Cross would win. It came to me in a revelation about 2.30pm.
Must be something to do with Catholic World Youth Day.
ahaha
i thought it was either going to be crossy or pocock
BOKKE“Let me put it this way, A Springbok team contains Afrikaners, Englishmen, coloureds and blacks. It has parochial foes in Bulls, Sharks, Stormers, Cheetahs and Lions. It is a recipe for war! Yet in all the years of John Smit’s captaincy, there has never been one unhappy customer, not one voice of rebellion against his leadership. He is the glue that holds the Springboks together. The man is a legend!”- Jake White
Grats to Crossy![]()
Go The Force!
Good on ya Crossy
61 years between Grand SlamsWas the wait worth it - Ya betta baby
Nice One Crossy
War is Gods may of teaching Americans Geography
nice work Crossy
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As an aside, full marks to The Lone Hydrangea for getting a shot of Cross holding a TWF card![]()
I got a shock when I saw the photo of Crossy in the West on Saturday - or more specifically the girl next to him. She's an old friend's ex and my first thought was, Woah, she's with Ryan Cross now? Then I realised she was just there to hand over his Rolex.
I wonder what he thought when he opened the paper?