Sport
24 August, 2026
Fourteen players up for awards
TWELVE senior Tablelands players and two juniors are in the running for an award at the FNQ Rugby League Gold Medal Dinner this week.
The annual event is a formal awards night which celebrates the region’s top men’s and women’s players for the rugby league season.
In the running for the coveted Male Gold Medal this year is Mareeba Gladiators’ Bronson Ryan, who finished the season as the leading try scorer with a whopping 28 tries in 18 games, and the dynamic brotherly duo from the Atherton Roosters, Regan and Rhylee Herd.
Meanwhile, the Roosters Women have the most players shortlisted out of any team, with Kimberley Bryant, Lexeen Mathieson, and captain May Oppermann all in the running to become the Female Gold Medalist.
Additionally, Roosters Women prop Jonah Donovan is one of three nominees up for Female Representative Player of the Year after her display of talent in the Foley Shield competition.
The Reserve Grade Best & Fairest award sees three Tablelands players listed as finalists, with Mareeba’s Keripo Gutchen-Gela and Avala Atileo being joined by Atherton’s Kaleb Nielsen.
In the Under 19s, young guns Jason Hastie (Gladiators) and Nathaniel Ross (Roosters) will be vying for the U19 Player of the Year award against three other Cairns players.
Also included in this year’s nominees is Atherton Junior Rugby League’s Rocco Pensini and Olivia Mason, who are in the running for Male and Female Rookie of the Year respectively.
The Gold Medal Dinner will be held this Friday night at Brothers Leagues Club. A Silver Medal Dinner will also be held this Thursday night, celebrating the achievements of players in the junior league.
