Blockbusting No.8 Wycliff Palu has capped a dramatic form turnaround by being named the Wallabies’ best player on their spring rugby tour.
Axed during the earlier Tri-Nations series, Palu credited some stern words from his mother as he excelled on the recent five Test tour to Japan and Europe.
For the first time player voting for the annual John Eales Medal award is to be announced in three stages, with the first update after the spring tour revealed on Thursday.
Palu leads the votes taken among the players each of the Tests against the All Blacks, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with 113 votes.
This year’s John Eales Medal winner Matt Giteau is second with 102 votes, following by Wallabies young guns David Pocock (86) and Will Genia (72) and fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper (52).
The next phase of voting to be revealed will include the four Tests against Fiji (in Canberra), England (in Perth and Sydney), and Ireland (in Brisbane) next June.
Voting in next year’s six-Tests Tri Nations series will remain secret until the winner is announced in October.
Peter K
Guest
My top 5 in order would be Palu, Robinson, Pocock, Genia and Giteau squeeks in 5th, remembering you only get points for top games and do not get points subtracted for poor games. The frontrow and loosies have been the stars. Backs have not really fired. Locks have been poor.
andrew
Guest
I agree Ben Robinson, Palu still goes missing sometimes, especially when he is really needed.
Frank O'Keeffe
Guest
I agree with everybody here about Benn Robinson. He should definitely be top five in my books. Do the players vote after the Tests or do they get to watch the Test afterwatfs on video and make votes. Surely some of the backs aren't going to notice what a fantastic job Benn Robinson has been doing. Palu's been very good. He stills drops the ball a bit more than the average player, but his barging runs and tackles have been inspirational. I didn't like the Elsom-Pocock-Smith backrow used in the last tri nations game. It's far too small a backrow. Palu's the best fit for eightman. How is Giteau so high? Does he get extra points for kicking goals? Wilkinson outplayed Giteau so much in the English test. Surely he wouldn't have gotten many votes for how he played against Scotland. There were many other outstanding players in the Irish test. He must've gotten all his votes from the Welsh Test where he played superbly. I'm picking David Pocock to win this next year. Man I wish he stayed on against the Welsh - he was everywhere! He was awesome against Ireland too. He'd probably be winning this thing if Deans wasn't stupid in resting him when Australia played Scotland - a fatal mistake.
CliffyTahTah
Guest
Nice one Cliffy. Well deserved.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
By rights FatCat should be the star of the team. He's by far our best. Unfortunately he is a Prop and will always be underappreciated. But being a former Prop, he's the key man in the team from my perspective. By the way. Great to see Palu playing some great Rugby.
rugbythinker
Guest
I'm not on the Palu band wagon! He is improving but his body height is quite often too high, he drops the ball a lot and is not the complete player yet. The one thing the wallabies will need to improve for 2011 RWC is a world calss No.8. Not sure yet if Palu is the man but there aint many alternatives. Agree Robinson should be at least in top three.
Jameswm
Guest
How the hell is Benn Robbo not in the top 5? I reckon it's the old story of the backs not knowing what the forwards do. He was our MOM against Wales, not Giteau. And is Giteau everyone's mate? Or is it that when he has a good game, everyone notices and votes for him?
Hoy
Roar Guru
Palu has played this tour the way I have wanted him to play since day one. Barnstorming runs, massive tackles. Robinson should surely be second, if not first. What does he have to do to get noticed? On that topic, after this tour, Giteau second is a surprise. What does this bloke do on the field that we don't see on TV? I would have thought except for some good moments, he had an ordinary tour. He certainly played well against Wales, there is no doubt, but again, overall, a poor tour I would have thought.
fox
Guest
Hi Mum will be proud. Maybe he'll be allowed out from under the stairs now.