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Rugby Australia’s most painful wait is over. The John Eales Medallist has been named, with Japan-based star Marika Koroibete winning the award a second time in four years.
Bravo, Marika. Koroibete, despite missing the final five Tests of the year, was brilliant for the Wallabies.
However, a moment that should have been properly celebrated has descended into a total farce.
On Sunday evening, following months of much anticipation as the previous recipients were drip-fed out, the media announcement came out: the John Eales Medallist would be named.
Not witnessed by a ballroom of guests, including a who’s who of rugby, nor a season launch or a fundraising event, but, wait for it, by Zoom.
Oh yes, Zoom. One of 2020s great gifts.
Of all of Rugby Australia’s boneheaded decisions, this one is up there.
As the AFL celebrated the Brownlow Medal and its main winter sport’s rival the NRL gathered for the Dally M Medal last September, Australian rugby celebrated its night of nights via Zoom. At 10.30am on a Monday morning.
Talk about dropping the ball.
How is it that the respective Super Rugby franchises managed to celebrate their seasons yet the national governing body hadn’t planned anything by Christmas? It’s now almost May. Marika last pulled on a gold shirt almost nine months ago. It’s nearly five months since the Wallabies last Test.
Regardless of COVID-19, even your local rugby clubs managed to celebrate last season.
It’s about celebrating the goodness of the game. Those who make the sport happen. The officials, coaches, players and the community.
It’s about getting together regardless of how the season unfolded and highlighting the little things.
Instead, players, from both the men’s and women’s game, have been handed out awards witnessed by nothing more than a handful of reporters since February. It’s not good enough.
When NSW star back Georgie Fredricks was awarded the Wallaroos player of the year only two reporters turned up.
Marika Koroibete poses with the John Eales Medal in 2019. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
It was an awkward moment.
Fredricks handled it superbly, but she should have been recognised by a room full of teammates and guests.
For months Rugby Australia has attempted to play down the decision to not hold an event late last year.
Timing was one reason floated. But it doesn’t pass the pub test.
Sure the international season is a lengthy one and the scattered nature of where the players and coaches live across Australia makes it difficult, but for years they managed to circle a date in the calendar.
Even after the 2019 World Cup, Rugby Australia managed to celebrate what was an underwhelming campaign in a function room in Sydney.
Australia’s Junior Wallabies had earlier made the under-20s World Cup final.
While many members of Michael Cheika’s Wallabies were on holiday, Koroibete, who took out his maiden John Eales Medal, managed to make it.
Cheika, who resigned following the Wallabies’ quarter-final exit, also showed up. Cheika always turned up because he got it.
Dave Rennie’s future was also the talk of the town in December, too.
But that wasn’t grounds to kick Rugby Australia’s night of nights down the road. Either was the decision of RA CEO Andy Marinos to take more than a month off in December and January.
As for RA’s financial position, it might have been crawling out of the red, but a celebration of nights doesn’t mean you need to book out Randwick Racecourse either.
Exposure was another reason floated for the drip-fed announcements. But the odd social media post doesn’t cut it.
As good as last year’s try of the year was by Lalakai Foketi, it isn’t newsworthy.
Rob Valetini was the Super Rugby player of the year in 2022, but the next season was one day out from starting when he was announced. Talk about mixed messaging for a product trying to get people through the gate the next day.
RA has promised that the event will return bigger and better than ever before.
Whether or not the next recipient is on Australian shores or not, the show must go on. And it must be a show worthy of the medal.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.