'Fire in a lot of players’ bellies': Bruiser claims 'bittersweet' John Eales Medal, says RWC pain will 'motivate' Wallabies

Fresh from claiming the John Eales Medal, Rob Valetini says the pain from last year’s World Cup disaster can motivate the Wallabies forward as the fallen rugby powerhouse attempts to pick itself back up.

Valetini, 25, edged out prop Angus Bell and Japan-based winger Marika Koroibete to become the 13th player to claim the prestigious medal at a Black-Tie event at Doltone House in Sydney on Wednesday evening.

After last year’s forgettable campaign, celebrations were tempered as players and officials looked forward to putting the Eddie Jones disaster behind them.

Jones was not invited and his name was not mentioned throughout the entire evening after the veteran coach opted to walk out on the Wallabies one season into his five-year deal that was signed off dramatically at the start of 2023.

Former Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan was also not invited to the evening, while current chair Dan Herbert and new Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt did not attend the game’s night of nights.

Rob Valetini took out the John Eales Medal at the 2023 Rugby Australia Awards at Doltone House on February 07, 2024 in Sydney. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images for Getty Images)

Valetini, the bruising back-rower who was a pillar of consistency and started every match for the Wallabies in 2023, said claiming the medal was “bittersweet”.

“It is a bit strange but I am proud of the boys considering me for this award,” he said. “It is one of the best you can win. I am truly grateful.

“There are a few wounds there [from 2023] but I am getting past it and trying to use it as motivation for this year.”

Valetini joined an exclusive group of back-rowers to have claimed the award, with RA chief executive Phil Waugh, David Pocock and Michael Hooper previously taking out the top gong.

His rise to the top of Australian rugby comes five years after missing out on World Cup selection, as he made his debut against Samoa under Michael Cheika.

At that point, Valetini had struggled to make the leap from the National Rugby Championship’s best young talent to the Super Rugby competition.

Indeed, even after making Dave Rennie’s Wallabies squad in 2020, the back-rower had barely scratched the surface of unearthing his immense potential.

But Valetini said some hard truths delivered from Rennie during the early stages of the New Zealander’s three-year tenure with the Wallabies proved to be the lightbulb moment needed to become a consistent international.

“I sort of found my feet in Dave Rennie’s first camp,” Valetini said. “He told me that I was close to getting cut in that camp and he put it down to my training.

“I think that’s when I started taking training more seriously and training how I would play. That’s just stuck with me now.

“I see it in the games. If I’m training hard, come game time I find it a bit easier. I’d have to put it down to my training.”

With a new boss in town, Valetini said the playing group was eager to make an impression and right some wrongs.

“After the hard season last year there will be a fire in a lot of players’ bellies, the boys that didn’t get selected or boys that were selected and were not successful at the Rugby World Cup,” Valetini said.

“Obviously, there is a new coach as well, it will be a clean slate for everyone and everyone will have to perform in Super Rugby to be picked.

“Over the off-season I have been trying to work hard and use it as motivation to try and do better, not only for myself but for my teammates as well and for Australian rugby as well, to try and put it in a better place.”

John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini with Wallaroos Player of the Year winner Eva Karpani at the Rugby Australia Awards at Doltone House on February 07, 2024 in Sydney. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images for Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Eva Karpani capped a phenomenal season to take out the Wallaroos’ player of the year.

The tight-head prop turned heads throughout the year with her powerful scrummaging and deceptive explosiveness with ball-in-hand to edge out back-rower Ash Marsters and outside-centre Georgie Friedrichs.

Those attributes were on display against France last October, as she led the Wallaroos to a famous win across the ditch against the 2022 World Cup semi-finalists.

 “I am genuinely humbled and grateful,” Karpani said.

“I would love to change the image of a tighthead prop, that we can be versatile and agile, and not just a powerful ball-runner.”

Maddison Levi unsurprisingly took out the Shawn Mackay women’s sevens player of the year, while Henry Paterson won the men’s sevens player of the year.

Queensland and Wallabies openside flanker Fraser McReight took out the 2023 Super Rugby player of the year. His Reds female colleague Cecilia Smith won the award for best player in the Super W competition.

John Eales Medal – Final Points:

1. Rob Valetini – 141 pts

2. Angus Bell – 132

3. Marika Koroibete – 116

Buildcorp Wallaroos Player of the Year – Final Points:

1. Eva Karpani – 146 pts

2. Ashley Marsters – 140

3. Georgina Friedrichs – 118

2023 Rugby Australia Awards – Full list:
John Eales Medal – Rob Valetini
Buildcorp Wallaroos Player of the Year – Eva Karpani
Shawn Mackay Award for Men’s Sevens Player of the Year – Henry Paterson
Shawn Mackay Award for Women’s Sevens Player of the Year – Maddison Levi
Harvey Norman Super Rugby Player of the Year – Fraser McReight, QLD Reds
Buildcorp Super W Player of the Year – Cecilia Smith, QLD Reds
RA Rookie of the Year Award – Carys Dallinger, Wallaroos
RA Junior Men’s Player of the Year (U20) – Teddy Wilson
RA Junior Women’s Player of the Year (U20) – Faitala Moleka
Cadbury Try of the Year – Jake Upfield, QLD Reds vs Highlanders
FEDEX Referee of the Year – Angus Gardner
Nick Farr-Jones Spirit of Rugby Award – Bernard Tuaimau, Sydney Junior Rugby Union, AND Nathan Maiava, Melton Rugby Club
Joe French Award for Outstanding Contribution to Rugby – Tim Gavin, Eastern Suburbs and New South Wales
Geoff ‘Bunter’ Shaw Community Coach of the Year Award – Michael Crank, Mount Maria College
Andrew Cole Community Match Official of the Year – Anthony Furey, Central Coast Rugby Union Referees