The best of the 2017 Ron Massey Cup has been announced, with St Marys Saints and Hills District Bulls dominating the Team of the Year.
The Saints, who finish the regular season four points clear of the rest of the competition, boasts four players while the Bulls feature three times. In an indication of the strength of the Ron Massey Cup as a pathway to the Intrust Super Premiership NSW and NRL Telstra Premiership, the team features significant experience of higher levels, including Hills' big-name recruits Feleti Mateo and Heath L'Estrange, both of whom played NRL as early as 2016.
Geoff Daniela and Tim Robinson are also included, while the likes of Maika Sivo, Brendan Waters, Cowen Epere and Jerry Key are selected after leading the RMC Reps to an historic maiden victory over the Queensland Rangers earlier in the season. While the side is selected from players who have played the majority of their season in the Ron Massey Cup, an obvious standout is Sivo, who finishes the regular season as leading tryscorer despite last playing in the competition in Round 16.
Guildford Owls mentor Paul Fletcher is named Coach of the Year after lifting his side from an eighth-place finish in 2016 to genuine contenders this year, while several former Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles players make the team following mid-season moves to various clubs.
The 2017 Ron Massey Cup Team of the Year:
- Mason Cerruto (St Marys Saints)
- Maika Sivo (St Marys Saints)
- Geoff Daniela (St Marys Saints)
- Addison Demetriou (Auburn Warriors)
- Danny Barakat (Wentworthville Magpies)
- Feleti Mateo (Hills District Bulls)
- Brendan Waters (Western Suburbs Magpies)
- Tim Robinson (Hills District Bulls)
- Heath L’Estrange (Hills District Bulls)
- Cowen Epere (St Marys Saints)
- Mitch Achurch (Guildford Owls)
- Matt Ryan (Guildford Owls)
- Jerry Key (Western Suburbs Magpies)
- Manaia Rudolph (Auburn Warriors)
- Kurt Aldridge (Concord-Burwood-Glebe Wolves)
- Jordan Hall (Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles)
- Patrice Siolo (Concord-Burwood Glebe Wolves)
Coach: Paul Fletcher (Guildford Owls)
