Westpac NSW Origin stars Liam Martin and Isabelle Kelly have collected the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal and RLPA (Rugby League Players Association) Players’ Champion award as well as their premiership rings on NRL Grand Final Day at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
Martin became the third Penrith Panther but the first forward to be selected over the past four years as the Grand Final’s Player of the Match. Preceding him were Nathan Cleary (2021, 2023) and Dylan Edwards (2022).
“Wow … this is surreal,” Martin told the 80,000-plus crowd after the Panthers had beaten Melbourne Storm 14-6.
“To Storm, I have the utmost respect for you guys being there every year. To our boys I love you so much – it just shows the character we have to dig deep. I was gone there but you boys dragged me along.”
Martin scored the second of the Panthers’ three tries, had a line-break, two tackle-busts, three offloads and made 45 tackles.
Sydney Roosters captain Isabelle Kelly was earlier announced the 2024 Players’ Champion, voted by NRLW players, before she led her side to a 32-28 win over the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
In her 11 NRLW games this year, Kelly had three tries, four try assists, nine line-breaks, and averaged 198 metres per game. She has two Nellie Doherty Medals (2018, 2022) for being the State of Origin Player of the Match, but this is the first time she’s taken the top RLPA honour.
The RLPA’s Players’ Champion in the NRL was also announced today and went to Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes, who adds it to his Dally M Player of the Year won earlier in the week.
Fellow Westpac NSW Blues players Angus Crichton, Stephen Crichton and James Tedesco were among the five RLPA finalists.
