Flanker Liam Gill has taken out the Stan Pilecki Medal for a second straight season, the Reds announced on Tuesday.
While his victory this time around wasn’t quite the record tally of 2015, after missing the first month of the season with a back injury, Gill finished a comfortable winner with 282 votes, ahead of fellow backrower Hendrik Tui (229) and star centre Samu Kerevi (201).
Gill is currently playing with Top 14 club Toulon but the win serves as a reminder of the impact he has had at the Reds, particularly in recent years.
The award’s namesake, former Queensland prop Stan Pilecki, said Gill was a worthy winner.“I thought he was one of our better players, consistent and I liked his aggression. From my point of view if I had to pick someone to win it I would have picked him anyway.
“Quite often it’s won back to back, he clearly hit a rich vein of form and made a significant contribution over the last couple of years.
“It’s tough to stand out in a losing team and he did that well over the last couple of years. We’ve had a tough few years, but the wheel turns. We’ve filled a lot of the gaps we had last year and I’m pretty hopeful and confident for next season.”
The Reds didn't hold a formal awards night as in the past but will present the award to Gill officially when he is back in Australia.
LEADERBOARD
2016 Pilecki Medal Top 10
Liam Gill - 282
Hendrik Tui - 229
Samu Kerevi - 201
Nick Frisby - 183
Greg Holmes - 162
Curtis Browning - 143
Andrew Ready - 122
Karmichael Hunt - 98
James Slipper - 83
Anthony Fainga’a - 78
