The 2025 Rugby Australia Awards kick off on Friday night, celebrating a massive year which has included a British & Irish Lions tour and a World Cup.
Rugby.com.au writers Nathan Williamson, Lachie Grey and Nick Wasiliev come together to predict who will take home the two big awards: the John Eales Medal and the Wallaroos Player of the Year.
Follow all the action from the 2025 Rugby Australia Awards at Rugby.com.au
Rugby.com.au will provide a live blog Rugby's night of nights in Sydney as to the winners, with nominees confirmed for every category except the John Eales Medal.
The major honours at the Rugby Australia Awards have been dominated by back-rowers in the past, with these two set to be right towards the top come voting time.
McReight has always been excellent around the breakdown, but in the past 12 months, the Queenslander has taken his game to another level.
He was massive against the British & Irish Lions, while continuing this form into the Rugby Championship.
The headgear-wearing energiser bunny was in contention last year, and with a consistent stint as the top openside in the country, Friday could prove his crowning as Australia’s next legendary number seven.
As for ‘Boo’, the Brumby has been red-hot since securing her spot in the Wallaroos at WXV2 last year.
The 21-year-old’s abrasive running style was a real point of difference in a world-class back-row that included captain Siokapesi Palu, Ash Marsters, Emily Chancellor and Piper Duck.
Tuinakauvadra was arguably Australia’s best across two pre-World Cup Tests against Wales and will score massive points from her peers.
This, along with her game-turning shifts at the Rugby World Cup, gives her a real shot at being one of the youngest ever to claim the top honour.
There are so many candidates deserving of these honours - but Wilson and Miller have stood tallest.
Harry Wilson’s rapid ascension to the Wallabies captaincy has seen his game grow across every facet these past 12 months.
In just his third Test as skipper, Wilson steered Australia to victory at Twickenham and has since captained Wallaby wins over Wales, Fiji, South Africa, Argentina and the British & Irish Lions.
Want big plays? Take your pick from his match-winning try against Fiji, a historic double to down the Springboks in Johannesburg, or his decision to chase the game – and win – against Argentina in Townsville.
Meanwhile, Desiree Miller’s record-smashing World Cup alone puts her in the box seat for this year’s Wallaroo gong.
The pint-sized winger took her career tally from nine meat pies to 15 with a six-try haul in England, putting her outright second on the all-time Aussie list behind 2024 winner Maya Stewart (16).
Miller’s knack for beating her opponent one-on-one with pace and footwork stood tallest against the USA – and don’t forget her earlier exploits during the Vuvale Bowl and Pacific Four Series with tries against Fiji and Canada.
The more you look at the list of nominees, the more you realise how much of a step up 2025 has been for Australian rugby.
But when it comes to these two awards, it’s these two centres who, with their one percenters and tireless efforts, produced performances that lifted everyone around them.
Len Ikitau, until this year, had been regarded as one of the best outside centres in the world. Suddenly making the shift inside to partner Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, he’s now key to one of the best combinations in Joe Schmidt’s outfit.
Ikitau has kept that brutal running style, flair and showmanship that made him stand out; his effort to get Max Jorgensen in space (and that pass) started a chain reaction for Australian rugby at Twickenham.
But with young, talented, but inexperienced players on either side of him, Ikitau’s defensive work has been phenomenal, wearing many hats, frequently at once.
The John Eales Medal has, deservedly, been won by loose forwards in six of the last nine years, but 2025 looms as a year where Ikitau’s work should see him considered - and historically, since its inception, not a single Aussie centre has ever won the award.
While Matt Giteau and Kurtley Beale have played in the centres and won the John Eales Medal before, both did so for their work at fly-half (in 2009) and fullback (in 2011) respectively.
Fortunately, the love for centres has been shown for the Wallaroos after Georgina Friedrichs won in 2022 - and Cecilia Smith is equally deserving.
Smith featured in nearly every match for the Wallaroos, either as a starting centre or a critical utility finisher.
Scoring against Scotland to help the Wallaroos win WXV 2, she also proved a critical figure during the Pacific Four series - before capping it off with a barnstorming World Cup, which included her best on ground showing against Samoa.
Across the entire season, Smith has delivered no matter the role presented to her. She’s a crucial cog in the Wallaroos’ improving backline and a real shot at winning the top title.
