Wallaroos playmaker Faitala Moleka has broken the record as the youngest ever to win Player of the Year
Moleka, who turned 21 at the start of the year, was awarded the honour at Thursday's Rugby Australia Awards.
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“It’s really special, it just shows how much work that not only I have put in but the team has behind the scenes to come away with the season that we had,” she told media from Christchurch ahead of skippering Australia U21.
“For this award to be chosen by my peers and teammates and for them to have the confidence in me is crazy.”
Moleka got the chance to celebrate the moment with sister Manua and her family before heading overseas ahead of Saturday’s inaugural fixture with New Zealand.
She follows in the footsteps of good mate Tabua Tuinakauvadra, who held the record as the youngest for only a year.
“I’m still shocked…to share this award with ‘Boo’ now, how good is that!,” Moleka remarked. “To be the youngest is never something that was on my mind but it shows how hard not only I have worked but everyone around me.”
The young gun’s rise to the top honour was supercharged by a brilliant season-ending run.
Moleka moved to inside centre to accommodate Waiaria Ellis and instantly shone during the three-Test series against Scotland. The playmaker scored a try in each of those three victories to finish the year, including a charging effort in Edinburgh that inspired the comeback win.
She also emerged as one of Australia’s top carriers after switching positions, hitting double digits in four of her last five games of the season.
This inspired her charge to the award, named player of the match in the final game, helping her secure the win.
Moleka bested fellow Brumby Siokpaesi Palu Sekona and back-rower Piper Duck amid a hotly contested field for the award.
Palu Sekona didn’t go home empty-handed, winning Super Rugby Women’s Player of the Year and Try of the Year for her superb effort against Scotland.
In further awards on the night, young guns Amelia Whitaker and Waiaria Ellis were celebrated for their bright starts to their career.
Whitaker was named Women’s Rookie of the Year, whilst Ellis claimed Women’s Junior Player of the Year.
Both are in New Zealand alongside Moleka, who was named to play for Australia U21 against New Zealand U21 in Christchurch on Saturday.
