BY CHRIS DUTTON
5/07/2009 9:56:00 AM

THROUGH the tears, tributes and standing ovation, one thing was clear.
The bond between former flatmates Matt Toomua and Shawn Mackay will never be broken.

The teenage flyhalf won the inaugural Shawn Mackay award for most outstanding young talent at the ACT Brumbies presentation last night.

On the same night, flanker George Smith collected his seventh consecutive and eighth overall Brett Robinson players' player award, and Ben Alexander and Mark Gerrard won the awards for best forward and back respectively.

Brumbies lock Mackay died in a Durban hospital after he was hit by a car during the team's Super 14 tour of South Africa in April.

His death rocked the club.

But it was Toomua who returned to an empty Kingston apartment with constant reminders of one of his best mates.

Mackay's parents Leonie and John presented an emotional Toomua with the award after a video tribute to their son.


''I'd just like to say thanks to Trish and Shawn for having an enormous impact on my life and we'll all get through this together,'' Toomua said last night.

Toomua, 19, believed Mackay was watching him from above for the last half of the season.

Brumbies coach Andy Friend praised the way his junior No10 handled what most teenagers never have to.

''Everyone dealt with that crisis in different ways and Matt took it very, very hard, as we all did,'' Friend said.

''I have no doubt that [Toomua] still has some pretty dark moments even now and will continue to for some period.

''You saw a resolve from Matt to realise how frail life can be and whilst you're here, you may as well give it your best shot because you never know when it's going to finish.

''It's a testament to Matt that he dealt with that grieving process as well as getting on with being the best footballer he can be.''

Mackay suffered multiple injuries including spinal fracture and dislocation, a broken left leg and multiple facial fractures and lacerations after he was hit by an armed response vehicle on March 29 in Durban.

He was put in a medically induced coma before a blood infection caused cardiac arrest and his death on April 6 the day the Brumbies returned to Canberra.

Toomua was overwhelmed with grief when he arrived at Canberra airport with his teammates.

That night fellow young Brumbies Afusipa Taumoepeau and Talalelei Gray stayed with Toomua. The Shawn Mackay award ensures his memory will continue long after Toomua and the current crop of players retire.

The 26-year-old spent only six months with the Brumbies before his tragic death.

Friend said Mackay's legacy would remain with the club and the players forever.

''In the very brief time Shawn was with us at the Brumbies he made such an impact, as he made in his 26 years on earth,'' Friend said.

''He made such an impact that you can't help but think about Shawn and the award that is named after him will become part of Brumbies history.''

Brumbies captain and schoolmate, Stephen Hoiles said during last night's presentation that while Mackay ''only played two games'', ''it was the journey he took that inspired us all''.

And, referring to a sign that's hanging in the Brumbies' gym that says, ''If it all ended tomorrow, have you done enough,'' Hoiles said, ''Shawn, you've done more than
enough.''



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