POCOCK IN POLE POSITION FOR TOP HONOUR

[RugbyWA]

Emirates Western Force Vice-captain David Pocock and skipper Nathan Sharpe will both feature prominently in Australian Rugby’s most prestigious award, the John Eales Medal, after being revealed as two of the top 10 contenders for the prize.

This year, the Australian Rugby Union and the Rugby Union Players Association decided to unveil two progressive vote updates in the countdown to the presentation of the John Eales Medal, with Pocock currently leading the way.

Sharpe, who won the coveted award in 2007 and finished runner-up last year, continues to dominate the Wallabies lineout, while Pocock’s emergence as one of the world’s leading flankers has catapulted him into medal calculations.

The ARU today announced the top ten contenders for the medal which will be presented on October 21 in Sydney with only the votes from the recent Tri-Nations series to be collated.

The 2010 John Eales Medal is decided by polling from 15 Tests – the five on last year’s Spring Tour, the four in June 2010, and the six in the recent Tri-Nations series.

Voting is undertaken after each Test and involves every member of the Wallabies game-day squad with the 22 players each casting votes on a 3-2-1 basis.

Wycliff Palu led the count from Matt Giteau after the five-Test Spring Tour against New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales late last year with Pocock sitting in third place.

The star Emirates Western Force loose forward then leapt to the lead following inbound tests against Fiji, England and Ireland in June and will be hard to beat after some brilliant displays against the All Blacks and Springboks in the Tri-Nations.

Other awards presented on the night will be the Joe French Award, Rookie of the Year, Try of the Year, Women’s Player of the Year, Sevens Player of the Year – Shawn Mackay Award, Volunteer of the Year, Under 20s Player of the Year, Referee of the Year and the 2010 Hall of Fame inductees will also be honoured.

Emirates Western Force members and supporters can vote for their favourite Wallabies player online at www.rugby.com.au from Friday (24 September) to decide who, from a shortlist, will take home the ‘Australia’s Choice - Wallaby of the Year’ award.


2010 JOHN EALES MEDAL STAGE 1 PROGRESSIVE COUNT
(Following the 2009 Spring Tour)
WYCLIFF PALU 113
MATT GITEAU 102
DAVID POCOCK 86
WILL GENIA 72
ADAM ASHLEY-COOPER 52

2010 JOHN EALES MEDAL STAGE 2 PROGRESSIVE COUNT
(Following June Tests against Fiji, England and Ireland)
DAVID POCOCK 149
MATT GITEAU 146
QUADE COOPER 130
WYCLIFF PALU 113
WILL GENIA 74

2010 JOHN EALES MEDAL NOMINEES
(votes to come from the Tri-Nations)
MATT GITEAU, ROCKY ELSOM, QUADE COOPER, KURTLEY BEALE, WILL GENIA, ADAM ASHLEY-COOPER, NATHAN SHARPE, WYCLIFF PALU, DAVID POCOCK, LUKE BURGESS

Previous winners of the John Eales Medal:
2002 GEORGE SMITH
2003 PHIL WAUGH
2004 DAVID LYONS
2005 JEREMY PAUL
2006 CHRIS LATHAM
2007 NATHAN SHARPE
2008 GEORGE SMITH
2009 MATT GITEAU

RugbyWA

[GIGS20]

How the hell does Matt Giteau make the list for Phase 2?

He was still playing flyhalf for some of those tests!

[normie]

That must have been when he was allowed to give out how to vote cards.

[farva]

How is Nathan Sharpe not in that list. Id almost suggest Sharpe has been better than Pocock.

[travelling_gerry]

He's in the final 10.

I predict runner up.

Poey to win.

[James]

How is Nathan Sharpe not in that list. Id almost suggest Sharpe has been better than Pocock.

Because Sharpie missed the spring tour. The fact that he's in the top ten having missed a third of the tests goes to show how well he has played and how highly the other players rate him.

Pocock has to be a dead certainty.

[travelling_gerry]

Even the bookie ain't touching that

[Thequeerone]

Nor the apprentice either

[farva]

Because Sharpie missed the spring tour. The fact that he's in the top ten having missed a third of the tests goes to show how well he has played and how highly the other players rate him.

Pocock has to be a dead certainty.

Fair enough.
He has been a revelation the last 2 years. A mile ahead of any other lock in this country, and is the leader of the forwards, even if he isn't the captain.

[hertryk]

Sharpie has certainly been better than Gitz....Cheesh!!!!

---------- Post added at 09:32 ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 ----------

Fair enough.
He has been a revelation the last 2 years. A mile ahead of any other lock in this country, and is the leader of the forwards, even if he isn't the captain.

I have said all along he should have been Captain..where is Elsom in all this does anyone know???

---------- Post added at 09:34 ---------- Previous post was at 09:32 ----------

Having been suspened for 2 matches Quade wouldn't be a contender would he???

[Thequeerone]

Genia has been inspirational this year as well - reckon he should be higher in the reckoning than Gits - know he has missed a few games.

Having watched Sharpie "instruct" Elsom on field reckon Hertryk is correct Sharpie should be captain - but the fall apart every time he leaves the pitch and that is a weakness that Deans MUST conquer before RWC - do not want Sharpe to be put in a position of having to play with an injury

[James]

Quade Cooper might've been a contender if it weren't for the 2 games he missed against the ABs and some shaky form when he returned. I doubt he'd dethrone Pocock who was excellent in all of the Tri-Nations games.

Genia was a fair way back before the Tri-Nations started and despite being good he certainly wasn't brilliant. No chance for him I reckon.

[PerthGirl]

Just voted for Sharpie, he deserves it

[GIGS20]

Just voted for Dave......he might be only a whisker ahead of Sharpie, but he's definitely ahead.

[travelling_gerry]

Remember the John Eales medal has already been decided by players votes.

We can however vote up Sharpie in the Supporters Choice Wallaby at

http://www.rugby.com.au/qantas_walla...ce,109098.html