Mitchell Barnett capped an impressive second year with the One New Zealand Warriors by capturing the Simon Mannering Medal at the club’s 30th annual awards presentation at the Aotea Centre in Auckland on Sunday night.
The 30-year-old epitomised the essence of a Warriors player through his consistency and toughness in a season in which he missed just one of the club’s 24 matches.
His absence for that game was due to his selection for his New South Wales State of Origin debut in the series-clinching final match of the campaign.
Not only was he honoured with the Simon Mannering Medal but he was also voted the winner of the One New Zealand People’s Choice award.
Barnett, who reached his 150-game career milestone this year and also captained the One New Zealand Warriors in Tohu Harris’ injury-enforced absence, averaged 15 runs, 149 metres (career best) and 32 tackles a game. His defensive efficiency rate (93.93%), post contact metres (1409) and tackle breaks (46) were career bests while his 28 off loads equalled his best for a season.
The other nominees for the club’s highest individual honour were prop Addin Fonua-Blake, centre Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – who also filled in at fullback and on the wing – and halfback Te Maire Martin.
Fonua-Blake was voted the players’ player of the year by his peers ahead of Barnett and Martin.
Half Luke Metcalf won the clubman of the year award ahead of other nominees Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Chanel Harris-Tavita and Marcelo Montoya while 2024 debutant Jacob Laban was named the rookie of the year.
Centre Moala Taufa-Graham took out both the New South Wales Cup supreme player of the year and players’ player of the year awards with Eddie Ieremia winning the team man of the year.
2024 ONE NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS AWARDS |
|---|
| Jersey Flegg Cup Emerging Player of the Year: Nganatatafu Vake Jersey Flegg Cup Team Man of the Year: Alvin Chong Nee Jersey Flegg Cup Player of the Year: Harry Durbin New South Wales Cup Players’ Player of the Year | Moala Graham-Taufa New South Wales Cup Player of the Year | Moala Graham-Taufa New South Wales Team Man of the Year | Eddie Ieremia One New Zealand Warriors People’s Choice | Mitchell Barnett NRL Rookie of the Year | Jacob Laban NRL Clubman of the Year | Luke Metcalf NRL Players’ Player of the Year | Addin Fonua-Blake Simon Mannering Medal | Mitchell Barnett |
WARRIORS PLAYER OF THE YEAR 1995-2024 |
|---|
| 1995 Tea Ropati 1996 Stephen Kearney 1997 Stacey Jones 1998 Joe Vagana 1999 Jason Death 2000 Robert Mears 2001 Jerry Seuseu 2002 Ali Lauitiiti 2003 Francis Meli 2004 Wairangi Koopu 2005 Ruben Wiki 2006 Steve Price 2007 Steve Price 2008 Simon Mannering 2009 Micheal Luck 2010 Manu Vatuvei 2011 Simon Mannering 2012 Ben Matulino 2013 Simon Mannering 2014 Simon Mannering 2015 Ben Matulino 2016 Simon Mannering 2017 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2018 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Simon Mannering Medal) 2019 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Simon Mannering Medal) 2020 Tohu Harris (Simon Mannering Medal) 2021 Tohu Harris (Simon Mannering Medal) 2022 Euan Aitken (Simon Mannering Medal) 2023 Shaun Johnson (Simon Mannering Medal) 2024 Mitchell Barnett (Simon Mannering Medal) |
2024 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
|---|
| Departing/departed players | #168 Shaun Johnson, #209 Jazz Tevaga, #252 Addin Fonua-Blake. One New Zealand Warriors debuts: NRL | #286 Jacob Laban, #287 Zyon Maiu’u’, #289 Leka Halasima One New Zealand Warriors | #285 Kurt Capewell, #288 Moala Graham-Taufa Achievements: 50 appearances for One New Zealand Warriors | #262 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 100 NRL appearances | #218 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 100 One New Zealand appearances | #240 Wayde Egan 150 NRL appearances | #275 Mitchell Barnett, #285 Kurt Capewell 200 NRL appearances | #203 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, #262 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 50 tries for One New Zealand Warriors | #262 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 100 NRL tries One New Zealand Warriors | #262 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak |
