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End of Season 2023/2024 Awards at Players Dinner
May
Dan Protherough – Director Of Rugby
Player of the season contenders
Solid Stalwart: Drew Harper
Once again Drew has had an amazing season and like Welly’s fine wines seems to get better with age. His ability to break tackles and do the hard yards are remarkable for an old man and he puts many halve his age to shame with his professionalism. His game has improved as well with him making far more tackles than he used to.
New Kids on the block: Finn Haynes & Will Tanner
Finn played in every league game this season which is a remarkable achievement for any Front row. He showed last year how good he was in the loose but this year his scrummaging has improved immensely and he has formed a formidable Front row with Jim, Chris and Will.
Will arrived as a fly half but this year has established himself as a superb 12 being both solid in defence, a superb passer and having a deceptive turn of pace for a chunky lad! His goal kicking has been 1st class bar Syston away where I think I’d have strangled him if we had lost! But with 234 points he was in the top 3 points scorers in Midlands rugby and made the Regional 1 team of the Year
Old but new: Jack Medley is like something of antiques roadshow where you find something in the draw that nobody really knows its true value! Don’t let his baby face and dodgy perm fool you he’s a lot older than he looks. But the real truth is that his growth this year has been remarkable and he’s taken on more and more responsibility especially since Tom’s injury.
The Music Man: Jim played his 100th game this year which in itself is a massive achievement and as he keeps reminding me and others he should be the front row player getting a rest at the end of games! This year though has seen Jim showing a huge increase in his conditioning and this has shown in his performances. He’s only going down 2-3 times a game rather than the 6-7 last year. On a serious note though he carries hard, scrummages like a mule, makes big hits and bang out tunes for fun in the evening. Everything you’d want from a top class hooker.
Captain Marvel AKA the Milky bar kid – I tend to get a bit emotional when speaking about Ed because I can’t think of a finer example of what being a boar is about. He displays all the personal qualities that you’d want of any player and many I’d like myself as well. He has a cannon of a left peg and whilst it is true that it’s a bit like Vernon’s drives in that they don’t always go where he wants, it has got us out of trouble on many occasions. Under the radar he has scored 17 tries this season and anyone that was at Kenilworth to see him score a “worldie” to set us on the way to one of the most remarkable wins I’ve ever been a part of . Obviously we are all gutted with his injury and I’m sure we all wish him a speedy recovery so that we see him donning that 1st XV shirt again.
He and Tommy have led this team together fantastically for a number of years and therefore for 17 tries, being a fantastic leader and all round good egg the player of the season is Ed Spalding.
Ed Spalding – 1 XV Captain Players Dinner Speech 2023/2024
From a first team perspective this season has been a success, playing 22 games, winning 15 and losing 7. This season has brought to the grove a few fresh faces with a few old ones still knocking about too. Rhys has joined the coaching team which has given the whole senior playing group a lift with his enthusiasm and knowledge.
The season didn’t end in the way I wanted it to from a personal perspective but I’d like to say thank you for all your efforts and commitment this season resulting in highest place finish in the league since joining it.
Highlights: this season more winning games on the road: Kenilworth comeback, Syston away, Bridgnorth away.
Performances at home: Stourbridge, Oxford Quins (beating league champs)
There are a lot of people that work incredibly hard to make the team tick. Thank you for your commitment to the club, and to the first team specifically. Be that setting up changing rooms, filling water bottles, taping the lads back together, organising raffles, hosting opposition teams, running the line etc. Your work is massively appreciated by myself and all the first team. Can Clare, Andy, Linz and Baz come and collect your gifts.
Awards
JP Volunteers Tankard- this award is given to an individual who gives up their own time to support the club. The unseen work that this individual has done behind the scenes has been second to none. The award goes to Bev Haynes.
Players Tankard- The players tankard is awarded to someone who is not a player but supports the first team, enabling us to be successful. Since joining us he has had a massive influence on the team and has given us a whole new energy and enthusiasm to back ourselves and take teams on. He cant be here this evening but I will make sure he receives his award and that individual is Rhys Pritchard.
Pemberton- The Pemberton Tankard is awarded to a player who goes above and beyond for the team. The recipient of this award has played in numerous positions for the first team this season, puts his body on the line every time he plays and cares so much about the success of the first team but also the club as a whole. He has organised Finfest, the replica jerseys and our social media accounts too. The Pemberton Tankard is awarded to Will Harris. I have also been asked to present the second team Pemberton tankard. This individual has played every game and has shown unrivalled commitment to the second team. Having a competitive second team is essential for the success of the first team and the effort shown doesn’t go unnoticed. I would like to present Jack Moore with the 2nd XV Pemberton tankard.
Ralph Weaver Kicking Trophy- awarded to the player with the most points from the boot, this individual was also the highest point scorer across the whole league. With a massive 234 points Will Tanner
Young Player- This individual has been a mainstay in the first team all season, their ability at a young age is amazing, especially in the position he plays which typically needs time to mature into. For the lads who played in or watched the Stourbridge at home game he was playing in the front row but getting around the pitch like a 7. He is going to continue to develop as a player over the next few years and I am really excited to see how far he can go. The Young Player of the season is awarded to Fin Haynes.
100 cap awards- to play 100 games for the first team is an incredible achievement, we had two individuals reach this milestone this season, unfortunately Jim can’t be here this evening but is my absolute pleasure to present the 100-cap tankard to Tom Hardwick.
Players Player- amazing award to win as it is chosen by the players. This individual has had an incredible season, is consistently a top performer in the team and a great bloke on and off the pitch. The award goes to James Gunther
Also on the evening Martin Lakeman received the Crusaders Pemberton Trophy & Martin present Rick Foulds & Mark Cornelius with their retirement gifts. Dan Ingram was also awarded for being top try scorer for the Crusaders
