David Cooper-Dunn’s stellar campaign for the Albury-Wodonga Steamers was recognised with the makeshift back rower winning the club’s best and fairest.
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Charlie McIntosh was second, while leading points scorer Sam Allen was also just off the pace.
Steamers’ coach Paul Musarra admitted there was hardly a week where Cooper-Dunn was among the best players on the park.
“I don’t think I saw the best of him either, but he was still good enough to take it out,” Musarra said.
“His ball carrying is second to none, he never gets dispossessed, he demands two or three defenders and his work rate defensively is probably as good as anyone in the team.
“He would have only missed a handful of tackles all year.
“In saying that, he played out of position as well.
“We were a bit short of back rowers this year, he normally plays up tight in the front row or second row, but he ended up playing in the back row for us.
“He had to get around the field a bit quicker than he had in the past, but he did that pretty well.”
Allen finished the season with more than 20 tries and won the point scoring award without being the side’s designated goal-kicker.
Player’s Player was Joe Druce, while Englishman Jonathan Kerr won the Rookie of the Year.
The Steamers finished the Southern Inland season in fifth spot and were eliminated by Tumut in the finals.
Musarra will continue to work behind the scenes during the off-season in a bid to attract more recruits to the club before pre-season commences in January.
“We definitely need a lot more players, our depth was really pushed this year,” he added.
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