BY STAFF WRITERS

The 2021 Beetson Raudonikis Medal – renamed earlier in the year after the passing of Tom Raudonikis – and subsequent awards will be announced from 4pm today on our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Manly Sea Eagles superstar Tom Trbojevic held a 6 vote lead from 2020 winner Nathan Cleary when voting went behind closed doors after round 19.

List of awards include the Beetson Raudonikis Medal, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Utility MVP, Representative Player of the Year and the second annual Essence Award.

It also includes our Positional Team of the Year and all 16 of our individual Club Player of the Year awards.

SOME FUN FACTS

• The Arthur Beetson Medal has been previously called the Ultimate Sports Memorabilia Medal, Handyman Magazine Medal and the Steele Sports Medal
• Nathan Cleary won last year’s award by a record nine votes

• Johnathan Thurston won three consecutive Arthur Beetson Medals: ’14 Thurston and Hayne, ’15 Thurston, ’16 Thurston, Cronk, Taumalolo
• The first ‘Utility MVP’ award was given out in 2017 to Parramatta’s Clint Gutherson
• Cameron Smith’s 2017 win is the second largest margin since the award began in 2012. Smith won by 7 votes from Mitchell Pearce
• Kalyn Ponga led the vote in 2018 until the last round until being overtaken by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
• Shaun Johnson led the 2016 count with two rounds to play but was overrun by Jason Taumalolo, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk

• Jason Taumalolo has won 12 individual The81stMinute awards including an Arthur Beetson Medal, positional awards in the Team of the Year and the Cowboys Player of the Year on several occasions
• Despite Manly’s horrible 2018 form, Daly Cherry-Evans won the halfback position in the Team of the Year after polling more votes than any other halfback
• Last year the Warriors were awarded the first ‘Essence Award’ for the game’s greatest spirit
• Up until last year, the winner of the Beetson Raudonikis Medal went on to win the Dally M the same year in six consecutive seasons. That was broken last year when Nathan Cleary (Beetson Raudonikis Medal) was upset by Jack Wighton in the Dally M

PREVIOUS BEETSON RAUDONIKIS MEDALS

2020: Nathan Cleary
2019: James Tedesco
2018: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
2017: Cameron Smith
2016: Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Jason Taumalolo
2015: Johnathan Thurston
2014: Johnathan Thurston, Jarryd Hayne
2013: Greg Inglis
2012: Ben Barba

DETAILS

Monday 6th of September
From 6pm
Brought to you by Barkingham Palace Dog Grooming Macarthur
All awards announced live on Twitter and Facebook
Twitter: @the81stminuteau
Facebook: The81stMinute Rugby League