The Force is strong with Godwin
Perth product Kyle Godwin cleaned up at the Western Force Awards Night at Crown Perth on Saturday.
Godwin was recognised for his stellar 2013 Super Rugby season by his teammates, his club and Western Force members, taking home the Nathan Sharpe Medal, Rising Star and Members’ Most Valuable Player awards.
Captain Matt Hodgson claimed the other gong on offer in being awarded his fourth Force Man Award in his eight seasons with the club.
Godwin, who progressed from schoolboys through the RugbyWA development pathway to the Western Force, has re-signed with the club until 2016.
The Force inside centre polled 209 votes to claim the inaugural Nathan Sharpe Medal as the Western Force’s Player of the Year.
The winner is determined by each member of the matchday 22 voting for their peers on a 3, 2, 1 voting basis.
The 20-year-old finished 50 votes ahead of runner-up Ben McCalman (159), with Godwin polling in the top five vote recipients in his final six matches of the season before missing the Force’s final round 21-15 win over the Brumbies due to shoulder surgery.
McCalman’s man of the match performance against the Brumbies earned him a season-high 51 votes to finish ahead of scrumhalf Alby Mathewson (154 points), who along with Chris Alcock was the only player to represent the Western Force in every match this season.
Despite only playing eight of the club’s 16 games this season, Hugh McMeniman’s contribution was conspicuous, polling 141 votes to finish fourth while Heath Tessmann finished fifth with 136 votes from his 13 games after joining the side as injury cover at the beginning of the season.
In his first full season of Super Rugby, Godwin was also recognised as the club’s Rising Star while Gold Member, Ciaran O’Shea, presented Godwin with the Members’ Most Valuable Player award.
Hodgson’s Force Man award was recognition as the player who exhibits the club’s ethos and values in every aspect of their performance on the rugby field and in the community.
The 97-cap player assumed the Force captaincy this season and was integral in driving the values and standards that contributed to the strength of character and culture within the playing group.
2013 Western Force Award Winners:
Nathan Sharpe Award: Kyle Godwin
Force Man: Matt Hodgson
Rising Star: Kyle Godwin
Members’ MVP: Kyle Godwin
2013 Nathan Sharpe Medal – Top 5
Kyle Godwin – 209 votes
Ben McCalman – 159 votes
Alby Mathewson – 154 votes
Hugh McMeniman – 141 votes
Heath Tessmann – 136 votes
Western Force Player of the Year – Honour Roll
2013 – Kyle Godwin
2012 – David Pocock
2011 – David Smith
2010 – Matt Hodgson
2009 – Matt Hodgson
2008 – Ryan Cross
2007 – Matt Giteau
2006 – Scott Staniforth
