The finalists for the major awards at the 2026 Rugby Australia Awards have been confirmed, as Australian rugby comes together to celebrate a huge season of strong performances. The ceremony will be held on Thursday night, with the winners announced on Rugby Australia’s social media channels and the event live-blogged online.
The 2026 season is set to be one of the most hotly contested awards nights in years, with every national side seeing several key stars deliver world-class performances over the past year.
John Eales Medal
The three finalists for the John Eales Medal will be announced on the night, but the field for the top honour in the men’s game is wide open in 2026.
Two-time winner Rob Valetini is likely to be in the mix after continuing his strong form in gold since returning from injury. Last year’s winner, Len Ikitau, is also a contender, having been acclaimed internationally for his form in the centres.
Several other players have a strong case. Fraser McReight is a standout who has previously been considered for the top honour. Established veteran Allan Alaalatoa has been one of Australia’s top performers for the past decade. Current captain Harry Wilson has frequently been cited as one of the Wallabies’ hardest workers. Jeremy Williams could also be considered, as the Western Force captain’s strong lineout form was a key success for the Wallabies in 2026. The last lock to win the medal was Nathan Sharpe in 2012.
Other Major Awards
Beyond the John Eales Medal, finalists have been announced for all other awards, and the Wallaroos Player of the Year will have a new winner. Loose forwards Piper Duck and Siokapesi Palu Sekona are contesting the award, while Faitala Moleka has been recognised for her versatility in the backline as the third finalist.
The Shawn Mackay Awards are also set to be hotly contested. 2025 finalist Henry Hutchison is joined by veteran Maurice Longbottom and breakout star Aden Ekanayake. Maddison Levi will be looking for a third award after victories in 2023 and 2024, and she will face stiff competition from Heidi Dennis and Isabella Nasser, who are already top contenders after helping the SVNS World Championship-winning side.
The Rugby Australia Awards will also recognise the top players in the Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific and Swyftx Super Rugby Women’s seasons, along with the Defender of the Year and the Junior Men’s and Junior Women’s Players of the Year.
Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year Award stands out this year. In previous seasons, male and female players have contested the award together. In 2026, it will be split into the Santos Men’s Rookie of the Year and the Santos Women’s Rookie of the Year.
Try of the Year
The Try of the Year contenders include Joe Brial, Eva Karpani, Filipo Daugunu and Siokapesi Palu Sekona, all up for several significant scores. Henry Hutchison and Kaitlin Shave are also up for tries in the Sevens.
The following players are also listed with their representative sides:
- Edwin Langi (Australia U20 and NSW Waratahs)
- Treyvon Pritchard (Australia U20 and Queensland Reds)
- Wallace Charlie (Australia Sevens, Australia U20, signed Western Force)
- Amelia Whitaker (Wallaroos and NSW Waratahs)
- Waiaria Ellis (Wallaroos and NSW Waratahs)
The try nominations are as follows:
- Super Rugby Pacific: Joe Brial, Queensland Reds v Chiefs
- Super Rugby Women’s: Eva Karpani, Queensland Reds v Fijian Drua
- Sevens Men’s: Henry Hutchison v RSA, Valladolid Final
- Sevens Women’s: Kaitlin Shave v NZ, Valladolid Semi-Final
- Wallabies: Filipo Daugunu v NZ
- Wallaroos: Siokapesi Palu Sekona v Scotland
- Sevens Men’s: Jayden Blake v NZ, New York
- Sevens Women’s: Maddison Levi v NZ, Valladolid Final