The prestigious George Piggins Medal will be awarded on Friday night at the Rabbitohs Red & Green Ball.
The medal was first introduced in 2003 in honour of former Rabbitohs Player, Coach and Administrator, George Piggins. The medal is awarded annually to the seasons Best and Fairest Rabbitohs player.
Piggins played a large role in the Club over a 40-year period starting his journey in 1967. The hooker played 118 games in the Cardinal and Myrtle scoring six tries over a period of 12 years. During his playing career at Souths, Piggins also represented NSW in two games between 1974 and 1976 and ran on the field for Australia on three occasions in 1975. He made the decision to hang up his boots at the end of 1978.
Piggins returned to the Club in 1986 and took over as Head Coach. He led the South Sydney Rabbitohs into the finals in his debut coaching year awarding him his first Dally M Coach of the Year award. Although missing out on the Premiership by one point, Piggins again took the South Sydney side to the next Grand Final in 1987. He was awarded again at the end of the 1989 season with his second Dally M Coach of the Year award recognising the success of Souths minor premiership. Piggins resigned as Head Coach in 1990.
In 2000, when the Club was excluded from the league, Piggins played a significant role as Chairman in the Club’s fight for re-instatement. In 2001, Piggins was awarded the Centenary Medal “for service to the sport of rugby league” and was later honoured in 2002 as a Member of the Order of Australia “for service to Rugby League football as an administrator, coach and player, and to the South Sydney community”.
The honourary George Piggins Medal will be awarded on Friday night to the player voted as the 2016 Season's Best and Fairest.
Previous Winners:
2003 – Bryan Fletcher
2004 – Ashley Harrison
2005 – Peter Cusack
2006 – David Fa’alogo
2007 – Roy Asotasi
2008 – Luke Stuart
2009 – John Sutton
2010 – Issac Luke
2011 – Nathan Merritt
2012 – John Sutton
2013 – Greg Inglis & John Sutton
2014 – Sam Burgess
2015 – Greg Inglis
