Who needs a John Eales Medal when we’ve got our own voting system that can’t be beat. We’ve all, unashamedly, put our votes in after each game, and some even explained the obvious logic behind their unrivalled opinions.
So after thinking about the John Eales Medal while watching Between Two Posts last week, where the panel seemed to think Len Ikitau should take it home from Friday’s awards, I thought to myself, “Self, why don’t you collate all the year’s DIY Readers Ratings and write a wee bit about it to bore those very readers?” And here, without further ado, are the wholly unexpected results.
A minor further ado, firstly, to explain. I merely have taken the Readers Ratings and awarded 3-2-1 for the highest three rated players, and thrown a few Rugby Pass stats at you. End of ado.
November Tests
9 November 2024 – England 37 Australia 42
A spectacular debut from Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, showing dominance in the air and offloads, but missing four tackles. Tom Wright ran 86 metres, made four line breaks, beat seven defenders and scored a try. But the Roarers decided on Ikitau 8.9 (11 carries, four defenders beaten, nine tackles and a flick pass to Jorgensen, but penalised twice), Valetini 8.8 (13 runs, ten tackles and two turnovers), and Angus Bell 8.7.
Len Ikitau’s brilliant flick pass against England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
17 November 2024 – Wales 20 Australia 52
Not very often we top 50. Samu Kerevi was red carded and there were hat-tricks to Wright and Matt Faessler. Wright ran 243 metres, made three line breaks, two offloads and beat five defenders. Roarers said “yes please” and gave him top rating of 8.7, followed by Rob Valetini 8.1 and Faessler and his three tries with 7.9 points.
24 November 2024 – Scotland 27 Australia 13
Back to earth at Murrayfield. Harry Wilson turned over twice, Noah Lolesio turned over twice and missed four tackles, Carlo Tizzano and Bell were both penalised three times. Valetini had his usual high work rate game and took the Roar Ratings with 6.1, two points to Harry Potter 5.86 who scored our sole try, and then Will Skelton 5.85.
30 November 2024 – Ireland 22 Australia 19
So close and yet so near. Andre Kellaway turned the ball over four times and missed three tackles, Suaalii turned over twice and missed three tackles but Roarers still gave them the pass marks. Fraser McReight 8.5 for the three points, four defenders beaten, 21 tackles and four turnovers. Valetini again 7.8 for two and Harry Wilson 7.3. After failing to come home with a Grand Slam but at least beating the old foe, we have Rob Valetini leading the way with nine points, Wright, McReight and Ikitau on three, Potter two and a handful on one.
July Tests
6 July 2025 – Australia 21 Fiji 18
Three tries, all to forwards. The run-on backs missed 15 tackles and were turned over 13 times. Still, Roarers saw the good in Max Jorgensen with 6.4 for the one point. The Reds combo of Wilson 6.8 and McReight 6.7 took out the top two places. The bench came on, made very few errors and closed out the game.
19 July 2025 – Australia 19 Lions 27
The 3-2-1 went to the three try scorers Tate McDermott 7.1, Jorgensen 6.8 and Tizzano 6.4. Two of these players came off the bench to continue the strong finishes.
26 July 2025 – Australia 26 Lions 29
James Slipper 6.2 scored a try and I have no understanding of how he only rated 11th in the Roarers’ voting. Suaalii turned over twice and missed three tackles along with Wilson and Wright, but Wright ran for over 100 metres and scored a try for 7.2 and one point. Skelton brought the grunt factor for 7.8, but Valetini took the chocolates despite missing two of his four tackles and going off at halftime.
2 August 2025 – Australia 22 Lions 12
After averaging over 20 missed tackles a game so far, the Wallabies kept it down to ten for this game. Tries to McDermott, Pietsch and Jorgensen. Jorgensen also ran 94 metres, beating four defenders and earning 8.1 for one point. Tom Hooper 8.2 with 18 carries. Skelton, with half the runs and half the tackles of Hooper and being penalised four times, was too good around the park, though and rated 8.6 for the three. Hopefully, in another 12 years, they will come back for a whipping. Meanwhile, Valetini has opened his lead with 12 points, McReight and Skelton five, Jorgensen, Wilson and Wright four, Ikitau and McDermott on three.
The Rugby Championship
16 August 2025 – South Africa 23 Australia 38
The comeback at Ellis Park. Australia had been finishing well all year, but none of us expected this. Back to 20-plus missed tackles led by Dylan Pietsch, Nic White and Suaalii – must have been that first 20 minutes. Wright 8.0 ran 107 metres, beat five defenders and scored a try, pipped for three points by Jorgensen 8.8 (98 metres and a try along with ten tackles). Ably assisted by Wilson 8.4 (68 metres and two tries). McReight 8.6 with 21 tackles, two turnovers and two points.
Tom Wright in full flight during the Wallabies’ win over the Springboks at Ellis Park. Photo: Julius Dimataga, Rugby Australia
23 August 2025 – South Africa 30 Australia 22
Ikitau missed three tackles and turned over twice. Tom Hooper 7.4, Jorgensen 7.5 with a try, Corey Toole 7.9 with 48 metres run and seven defenders beaten as well as a try, gets the three.
6 September 2025 – Australia 28 Argentina 24
Top of the pops last week, Toole missed three tackles. Tom Lynagh turned over three times. Hooper said, “hold this,” missed three tackles and turned over twice. Suaalii 7.6, beat four defenders, scored two tries and got a point. Ikitau 7.7 two points. Wilson 7.8, 11 tackles and eight carries for three points.
13 September 2025 – Australia 26 Argentina 28
The starters missed 24 tackles, were turned over 14 times and penalised 13 times. Suaalii 6.9, at the top of those stats, also got two tries for a point. Jorgensen got the Wallabies’ first yellow card of the season. Then the bench came on; if not for the one penalty they gave away we would have won. James O’Connor 6.99 and Filipo Daugunu, with two tries, got three points as well as securing those two bonus points with pinpoint passes. Can’t work out how Slipper didn’t get ten from everyone for that mark!
27 September 2025 – New Zealand 33 Australia 24
No win at Eden Park, Bledisloe gone again. Potter got the second yellow card of the season. Billy Pollard 6.9, 19 tackles and a try, one point. Ikitau 7.1, 12 carries, 14 tackles. Hooper 7.4, in everything, three points.
4 October 2025 – Australia 14 New Zealand 28
Hooper and Ikitau were both given yellow cards. After nine games without a card, the Wallabies have now received four in three games. Ikitau 6.2, along with his card came up with our only try and a point. Daugunu 6.6, 14 carries for 87 metres for two points. McReight 6.7, made three turnovers but missed three of his 12 tackles, still got three.
And so…
Sixth place: Tom Hooper – six points
Fourth place: Len Ikitau and Harry Wilson – eight points
Third place: Max Jorgensen – nine points
Second place: Fraser McReight – ten points
And showing that it’s better to have a good start than rely on a great finish, the six-point lead after last year’s November Tests was enough for first place Rob Valetini – 12 points.
إرسال تعليق