Kamu crowned at SAS College Rugby League Awards

August 28, 2018

Mt Albert Grammar School’s Sam Kamu has been named as the best Auckland secondary school rugby league player of 2018.

At an awards ceremony held in Auckland on Tuesday morning, Kamu - who played both as a winger and second-rower throughout the SAS College Rugby League campaign - was announced as the premier award winner, six days after taking the field for his school in a 14-6 Grand Final loss to Kelston Boys’ High School.

The award caps a big year for Kamu, who also won the Auckland U18 championship with his Richmond club side in August, with the 17-year-old set to link up with the Newcastle Knights at the end of the current school year.

“The college competition this year has helped me develop in so many ways, especially that challenge of facing other schools, that’s encouraged me to lift my own game,” Kamu said.

“I’m going overseas next year to the Newcastle Knights, so I’m really happy about this, I’m over the moon.”

In other major awards given out on the day, James Cook High School’s Cheylen Davis was named Girls’ Player of the Year, while Seamus Kelly (Whangaparoa College) and Charlie Salesa-Leumoana (St Paul’s College) picked up the Player of the Year titles for the Senior A and U15 grades respectively.

Veteran match official Warren Clarke was recognised as the Referee of the Year, while Justyne Matangi-Lui became the inaugural recipient of the ARL-New Zealand Institute of Sport Scholarship, which offers a full free year of study at the NZIS, as part of a new partnership with the ARL.

2018 SAS COLLEGE RUGBY LEAGUE AWARD WINNERS

U15 Manager of the Year | Penny Fletcher (Westlake Boys’ High School)

U15 Coach of the Year | Sam Tanielu and Geraint Tagalou (St Paul’s College)

U15 Player of the Year | Charlie Salesa-Leumoana (Southern Cross Campus)

Girls’ Manager of the Year | Ashleigh Heke (Green Bay High School)

Girls’ Coach of Year | Courtney Punga (Papatoetoe High School)

Girls’ Player of the Year | Cheylen Davis (James Cook High School)

Girls’ 9-aside Team of the Year:

1. Tayla Yakas (Green Bay High School)

2. Jhana Magele (Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate)

3. Christine Faiga’a (Aorere College)

4. Chloe Tearikimana (Auckland Girls’ Grammar School)

5. Cheylen Davis (James Cook High School)

6. Mele Finetoli (Papatoetoe High School)

7. Charlie Kamuhemu (Auckland Girls’ Grammar School)

8. Esther Henry (Alfriston College)

9. Oceaniah Leiataua (McAuley High School)

Senior A Top Try-Scorer | Tyler Loomes - 6 tries (Lynfield College)

Senior A Top Goalkicker | John Lotoa’atu - 11 goals (Lynfield College)

Senior A Manager of the Year | Loki Pauli (James Cook High School)

Senior A Coach of the Year | Fifita Hala (St Paul’s College)

Senior A Player of the Year | Seamus Kelly (Whangaparoa College)

NZIS Scholarship winner | Justyne Matangi-Lui

Premier Referee of the Year | Warren Clarke

Premier Top Try-Scorer | Antonio Aufai - 9 tries (St Paul’s College)

Premier Top Goalkicker | Jaelin Murray - 21 goals (St Paul’s College)

Premier Manager of the Year | Daniel Lynch (Mt Albert Grammar School)

Premier Coach of the Year | Jamie Williamson (Westlake Boys’ High School)

Premier Team of the Year:

1. Moala Graham-Taufa (Mt Albert Grammar School)

2. Ben Weatherall (Kelston Boys’ High School)

3. Lani Graham-Taufa (Mt Albert Grammar School)

4. Jonah Palota-Kopa (St Paul’s College)

5. Sam Kamu (Mt Albert Grammar School)

6. William Pompey (Wesley College)

7. Kadiyae Ioka (Kelston Boys’ High School)

8. Tasimani Lotima Aivalu (Kelston Boys’ High School)

9. Vaka Sikahele (Wesley College)

10. Antonio Aufai (St Paul’s College)

11. Nitoa Kairau (Southern Cross Campus)

12. Elijah Ieriko (Mt Albert Grammar School)

13. George Smalley (Otahuhu College)

Premier Player of the Year | Sam Kamu (Mt Albert Grammar School)

ENDS

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