Ken Thornett Medal /

Each year, the Parramatta Eels award the prestigious Ken Thornett Medal to the NRL Player of the Year.

The Medal, named after the famous late Eels fullback, has also given the Blue & Gold the name for our annual awards evening, known as the Ken Thornett Medal Awards.

The awards evening recognises players from the Eels' NRL, NRLW, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg sides, as well as the Club Person of the year, representative honours, and debuting and departing players.

Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh holds the record for the most Ken Thornett Medal wins with eight in total.

The current Ken Thornett Medallist is Clint Gutherson, who was named the Eels' Player of the Year for a second time in 2023.

List of Awards:

• Ken Thornett Medal (NRL Player of the Year)
• Nathan Hindmarsh NRL Players' Player Award
• Jack Gibson NRL Coaches' Award
• Eric Grothe NRL Rookie of the Year Award
• Blue & Gold Army NRL Award
• Ray Price NRL Community Award
• NRLW Player of the Year
• NRLW Players' Player Award
• NRLW Coaches' Award
• Blue & Gold Army NRLW Award
• NRLW Community Award
• Bob O'Reilly NSW Cup Player of the Year
• Geoff Gerard NSW Cup Coaches' Award
• Steve Ella Jersey Flegg Player of the Year
• Brett Kenny Jersey Flegg Coaches' Award
• Michael Cronin Club Person of the Year

List of Winners

Ken Thornett Medal (NRL Player of the Year)

• 1998: Jason Smith
• 1999: Michael Vella
• 2000: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2001: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2002: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2003: Daniel Wagon
• 2004: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2005: Nathan Cayless & Timana Tahu
• 2006: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2007: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2008: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2009: Jarryd Hayne
• 2010: Jarryd Hayne
• 2011: Fuifui Moimoi
• 2012: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2013: Darcy Lussick
• 2014: Chris Sandow
• 2015: Tim Mannah
• 2016: Manu Ma'u
• 2017: Nathan Brown
• 2018: Daniel Alvaro
• 2019: Mitchell Moses
• 2020: Clint Gutherson
• 2021: Isaiah Papali'i
• 2022: Shaun Lane
• 2023: Clint Gutherson

Nathan Hindmarsh NRL Players' Player Award

• 2020: Clint Gutherson
• 2021: Isaiah Papali'i & Clint Gutherson
• 2022: Dylan Brown
• 2023: Clint Gutherson

Jack Gibson NRL Coaches' Award

• 1998: Nathan Cayless
• 1999: David Kidwell
• 2000: Brett Hodgson
• 2001: Jamie Lyon
• 2002: Luke Burt
• 2003: John Morris
• 2004: Wade McKinnon
• 2005: Glenn Morrison
• 2006: Nathan Cayless
• 2007: Luke Burt
• 2008: Matthew Keating
• 2009: Joel Reddy
• 2010: Tim Mannah
• 2011: Fuifui Moimoi
• 2012: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2013: Tim Mannah
• 2014: Jarryd Hayne
• 2015: Semi Radradra
• 2016: Isaac De Gois
• 2017: Clinton Gutherson
• 2018: George Jennings & Peni Terepo
• 2019: Clint Gutherson & Shaun Lane
• 2020: Junior Paulo
• 2021: Reagan Campbell-Gillard
• 2022: Mitchell Moses
• 2023: Will Penisini

Eric Grothe NRL Rookie of the Year Award

• 1974: Geoff Gerard
• 1975: Neville Glover
• 1976: Graeme Atkins
• 1977: Michael Pattison
• 1978: Eric Grothe
• 1979: Neil Hunt
• 1980: Brett Kenny
• 1981: Jeff Emery
• 1982: Glenn Mansfield
• 1983: Ron Quinn
• 1984: Brian Jackson
• 1985: Andrew Mack
• 1986: Tony Cosatto
• 1987: Michael Erickson
• 1988: Scott Mahon
• 1989: Peter Johnston
• 1990: David Penna
• 1991: Martin Seal
• 1992: Michael Buettner
• 1993: Chris Cranney
• 1994: Duncan De Celis
• 1995: Matthew Spence
• 1996: Stuart Kelly
• 1997: Karl Lovell
• 1998: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 1999: Luke Burt
• 2000: Andrew Ryan
• 2001: Danny Sullivan
• 2002: Ashley Graham
• 2003: Michael Witt
• 2004: Jack Afamasaga
• 2005: Tim Smith
• 2006: Jarryd Hayne
• 2007: Krisnan Inu
• 2008: Taulima Tautai
• 2009: Daniel Mortimer
• 2010: Justin Horo
• 2011: Mitchell Allgood
• 2012: Ken Sio
• 2013: Kelepi Tanginoa
• 2014: Manu Ma’u
• 2015: Daniel Alvaro
• 2016: Bevan French
• 2019: Maika Sivo
• 2020 Andrew Davey
• 2021: Haze Dunster
• 2022: Ky Rodwell
• 2023: Wiremu Greig

Blue & Gold Army NRL Award

• 2016: Clint Gutherson
• 2017: Nathan Brown
• 2018: Daniel Alvaro
• 2019: Mitchell Moses
• 2020: Clint Gutherson
• 2021: Isaiah Papali'i
• 2022: Dylan Brown
• 2023: Clint Gutherson

Ray Price NRL Community Award

• 2011: Ben Smith
• 2012: Tim Mannah
• 2013: Tim Mannah
• 2014: Ben Smith
• 2015: Tim Mannah
• 2016: Tim Mannah
• 2017: Darren Deitz (Try Time Junior Rugby League)
• 2018: Cameron King
• 2019: Nathan Brown
• 2020: Reed Mahoney
• 2021: Ryan Matterson
• 2022: Dylan Brown
• 2023: Junior Paulo

NRLW Player of the Year

• 2021: Botille Vette-Welsh
• 2022: Kennedy Cherrington & Simaima Taufa
• 2023: Abbi Church

NRLW Players' Player

• 2021: Simaima Taufa
• 2022: Simaima Taufa
• 2023: Cassey Tohi-Hiku

NRLW Coaches' Award

• 2021: Shirley Mailangi
• 2022: Kennedy Cherrington
• 2023: Mahalia Murphy

Blue & Gold Army NRLW Award

• 2022: Tiana Penitani
• 2023: Abbi Church

NRLW Community Award

• 2022: Kennedy Cherrington
• 2023: Shontelle Stowers

Bob O'Reilly NSW Cup Player of the Year

• 1998: Ian Hindmarsh
• 1999: Ian Hindmarsh
• 2000: Peter John Marsh
• 2001: Mitchell Sargent
• 2002: Andrew Meads
• 2003: Kylie Leuluai
• 2004: Joel Reddy
• 2005: Brett Delaney
• 2006: Feleti Mateo
• 2007: Weller Hauraki
• 2008: Joe Galuvao
• 2009: Justin Horo
• 2010: Anthony Mitchell
• 2011: Manase Manuokafoa
• 2012: Jake Mullaney
• 2013: Pat O'Hanlon
• 2014: Daniel Alvaro
• 2015: Sam Gorman
• 2016: Sam Gorman
• 2017: Marata Niukore
• 2018: Ray Stone
• 2019: Andrew Davey
• 2021: Makahesi Makatoa
• 2022: Ky Rodwell
• 2023: Luca Moretti

Geoff Gerard NSW Cup Coaches' Award

• 2002: Adam Wheeler
• 2003: Ronald Prince
• 2004: Jim Curtis
• 2005: Luke O’Dwyer
• 2006: Junior Paulo
• 2007: Kris Keating
• 2008: Broderick Wright
• 2009: Brendan Oake
• 2010: Mitchell Allgood
• 2011: Troy Savage
• 2012: Danny Howard
• 2013: Lorenzo Ma’afu
• 2014: Isaac Maliota
• 2015: Daniel Alvaro
• 2016: Cameron King
• 2017: George Jennings
• 2018: Matthew Woods
• 2019: Greg Leleisiuao
• 2021: Jordan Rankin
• 2022: Elie El-Zakhem
• 2023: Ky Rodwell

Steve Ella Jersey Flegg Player of the Year

• 2002: Nathan McMillan
• 2003: Justin Tsoulos
• 2004: Brendan Oake
• 2005: Michael Basan
• 2006: Kurt Sorenson
• 2007: Tim Mannah
• 2008: Kris Keating
• 2009: Jason Baiteri
• 2010: Rory Brien
• 2011: Peni Terepo
• 2012: Frazer Masinamua
• 2013: Joseph Ualesi
• 2014: Tepai Moeroa
• 2015: Alex Twal
• 2016: Troy Dargan
• 2017: Reed Mahoney
• 2018: Tuimavave Afualo
• 2019: Vea Tapaatoutai
• 2021: Jayden Yates
• 2022: Ryan Jones
• 2023: Nick Lenaz

Brett Kenny Jersey Flegg Coaches' Award

• 2002: Steve Mowbray
• 2003: Brett Delaney
• 2004: Brendan Oake
• 2005: Kurt Sorensen
• 2006: Broderick Wright
• 2007: Broderick Wright
• 2008: Tim Robinson
• 2009: Daniel Galati
• 2010: Patrick O’Hanlon
• 2011: Matthew Eisenhuth
• 2012: Kaysa Prichard
• 2013: William Bugden
• 2014: Ryan Matterson
• 2015: Dylan Izzard
• 2016: Jack Morris
• 2017: Greg Leleisiuao
• 2018: Sione Fonua
• 2019: Bailey Biondi-Odo
• 2021: Jayden Skinner
• 2022: Ethan Sanders
• 2023: Brock Parker

Michael Cronin Club Person of the Year

• 1986: Paul Mares
• 1987: Peter Wynn
• 1988: Steve Sharp
• 1989: Craig Izzard
• 1990: Matt Goodwin
• 1991: Brett Kenny
• 1992: Greg Drake
• 1993: Michael Erickson
• 1994: Chris King
• 1995: Justin Morgan
• 1996: Troy Campbell
• 1997: John Simon
• 1998: Stuart Kelly
• 1999: David Penna
• 2000: Michael Vella
• 2001: Brett Hodgson
• 2002: Andrew Ryan
• 2003: Dean Widders
• 2004: Michael Vella
• 2005: Mark Riddell
• 2006: Chad Robinson
• 2007: Ian Hindmarsh
• 2008: Krisnan Inu
• 2009: Nathan Hindmarsh
• 2010: Dr Stephen McNamara
• 2011: Les Brooker
• 2012: Luke Burt
• 2013: Denis Anderson
• 2014: Jan Bryen
• 2015: Tim Mannah
• 2016: Brad Arthur
• 2017: Rev George Dansey
• 2018: Luke Sammut
• 2019: Craig Sultana
• 2020: Don Musson
• 2021: Peter Cassar
• 2022: Laura Davidson
• 2023: Steve Murphy & Monique Austin