One New Zealand Warriors captain Kalani Going has bagged the club’s New South Wales Cup player of the year award after being named the best player in the whole competition two weeks ago.
On the back of the club winning the minor premiership for the first time, the 28-year-old Northlander became the first Warriors player to win the NSW Cup’s supreme accolade.
Backing up by winning the Warriors’ top NSW Cup award on Tuesday night, Going will again lead the Warriors this Saturday when they set out to beat Parramatta to reach the NSW Cup grand final on September 28.
Halfback Tanah Boyd, centre Moala Graham-Taufa and fullback Taine Tuaupiki – who all played at NRL level this year – were the other finalists for the award.
Going, who has made 81 NSW Cup appearances, has been a mainstay since joining the Warriors in 2023.
He has missed only one of the team’s 25 games so far this season, scoring eight tries and averaging 112 metres and making 57 tackle breaks and 667 tackles.
He was also a finalist for the Players’ Player of the Year along with Boyd, winger Edward Kosi and second rower Kayliss Fatialofa. Boyd won the player-voted award despite appearing just 14 times for the team.
The finalists for the NSW Cup Team Man of the Year were fullback Geronimo Doyle, departing props Bunty Afoa and Tom Ale plus Fatialofa with Doyle taking it out.
