Who wants a John Eales Medal once we’ve received our personal voting system that may’t be beat. We’ve all, unashamedly, put our votes in after every recreation, and a few even defined the plain logic behind their unrivalled opinions.
So after fascinated about the John Eales Medal whereas watching Between Two Posts final week, the place the panel appeared to suppose Len Ikitau ought to take it house from Friday’s awards, I believed to myself, “Self, why don’t you collate all of the yr’s DIY Readers Scores and write a wee bit about it to bore these very readers?” And right here, with out additional ado, are the wholly surprising outcomes.
A minor additional ado, firstly, to clarify. I merely have taken the Readers Scores and awarded 3-2-1 for the best three rated gamers, and thrown just a few Rugby Cross stats at you. Finish of ado.
November Checks
9 November 2024 – England 37 Australia 42
A spectacular debut from Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, displaying dominance within the air and offloads, however lacking 4 tackles. Tom Wright ran 86 metres, made 4 line breaks, beat seven defenders and scored a attempt. However the Roarers selected Ikitau 8.9 (11 carries, 4 defenders overwhelmed, 9 tackles and a flick cross to Jorgensen, however penalised twice), Valetini 8.8 (13 runs, ten tackles and two turnovers), and Angus Bell 8.7.
Len Ikitau’s good flick cross towards England. (Picture by Julian Finney/Getty Pictures)
17 November 2024 – Wales 20 Australia 52
Not fairly often we high 50. Samu Kerevi was purple carded and there have been hat-tricks to Wright and Matt Faessler. Wright ran 243 metres, made three line breaks, two offloads and beat 5 defenders. Roarers mentioned “sure please” and gave him high score of 8.7, adopted by Rob Valetini 8.1 and Faessler and his three tries with 7.9 factors.
24 November 2024 – Scotland 27 Australia 13
Again to earth at Murrayfield. Harry Wilson turned over twice, Noah Lolesio turned over twice and missed 4 tackles, Carlo Tizzano and Bell have been each penalised thrice. Valetini had his normal excessive work price recreation and took the Roar Scores with 6.1, two factors to Harry Potter 5.86 who scored our sole attempt, after which Will Skelton 5.85.
30 November 2024 – Eire 22 Australia 19
So shut and but so close to. Andre Kellaway turned the ball over 4 instances and missed three tackles, Suaalii turned over twice and missed three tackles however Roarers nonetheless gave them the cross marks. Fraser McReight 8.5 for the three factors, 4 defenders overwhelmed, 21 tackles and 4 turnovers. Valetini once more 7.8 for 2 and Harry Wilson 7.3. After failing to come back house with a Grand Slam however at the very least beating the outdated foe, we’ve got Rob Valetini main the way in which with 9 factors, Wright, McReight and Ikitau on three, Potter two and a handful on one.
July Checks
6 July 2025 – Australia 21 Fiji 18
Three tries, all to forwards. The run-on backs missed 15 tackles and have been turned over 13 instances. Nonetheless, Roarers noticed the nice in Max Jorgensen with 6.4 for the one level. The Reds combo of Wilson 6.8 and McReight 6.7 took out the highest two locations. The bench got here on, made only a few errors and closed out the sport.
19 July 2025 – Australia 19 Lions 27
The three-2-1 went to the three attempt scorers Tate McDermott 7.1, Jorgensen 6.8 and Tizzano 6.4. Two of those gamers got here off the bench to proceed the robust finishes.
26 July 2025 – Australia 26 Lions 29
James Slipper 6.2 scored a try to I’ve no understanding of how he solely rated eleventh within the Roarers’ voting. Suaalii turned over twice and missed three tackles together with Wilson and Wright, however Wright ran for over 100 metres and scored a attempt for 7.2 and one level. Skelton introduced the grunt issue for 7.8, however Valetini took the sweets regardless of lacking two of his 4 tackles and going off at halftime.
2 August 2025 – Australia 22 Lions 12
After averaging over 20 missed tackles a recreation up to now, the Wallabies stored it down to 10 for this recreation. Tries to McDermott, Pietsch and Jorgensen. Jorgensen additionally ran 94 metres, beating 4 defenders and incomes 8.1 for one level. Tom Hooper 8.2 with 18 carries. Skelton, with half the runs and half the tackles of Hooper and being penalised 4 instances, was too good across the park, although and rated 8.6 for the three. Hopefully, in one other 12 years, they’ll come again for a whipping. In the meantime, Valetini has opened his lead with 12 factors, McReight and Skelton 5, Jorgensen, Wilson and Wright 4, Ikitau and McDermott on three.
The Rugby Championship
16 August 2025 – South Africa 23 Australia 38
The comeback at Ellis Park. Australia had been ending nicely all yr, however none of us anticipated this. Again to 20-plus missed tackles led by Dylan Pietsch, Nic White and Suaalii – will need to have been that first 20 minutes. Wright 8.0 ran 107 metres, beat 5 defenders and scored a attempt, pipped for 3 factors by Jorgensen 8.8 (98 metres and a attempt together with ten tackles). Ably assisted by Wilson 8.4 (68 metres and two tries). McReight 8.6 with 21 tackles, two turnovers and two factors.
Tom Wright in full flight through the Wallabies’ win over the Springboks at Ellis Park. Picture: 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 attempt, Corey Toole 7.9 with 48 metres run and 7 defenders overwhelmed in addition to a attempt, will get the three.
6 September 2025 – Australia 28 Argentina 24
High of the pops final week, Toole missed three tackles. Tom Lynagh turned over thrice. Hooper mentioned, “maintain this,” missed three tackles and turned over twice. Suaalii 7.6, beat 4 defenders, scored two tries and received a degree. Ikitau 7.7 two factors. Wilson 7.8, 11 tackles and eight carries for 3 factors.
13 September 2025 – Australia 26 Argentina 28
The starters missed 24 tackles, have been turned over 14 instances and penalised 13 instances. Suaalii 6.9, on the high of these stats, additionally received two tries for a degree. Jorgensen received the Wallabies’ first yellow card of the season. Then the bench got here on; if not for the one penalty they gave away we’d have received. James O’Connor 6.99 and Filipo Daugunu, with two tries, received three factors in addition to securing these two bonus factors with pinpoint passes. Can’t work out how Slipper didn’t get ten from everybody for that mark!
27 September 2025 – New Zealand 33 Australia 24
No win at Eden Park, Bledisloe gone once more. Potter received the second yellow card of the season. Billy Pollard 6.9, 19 tackles and a attempt, one level. Ikitau 7.1, 12 carries, 14 tackles. Hooper 7.4, in all the things, three factors.
4 October 2025 – Australia 14 New Zealand 28
Hooper and Ikitau have been each given yellow playing cards. After 9 video games and not using a card, the Wallabies have now obtained 4 in three video games. Ikitau 6.2, alongside together with his card got here up with our solely try to a degree. Daugunu 6.6, 14 carries for 87 metres for 2 factors. McReight 6.7, made three turnovers however missed three of his 12 tackles, nonetheless received three.
And so…
Sixth place: Tom Hooper – six factors
Fourth place: Len Ikitau and Harry Wilson – eight factors
Third place: Max Jorgensen – 9 factors
Second place: Fraser McReight – ten factors
And displaying that it’s higher to have a superb begin than depend on a fantastic end, the six-point lead after final yr’s November Checks was sufficient for first place Rob Valetini – 12 factors.
