Felix Cobb-Johnson couldn't have asked for, or achieved, much more in his first year of first grade.
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The Narrabri flyer won a premiership, scored a try in the grand final, represented the zone, won the Jim Meppem Memorial Trophy for the Blue Boars' representative player of the year and was adjudged the best and fairest under-21s player in the competition.
"That was really good, I didn't expect it," the 20-year-old said of winning the Richard Cameron Memorial award.
"I didn't even hear my name get called out until my team told me, so no it was amazing."
He was one of the most exciting players to watch in 2022, as he illustrated in the try he scored for the Blue Boars in the grand final. He had barely centimetres to work in but was able to get on the outside of the Red Devils defence and stay inside the sideline.
"I was just watching, seeing what happened, Jydon (Hill) drew the man really well, and gave me that little bit of space and I took it," Cobb-Johnson reflected.
This season was his second of senior footy, after moving back to the area in 2021 after graduating from Farrer, where he did play a bit of 1st XIII league.
Recovering from surgery to repair the ligaments in his shoulder, he was only right to go half-way through last season and played mostly second grade.
But determined to break into first grade he put in "a lot of work" over the off season. As well as his fitness, he also worked on his game sense; thinking about what he had to do and where he had to be.
"I wanted to play first grade, that's what I was striving for, and I got there in the end and got the win," he said.
It did mean shifting from his preferred position, with Hill well-established at fullback, but it was a sacrifice Cobb-Johnson was happy to make.
"I'd love to play fullback, but if I've got to play on the wing to play first grade I'll play the wing," he said.
"I just wanted to play the better quality footy."
He thrived in the first grade environment, as he did with the Kookaburras at the Country Championships.
"That was good fun, I loved it," he said.
"It was really good to play with the older boys, you just play better footy when you play up with a lot of older people."
In the Blue Boars other awards, No.8 Linton Grumley capped off his own breakout season by picking up the Perry Gilmour Shield as the first grade best and fairest and George Sevil trophy for the best forward. He also shared the Brad Hannaford Memorial Club best and fairest with women's best and fairest Toni Gale.
It's the second straight year the Blue Boars co-captain has won the Helen Cameron trophy.
She was also the highest pointscorer across the club.
Player of the grand final Will McDonnell was adjudged the best back for first grade, second rower Daniel Kahl the most improved, and Shone McFarland the women's most improved.
AWARD WINNERS
First grade: Nolan Family Trophy for Most Improved - Daniel Kahl, George Sevil Trophy for Best Back - Will McDonnell, George Sevil Trophy for Best Forward - Linton Grumley, Perry Gilmour Shield for Best & Fairest - Linton Grumley
Women's: Amanda Fowler Trophy for Most Improved - Shona McFarland, Helen Cameron Trophy for Best & Fairest - Toni Gale
Second grade: Bruce Etheridge Trophy for Most Improved - Jake Sevil, Oz Gett Memorial Trophy for Best & Fairest - Toby Keys
Club awards: Brad Hannaford Memorial Club Best & Fairest - Linton Grumley & Toni Gale, Richard Cameron Memorial Trophy for Best U/21 Player - Tom Nolan, Ian Hillam Memorial Trophy for Highest Point Scorer - Toni Gale, Jim Meppem Memorial Trophy for Representative Player of the Year - Felix Johnson, Prendergast Presidential Award - Nick Anderson, Bob Southwell Memorial Trophy for Most Dedicated Trainer - Toby Keys
