AFB, Verran claim Player of the Year honours at Porter Gallen Medal

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Thu 2 Oct 2025, 10:20 PM

Addin Fonua-Blake has claimed the Porter Gallen Medal to cap off a brilliant first season at the Sharks, with Emma Verran crowned the NRLW Player of the Year at Thursday's club presentation night.

The duo accepted their awards at Doltone House Sylvania as more than 400 players, officials, sponsors and VIP guests celebrated another outstanding year.

Other winners included Blayke Brailey (Tommy Bishop Players' Player and NRL Members' Player of the Year), Manilita Takapautolo (NRLW Players' Player), Sam Stonestreet (Steve Rogers Rookie of the Year) and Steph Faulkner (NRLW Rookie of the Year). Verran also collected the NRLW Members' Player of the Year gong.

Arriving at Cronulla from the Warriors to much fanfare, Fonua-Blake more than lived up to the hype by spearheading the NRL team's charge deep into the finals.

The 29-year-old featured in all 27 games and enhanced his reputation as one of the competition's premier front-rowers, topping the league for post-contact metres (1931) and overall metres for his position (4345 – 160m per game).

The Tongan international stormed across the line for six tries – including one on club debut against the Panthers in Las Vegas – and made 74 tackle breaks.

While Brailey was denied a record-breaking third consecutive Porter Gallen Medal as the Sharks Pontifex Jewellers Player of the Year, the No.9's tremendous season was recognised by his peers and the Members with two major prizes.

The hooker extended his streak to 130 consecutive matches, contributing three tries, 14 try assists and 11 line-break assists. Rising to a new level when handed the captaincy late in the year after an injury to Cameron McInnes, Brailey finished with 1220 tackles and 3614 ball receipts – more than any other player.

It's been a big two days for Brailey and Fonua-Blake, who were respectively named NRL Hooker of the Year and NRL Prop of the Year at the Dally M Awards.

Meanwhile, Verran was unstoppable for the NRLW side, playing both fullback and five-eighth with aplomb as she produced a career-best nine tries in 12 games.

The NSW and Jillaroos representative set the tone early in the year with a stunning four-try haul during a record 56-6 victory over the Raiders in Round 2.

She also picked up a double against the Warriors in Round 8, compiled eight try assists across the campaign, made 13 line breaks and averaged 136 metres.

In just her second NRLW season, powerful prop Manilita Takapautolo claimed the Players' Player award after featuring in all 13 matches. The 19-year-old averaged 89 metres and 24 tackles, earning a starting spot for the finals series.

Flying winger Stonestreet (eight tries in 11 NRL games) and hard-working young forward Faulkner (average of 61 metres and 19 tackles through 11 NRLW games) were deserved Rookie of the Year recipients for their respective teams.

Elsewhere, captain Sam McCulloch (Gavin Miller Player of the Year) and barnstorming front-rower Felix Faatili (Greg Pierce Players' Player) took out the Jersey Flegg awards after standout efforts at the under-21 level.

Adding to her trophy cabinet after being named the overall Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership Player of the Year earlier this month, title-winning captain Monique Donovan was announced as the Sharks HNWP Player of the Year.

Koffi Brookfield received the HNWP Players' Player – continuing her amazing run after accepting the Sharks Female Pathways Player of the Year award in May.