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Smith the Brumbies' best - again

Smith the Brumbies' best - again

07/03/2010 01:23:45 AM

Openside flanker George Smith has capped his Brumbies career by claiming his ninth Brett Robinson Players' Player Award.

The 29-year-old, who will join French club Toulon this month, finished the season with 174 votes, ahead of winger Pat McCabe (151), flyhalf/inside centre Matt Giteau (130), prop Ben Alexander (127) and captain Stephen Hoiles (119).

The achievement of receiving his eighth consecutive Players' Player gong was made all the more remarkable given he was sidelined for five matches during the season with nerve damage to his shoulder.

Prior to suffering the injury against the Blues in Week 6, Smith led the tally on 136 points before returning from his lay-off to poll another 38 in the Brumbies' final matches against the Highlanders and Crusaders.

Smith, who was farewelled alongside fellow club stalwart Stirling Mortlock, completed his Brumbies career with 128 Super Rugby caps, eight shy of the competition-record 136 caps held by former Brumbies team-mate and scrumhalf George Gregan.

Coach Andy Friend said Smith's two awards were an appropriate send-off for the legend of Australian rugby.

"I guess the silver lining of George moving on is that it will finally give someone else a chance to win this [Brett Robinson] award," Friend joked.

"George is a once-in-a-generation player. His ability to come up with the big play time and time again is uncanny and he's been a key to the side's success over the past decade."

Meanwhile Matt Hodgson became the first player to receive the Western Force's player of the year award twice.

The versatile Hodgson was the only Force player to start every game and not be substituted in 2010. He also secured his 50th Super Rugby appearance and maiden Wallabies cap this year.

Hodgson accumulated 236 votes as skipper Nathan Sharpe challenged all the way to finish just six behind.

"This was definitely the hardest Super 14 campaign I've ever been involved in, particularly those first seven or so games with so many quality players out of action," Hodgson said.

"While injury did hurt the team it enabled us to blood a lot of young players so when we had our full compliment on deck we were able to show what we could do in the latter part of the season. We're moving forward and with the expanded comp we'll need a bigger group to perform and the introduction of so many players this season is only going to help us."

"The biggest highlight for me though was the way the team got through those troublesome times and came out the other side together. A lot of teams would have gone into their shell and lost morale and energy for the whole year but we kept showing up each week and I don't think there were many games that we weren't in the contest for long periods of time."

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images

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