Blair named best and fairest as rugby club rebuilds

LENNOX Head forward Hayden Blair has been named first grade Best and Fairest in Far North Coast rugby union, capping a determined effort leading a young side through a club rebuild.

He became the first Trojans player to win the award since fullback Billy Goldsmith in 2016.

Blair, 29, is the only remaining player from the Lennox Head premiership-winning team in 2020 and has been part of a three-year rebuild after most of the team moved on at the end of 2022.

The club only fielded one team the following season in President’s Cup before re-entering first and second grade teams in 2024.

Blair is also the only player at the club to win premierships in under-18s, second grade and first grade.

“The club means so much to me and I just want to do whatever I can to help,” he said.

“Our coaches are working really hard, my focus has shifted away from winning games each to trying to prepare our young players for the future.

“I had no idea I was winning the award; there is a lot of talent in the top teams, especially watching Ballina and Wollongbar in the grand final.

“I was a bit rattled when I got the nod, I’ll go around again next year and hopefully we can keep hold of some of our under-18s who are coming up.”

In other awards, Lismore halfback Chloe Sivewright won multiple honours from the women’s competition.

She was named Best and Fairest and was also the highest point scorer and top try scorer.

Wollongbar-Alstonville Pioneers winger Bodi Smith was the highest point scorer in first grade and joint representative player of the year with Ballina second-rower Harry Bungate.

Pioneers fullback Joe Grindle was best and fairest in second grade.

Mullumbimby fullback Seth Matthews was the under-18s Best and Fairest with Adam Price and John Jacobs named junior players of the year.

Lara De Jong and Willoughby Brown were the joint winners for the women’s representative players of the year.

The referees were also recognised with Graham Cook the senior referee of the year and Harvey McPhee winning the junior award.