Pelgrave takes top honour at Nick Euclid Medal Awards Night

Queensland Rugby League High Performance Unit referee Nick Pelgrave has taken out the inaugural Nick Euclid Medal for referee of the year at QRL's referee awards night.

QRL state match officials manager Clayton Sharpe said the awards were a great chance to celebrate the achievements of the High Performance Unit match officials group. 

"The Nick Euclid Medal and some of our other awards allow us to recognise those that have gone before us, keeping us connected with our history," Sharpe said.

"Not only do we recognise individual performance, but it is an opportunity to celebrate the dedication, effort and time our match officials and their families give each season."

A hugely popular member of the QRL office, Euclid was a father figure to many of the state's great rugby league referees who had a huge impact in the officiating space across many years.

In 2002 he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia "for service to Rugby League football as a player, coach, administrator and referee, particularly in the development of referee accreditation policy".

The Nick Euclid Medal is a peer-nominated and voted accolade given to the HPU match official who positively contributes on and off the field through their behaviours and actions; it if for someone who is approachable, willing to assist and someone who people want to train and officiate with. 

An emotional Pelgrave was blown away with receiving the award, which was presented to him by Euclid's daughter Tina Gruss.

The newly named Steve Kanowski Touch Judge of the Year - a nod to the retiring touch judge who ran the Cup line 379 times - is for the specialist touch judge who best demonstrates the HPU values of high-performance culture, humility, accountability, transparency, embracing feedback and being their best self, as judged by their peers. Fellow retiree Nick Morel received it, finishing his time on-field on a high.

Rookie of the Year went to Josh Eaton, who made his Cup debut in Round 11 and excelled throughout the year, and young gun Hamish Kleijn took out the Barry Gomersall Memorial Award for rising star of the year. 

The Clubman award - awarded to the person who upholds the values of the group and drives to improve culture while making valuable off field contributions - went to Greer Beck; and there were two recipients of Coach of the Year this year in Dennis Swenson and Lloyd Evans. 

The Dennis Regan Trainers' Award - given to the HPU member who consistently completes their necessary reporting, regularly attends training (more than 80 per cent of the time), and demonstrates effort in all elements of their training (strength, conditioning and skills) - went to Byron Cook. 

Award winners