Owls Celebrate a Season to Remember at Presentation Night 2025

September 16, 2025

The Rex Hotel came alive on Saturday, 13th September, as 200 people gathered for Owls Presentation Night 2025. Players, coaches, volunteers, families and supporters dressed to the nines for an evening of reflection, recognition and celebration after an incredible year for the Uni-Norths Owls.

With a two-course dinner and entertainment throughout the night, the event capped off a season filled with silverware, milestones and representative honours.

Club Awards

Club Captain Award – Emerina Marsh & Jordan Thompson
Best First Year Player (Men) – Uli Latukefu
Best First Year Player (Women) – Elodie Galinier
The Morg’s Cup (Apprentice of the Year) – Ben Martens
Axelsen Family Supporter of the Year – Withers/Morgan Family
Most Improved (Male) – Zeb Maddinson
Most Improved (Female) – Molly White
President’s Service to Owls Award – Richard Taplin & John Fely
Deon Norval Club Person of the Year – Janine & Tony Kirk
The Owls’ Owl – Jordan Thompson
The Vikki Fischer Medal (Women’s Best & Fairest) – Ellie Brislane
The Laurie Fisher Medal (Men’s Best & Fairest) – Samuel Toa

Milestones

A host of players were honoured for reaching major club and grade milestones, including:

150 Club Games – Jordan Thompson
100 1st Grade Games – Jordan Thompson
100 Club Games – Georgia Combes
50 1st Grade Games – Ignacio Bonsembiante, Samuel Mickelson, Sophie Tuilagi, Raevyn Dixon, Emerina Marsh
50 Club Games – Olivia Fenwicke, Raevyn Dixon, Wayne Seabrook, Oliver Newham, Emerina Marsh, Alex Robertson, Samuel Mickelson, Christopher Mickelson, Jackson Whiting, Sophie Taplin, Jake Francisco, Holly George, Jacob Maloney, Joshua Friend, Jimmy Plowman, Siave Seti, Riley Sellars

Performance Awards

Highest Try Scorer – Christopher Mickelson
Highest Point Scorer – Samuel Toa
Players of the Finals Series – Jess Grant & Findlay Doyle
Player of the Round (weekly awards) – Arnaud Martins-Cordeiro, Anthony Luchetti, Rachel Cantrill, Jack O’Brien, Matt Kernohan, Hamish Walker, Vaotangi Mafi, Meilani Whittle, Joshua Friend, Kai Freebody, Lachlan Walker, Rhys van Nek, Ellie Brislane, Jess Grant

Grade Awards

5th Grade Green

Player’s Player – Will Harkins
Best & Fairest – Thomas Brooks-Belcher

Women’s 10s

Player’s Player – Katelyn Hill
Best & Fairest – Katelyn Hill

4th Grade

Player’s Player – Jack O’Brien
Best & Fairest – Shane Mass

3rd Grade

Player’s Player – Declan Tancred
Best & Fairest – William Kirk

Colts Blue

Player’s Player – Noah Batty
Best & Fairest – Callum Carniel

Colts Green

Player’s Player – Harvey McLean
Best & Fairest – Harvey McLean

2nd Grade

Player’s Player – Joshua Friend
Best & Fairest – Jasper Simmons

Women’s 15s

Player’s Player – Ellie Brislane
Best & Fairest – Meilani Whittle

1st Grade

Player’s Player – Christopher Mickelson
Best & Fairest – Miller Tauiliili-Pelesasa

Team of the Year

Starting XV

Wayne Seabrook
Christopher Mickelson
Te Huia Kutia
Joshua Friend
Meilani Whittle
Tobias Macpherson
Dylan Challita
Miller Tauiliili-Pelesasa
Katelyn Hill
Harvey McLean
Ryan Middleton
Ellie Brislane
Elodie Galinier
Ziggy Barry
Samuel Toa

Finishers
16. Will Hodge
17. Ainsley O’Malley
18. Sophie Taplin
19. Seb Horn
20. William Kirk
21. Angus Schoffl
22. Kai Freebody
23. Thomas Stoker

Coaches & Volunteers

Ron Hayes Shield for Outstanding Coach/Manager – Lachlan Creighton, Matthew Kay, Michael Burrows, Nigel Mulipola

The night also acknowledged the tireless contributions of coaches, managers, volunteers and families who form the backbone of the Owls community.

Representative Players & ACT/SNSW Rugby Awards

The Owls’ impact stretched far beyond club rugby in 2025, with players donning jerseys across the world stage, Super Rugby, and representative squads.

Wallabies – Allan Alaalatoa, Billy Pollard, Charlie Cale
Wallaroos – Siokapesi Palu, Lydia Kavoa, Tania Naden, Ashley Fernandez, Faitala Moleka
Brumbies (Super Rugby) – Allan Alaalatoa, Billy Pollard, Rhys Van Nek, Cadeyrn Neville, Charlie Cale, Ollie Sapsford, Jack Debreczeni, Tobias Macpherson
Brumbies Super W – Siokapesi Palu, Lydia Kavoa, Tania Naden, Ashley Fernandez, Jess Grant, Faitala Moleka
Fijiana – Iris Verebalavu
Super Rugby AUS – Christopher Mickelson, Tauati Chan-Tung, Harvey Cordukes, Rhys Van Nek, Tobias Macpherson, Ollie Sapsford
Brumbies U19s – Billy Hansen, Will Hodge, Ben Martens, Uli Latukefu, Harvey McLean (Head Coach: Lachlan Creighton)
Brumbies City Men – Samuel Mickelson, Samuel Toa, Zion Going, Dylan Challita, Siave Seti, Liae Tuilagi, Zeb Maddinson, Vaotangi Mafi, Ben Roberton
Brumbies Country Men – Polynesia Crichton
Brumbies City Women – Iris Verebalavu, Claudia Obst, Sophie Taplin, Jess Grant, Maddie Gogala, Elodie Galinier
Brumbies Country Women – Annabelle Mickelson, Joel Garbutt (Head Coach)

ACT & SNSW Rugby Awards were also highlighted:

2025 MacDougall Medal – Christopher Mickelson
Michael Hickey Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year) – Lachlan Creighton
Community Coach of the Year – Shelley Bradshaw
John Hunter Memorial Trophy (Highest Try Scorer) – Christopher Mickelson
Bentspoke Premier W15s Team of the Year – Iris Verebalavu, Meilani Whittle, Elodie Galinier, Jane Garraway
Bentspoke John I Dent Team of the Year – Christopher Mickelson, Samuel Toa, Samuel Mickelson

Cups & Championships:

Bob Hitchcock Shield– Uni-Norths Owls 1st Grade Men
Paddy Mathews Cup– Uni-Norths Owls 1st Grade Men
First Division Club Champions– Uni-Norths Owls 3rd & 4th Grade Men
Bentspoke John I Dent– Uni-Norths Owls 1st Grade Men

A Season to Remember

With silverware secured in multiple grades, representative honours for dozens of players, and club legends reaching major milestones, 2025 will go down as one of the great years in Owls history.

Presentation Night 2025 was the perfect way to bring it all together, celebrating not only the wins, but the culture, camaraderie and spirit that make the Owls family so special.

Congratulations to all winners, nominees and milestone players. Here’s to an even bigger 2026!