Wynnum Manly centre Gene Miles the proud winner of the 1987 Rothmans Medal
Wynnum Manly Rugby League centre Gene Miles last night won the sole honor which has eluded his Test “twin” Wally Lewis – the Rothmans Medal. Miles took the medal by a point from Easts hooker Wayne Marshall and Souths second-rower Richo Hill. Lewis finished equal fourth after setting the early pace in the vote count.
Miles, a sales representative with Rothmans, was presented with the medal by his boss, Queensland State Manager, Des Hancock. The dual Kangaroo clinched his medal with a brilliant performance in the 34-18 defeat of Ipswich on August 16, Wynnum’s last competition match.
The 27 year old, who had represented his employers the previous day at the Foley Shield final won by his home city Townsville, gained on point from his part in Queensland’s second State of Origin win in Sydney in July. Up until 1985, representative matches were not counted.
Miles, runner-up to Easts’ Trevor Paterson in 1983, finished his seven year Brisbane career one up on Lewis, who has seldom fared well in the voting by Brisbane referees. The closest Lewis came was in 1981 when he finished second to Souths’ Chris Phelan.
The Australian skipper may have broken his medal drought last night if not for the knee injury which prevented him for playing in Wynnum’s las seven matches before the semi-finals. Lewis polled well in the State of Origin series, taking the maximum three points in the first two Origin matches and one point in the third clash when Queensland regained interstate supremacy. Halfback Allan Langer was judged the second best Brisbane based Origin player in the first tow matches and received the maximum points in the final meeting.
Lewis and Paul McCabe were joint leaders on eight points at the first cut-off in voting on June 2, with Miles, Marshall and Norths’ Darryl Duncan on six points. The Wynnum captain-coach was outright leader on 11 points five rounds later from Diehards’ Mark Hohn (10), Miles and Redcliffe’s Bob Keogh (9) and Hill (8).
The Souths forwards became the medal’s annual bolter when he and Marshall led the count on 13 points with just tow rounds remaining. Lewis was 12, Miles 11 and Hohn and Norths’ Bill Dart on 11.
Special guest John Sattler added to the tension by announcing Easts and Wynnum had been the clubs to have byes in the last two rounds. Sattler announced that Miles had been the only player among the leaders to have polled in the final two weeks and named him winner.
Grand final teams Redcliffe and Brothers did not fare as prominently as expected, with James Sandy (11) and Clinton Mohr (10) top scorers for their clubs.
But neither camp should be disappointed at the vote. Only four medalists have gone on to play in a premiership side in the same year – John Brown (Norths 1969), Alan Currie (Easts 1977), Phelan and Paterson.
Story Source: The Courier Mail, 1987.
Photo Source: Compliments of the Rugby League Week
