Luci and Simon take top Magpies awards for 2022

By Peter (Parra) Montgomery.

Simon Parr, First Grade, and Luci Lugsdin, League Tag, gained the top ‘gongs’ at the Magpies Presentation Night held at the Waradgery Club on Saturday Night.

Parr and Lugsdin were crowned Players of the Year in their respective grades, topping off a season where both teams (First Grade and League Tag) consistently provided the strong Magpies ‘fan base’ with good efforts, on and off the paddock.

The veteran Simon Parr had a stellar season after turning out for the Magpies again in 2022 after playing with the strong South City Bulls Club in Group 9 competition, where he has ‘legend status’.

“Simon has always been an immensely dedicated Magpies man; I admire how he plays the game; as hard as possible and as fair as possible.

“He never leaves anything in the tank, he gives it all he’s got, every time,” Magpies stalwart Neil John Nisbet said.

Simon was a member of the Under 16 Magpies team formed in the early 2000s to give a group of talented players a regular game of Rugby League, when the ‘old Group 17’ could not provide a pathway.

This team is credited with saving the Magpies Club from oblivion, as a majority of the players provided the backbone of the Club’s switch to Group 20 in 2007.

Simon came into senior football as a brown haired hard running centre, and has evolved into a tough as teak grey-haired prop forward - a leader who never takes a backward step.

Simon, or “Pod” as he is better known to his team mates - polled 40 votes to finish a clear 11 voters ahead of consistent Orisi Rokibati on 29 votes, with diminutive fullback Toby Whitehead finishing third with 23.

Luci Lugsdin continued her dominance of local League Tag, by being named Player of the Year once again.

It came soon after Luci had been named as Runner-up to Lilly-Belle Misoli (Griffith B & W) in the Group 20 Player of the Year Award.

“Luci has been a club senior since she was 14, and has played for the Magpies a long time. Determined and dedicated, she has this uncanny ability to go at maximum speed while also moving her body to avoid opponents. She never fails to give every bit of herself every game,” Neil John Nisbet said.

Luci has been a driving force for LeagueTag and apart from being a strike weapon with her try scoring ability, she has been able to introduce several new players to the sport by instructing them in the basics of the game as their Captain/Coach.

The Club honoured Ross Hurst for his outstanding contribution to the Club, by naming him as Club Person of the Year.

The No 1 ticket holder for 2023 has been awarded to Russell Curtis.

Pictured below: Luci Lugsdin. Orisi Rokobati, Simon Parr (centre) and presenter Dean Whitehead.