Code-hopping Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete has crowned his dream season with the Rugby Union Players' Association newcomer of the year award.
The former Melbourne Storm NRL star established himself as a key figure in the Wallabies backline, bagging a crucial try in Australia's drought-breaking Bledisloe Cup win over the All Blacks and cementing his position on the spring tour of Britain.
Koroibete follows in the footsteps of Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby teammates Reece Hodge, Sefa Naivalu and Sean McMahon, who won the award in 2016, 2015 and 2014 respectively.
The Fiji-born Koroibete is the fourth code-crosser to win the award with Berrick Barnes (2006), Joe Tomane (2012) and Israel Folau (2013) the other players to achieve the feat.
Koroibete pipped Western Force back-rower Isi Naisarani, with Queensland Reds star Lukhan Tui -- who also made his Test debut in 2017 -- third in the voting.
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Another-Fijian import, Naisarani is the first player to win the RUPA Medal for Excellence in his first season of professional rugby -- and is the third back-rower after Wallabies greats David Pocock (2010 and 2015) and George Smith (2007 and 2008) on the honour roll.
Naisarani finished with 87 votes from his peers, ahead of Melbourne's Japanese international Amanaki Mafi (78) and Brumbies prop Allan Alaalatoa (69).
Naisarani's extraordinary maiden Super Rugby campaign came after the 22-year-old only earned his first National Rugby Championship (NRC) opportunity with Brisbane City 18 months ago, after starring for Souths in Queensland Premier Rugby.
Women's sevens star and Rio Olympics gold medallist Charlotte Caslick created history on Wednesday when she collected the People's Choice Australian player of the year award.
Caslick outpolled Wallabies superstar and runner-up Folau, with her sevens teammate and Wallaroos centre Sharni Williams in third place in the first year in which fans considered men's and women's players from both formats of the game.
"It's a landmark day today as we celebrate Charlotte being chosen above all other Australian rugby players as the fans' favourite," RUPA Chairman Bruce Hodgkinson SC said.
