Uni-Norths Owls hooker Chris Mickelson and West Lionesses prop Jane Morrison won the Macdougall Medal and the Louise Ferris Medal respectively at this year’s ACT & SNSW Community Rugby Awards.
Mickelson, 22, won the top prize in the men’s competition following a sensational season for his club, who have advanced to the Grand Final of the BentSpoke John I Dent Cup.
In addition to the Macdougall Medal, Mickelson also led the John I Dent Cup in tries scored with 17, earning himself the John Hunter Memorial Trophy.
Mickelson was recently named in the Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies squad for the upcoming Super Rugby AUS competition and revealed the prize was one of his aims at the start of the season.
“This was one of my goals at the start of the year,” Mickelson said after accepting his medal.
“Just to have a season I was proud of, and as a team [Owls] getting to the finals and making the Grand Final.”
In the BentSpoke Premier 15s, it was Morrison that was endowed with the Louise Ferris Medal.
It’s been a huge turnaround from last season, where the Lionesses finished bottom of the table. Wests have had an incredible 2025 season, losing only one game by forfeit in Round 6 against Canberra Royals.
Morrison finished the regular season second on the leaderboard for top try scorers with 18, etched out by one try by Gungahlin Eagles’ Siutiti Ma’ake.
The prop was delighted to see her name etched into ACT rugby history by winning the medal.
“It’s been one of my best seasons, so to get this [Louise Ferris Medal] is just the cherry on top,” Morrison stated after receiving the medal.
Top point scorer in the John I Dent Cup, Cullin Cooper-Jones, won the Gus Vallance Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row, finishing the regular season with 162 points. Jay Huriwai of Wests Lions won the Premier 15s highest points scorer with 166 points recorded.
Taking home the Michael Hickey Memorial Trophy for Coach of the Year was Lachie Creighton of the Uni-Norths Owls, who is now preparing his side for the Grand Final clash against the Tuggeranong Vikings on Saturday.
Full list of award winners can be found below.
2025 ACT & SNSW Community Rugby Award Winners
- The Anderson Trophy: for Sportsmanship: Ainsley Scrivener (Canberra Royals)
- The HS Quinn Trophy for Services to Rugby: Anthony 'Box' Hayes (Hall Bushrangers)
- The Community Coach of the Year: Shelley Bradshaw (Uni-Norths Owls)
- The Michael Hickey Memorial Trophy: Coach of the Year Award Lachlan Creighton (Uni-Norths Owls)
- The ACT & SNSW RU Volunteer of the Year – Winner: Mark Young (Canberra Royals)
- The ACT & SNSW RU Volunteer of the Year – Finalist: Ivan Gavazov (ACTRRA)
- The ACT & SNSW RU Volunteer of the Year – Finalist: Graeme Rowland (Uni-Norths Owls)
- John Hunter Memorial Trophy - Highest Try Scorer: Christopher Mickelson (Uni-Norths Owls)
- Gus Vallance Memorial Trophy - Highest Point Scorer: Cullin Cooper-Jones (Queanbeyan Whites)
- Bill Priest Trophy - Monaro Rep Player of the Year: David Cox (Bungendore Mudchooks)
- Second Division Best and Fairest Player of the Year: Taj Winkler (ADFA Rugby Club)
- First Division Best and Fairest Player of the Year: Josh Barber (Canberra Royals)
- The Peter Lawler Trophy: Referee of the Year: Brodie Ingram
- Tommy Byrne Memorial Trophy: Best & Fairest Player ACTRU: Clay Uyen (Gungahlin Eagles)
- Premier Women's Highest Try Scorer: Siutiti Maake (Gungahlin Eagles)
- Premier Women's Highest Point Scorer: Jasmin Huriwai (Western District Lions)
- Women's Monaro Rep Player of the Year: Vianne Bolwell (ADFA Rugby Club)
- Kestrels Rep Player of the Year: Lily Bone (Western District Lions)
