TRELAWNY’S ARMY MEMBERS ELECT THEIR PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
WINNER OF THE BILL OSBORNE MEMORIAL SHIELD
With Cornwall once again reaching a Twickenham final in the Bill Beaumont Cup it was inevitable that there would again be no shortage of candidates in the running for the Cornwall Senior Player of the Year award, to succeed last year’s winner Darren Jacques now with Truro.
In the end a very close poll saw REDRUTH scrum-half GREG GOODFELLOW emerge as the player with the most votes, defeating by just one vote former winner of the award, Cornwall skipper and lock Ben Hilton (Cornish All Blacks), with prop forward Jamal Ford-Robinson, formerly with Cambridge but now at the Cornish Pirates finishing third in the poll.
Picture – Simon Bryant Iktis photo – Goodfellow on the break at Twickenham
Goodfellow a former Scotland Under 21 player played for Hawick and the professional Borders Reivers North of the Border player before heading South turning out for Mount’s Bay, Coventry and the Cornish Pirates before signing for Redruth. Following a first spell at the Reds Goodfellow spent some time in France playing for Figeac before returning to Redruth were he has remained since.
Goodfellow blessed with an electric pace constantly put Cornwall on the front-foot throughout the campaign making him a firm favourite with the crowd.
He was instrumental in the build-up to both Cornish tries scored at Twickenham by Truro winger Lewis Vinnicombe and prop Ford-Robinson.
Commentating on his award after Redruth’s win against Canterbury Goodfellow said. “It’s a real privilege and honour but much of my performance comes off the back of the hard work the rest of the team puts in. Naturally I am delighted to have been voted the recipient of the shield for last season and I thank all those members of Trelawny’s Army who voted for me.”
The TONY MEAD MEMORIAL SHIELD for the CORNWALL U.20 PLAYER goes to tight-head prop forward TYLER GENDALL, the young prospect spent last season with the St. Ives club his performances for the Hakes and Cornwall Under 20’s – when Cornwall reached the quarter-finals of the U.20 County Championship – saw him earn a Player Development Fund contract with the Cornish Pirates and described by Cornish Pirates’ forward coach Alan Paver as “A diamond in the rough.”
Photo – Simon Bryant Iktis photo – Tyler Gendall on the charge
Definitely one to watch for the future. He has already made his Championship debut for the Pirates this season coming off the bench in the opening game against Yorkshire Carnegie at the Mennaye, and has been a regular in the match day squad so far this season, continuing to improve with each performance, evidenced again last Sunday when playing for the Cornish Pirates in the British and Irish Cup tie at the Mennaye against Bedford Blues.
Both players will receive their awards on Wednesday evening, at the St. Austell Brewery Visitor Centre, at the conclusion of TASC AGM, with BBC Radio Cornwall’s Dick Straughan being a special guest along with officials and coaching staff from Cornwall R.F.U.
More pictures of the evening are available via the TASC Facebook page.
There will be further comment, reaction and pictures from the evening in due course.
