LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Xavier Coates, the young and talented winger for the Melbourne Storm, has been awarded his first Cameron Smith Player of the Year Award at the club's presentation night.
Coates had an outstanding 2023 season, which led to this well-deserved recognition.
He finished the count with an impressive 19 votes, narrowly beating out Josh King and rookie Will Warbrick, who both received 18 votes.
Throughout the season, Coates played in a career-best 21 games, bringing his total to 70 games in the purple jersey.
His performances on the field were exceptional, scoring 16 tries, making 11 linebreaks, and breaking 59 tackles.
One of his standout games was in Round 26, where he scored a hat trick and gained an impressive 206 meters in a win against the Gold Coast Titans, securing the club's top-four finish.
Unfortunately, Coates suffered an ankle injury in Round 27, which forced him to miss the finals series.
Despite this setback, his contributions to the team were undeniable, and he was rightfully recognized with this prestigious award.
In addition to Coates' success, Will Warbrick had a breakthrough season and was celebrated for his achievements.
He was awarded the Billy Slater Rookie of the Year Award and the Best Back of the Year.
Warbrick made 25 appearances in his first season for the Storm and scored 7 tries, including a match-winning try in the dying minutes of the club's thrilling two-point win over the Sydney Roosters in the Semi Finals.
Other notable awards went to Josh King, who was dubbed the Best Forward of the Year, and Bronson Garlick, who was recognized as the Most Improved Player for the year after playing a career-high 22 games.
Overall, it was a successful night for the Melbourne Storm, as they celebrated the achievements of their players and looked forward to the future.