Muswellbrook backrower Daley Boney and Guyra’s Jock Waters were the major award winners.

Yellow team member Boney was named most outstanding player while Maroon squad player Waters was chosen as most improved.

“They were voted on by all the staff at the academy,” head coach Jamie McCormack said.

The academy program draws players from all over Groups 4, 19 and 21.

The coaching staff couldn’t be more happy with the way the teams have performed in their recent games.

Having won eight out of 10 games this year, the biggest thrill for the coaches is not the results but the way in which they were achieved.

“We look at it from a program point of view,” McCormack said. “We’re interested in them showing what we’ve taught them at training and their structure in the game.

“Rugby league is all about structure these days.

The climax to the program was Saturday’s tri-series at Bear Park in Tamworth but the teams had previously performed well in games against the Newcastle Knights and Bulldogs junior sides and against the Western Academy.

While the senior squad will graduate, McCormack hopes to see all of the younger players back again when the 2010-11 program starts in November.

Trials for that squad will be held in October.