On the eve of the 2022 NRL playoffs, former player Joel Caine believes the Clive Churchill selection panel should no longer be confined to ex-Australian players.
The medal is awarded to the player judged Man of the Match in the NRL Grand Final, however, the current panel consists solely of Australian ex-players.
Due to the dominance of both New Zealand and Polynesian players in some of the competition’s top teams, Caine has questioned whether it may be time for a panel switch-up.
“Are we at a stage now for the Clive Churchill medal – which has always been judged by the Australian selectors – where we need to have a Polynesian or New Zealand influence in the Clive Churchill decision-making,” Caine postulated on SENZ’s Running It Straight.
Ex-Warriors coach Tony Kemp “totally” endorsed Caine’s suggestion, saying more influence from other nations will give all players in the Grand Final an equal opportunity to receive the medal.
Kemp says a similar situation occurred in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, where New Zealand beat Australia 34-20 but playmaker Darren Lockyer was awarded Man of the Match.
“I remember back in the 2008 World Cup after the first game, they’d given it (player of the match) to Darren Lockyer by half-time but the panel was all ex-Australian players,” Kemp explained.
“At the time, the New Zealand Rugby League said, ‘Well that’s not very fair’.
“You’ve got to have at least one Kiwi in a game that’s between the two countries helping you select that person.
“So yeah, look, (with) the significance of the Polynesian in the competition – in the NRL – of course you need to have an unbiased few (selectors).
“Someone I guess who understands that maybe there is a Polynesian (in the running).
“I know Nathan Cleary is a 40 or 50 Clive Churchill favourite, but what happens to the likes of (Viliame) Kikau if he has an absolute barnstormer?”
Cleary is the most recent recipient of the medal having taken the title in 2021 and is tipped for back-to-back awards should the Penrith Panthers make the 2022 Grand Final.