Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker has been judged as the season's best player by his teammates, being awarded the Jack Rayner Players' Player award for Season 2023.
Walker, Rabbitohs first grade player number #1115, was presented with his award by Rabbitohs Head of Football Mark Ellison at tonight's (Friday's) Red and Green Ball awards night.
This is the third time in the last four seasons that his teammates have awarded him the honour of being their choice as the season's best player, with Cody having won the award in 2020 and 2021.
Cody played 22 games for South Sydney in Season 2023, scoring nine tries. He laid on 24 try assists, 32 line break assists, forced 11 drop outs, threw 14 offloads and ran for an average of 80 metres per game.
Walker's season was so impressive that he was called into the New South Wales State of Origin team for Game III of this year's series, claiming the man-of-the-match award in that game. He also captained the Indigenous All Stars team at the start of the year whilst dipping his toe into the coaching ranks as an assistant coach with the team. Walker also represented the Australian Prime Minister's XIII at five-eighth post-season.
The Players' Player award is named after legendary Rabbitohs player and coach, Jack Rayner. Rayner won five Premierships with South Sydney in six seasons in the Club's golden era between 1950 and 1955, as both captain and captain/coach. His legacy at the Rabbitohs lives on to this day, remembered as an honest, tough, hardworking forward during the days when some of the most brutal Rugby League was played.
Congratulations to Cody Walker on winning his third Jack Rayner Players’ Player award in 2023.
Jack Rayner Players’ Player winners:
2023 Cody Walker
2022 Campbell Graham
2021 Cody Walker
2020 Cody Walker
2019 Cameron Murray
2018 Sam Burgess
2017 Angus Crichton
2016 Sam Burgess
2015 Greg Inglis
2014 Sam Burgess
2013 Sam Burgess
2012 Greg Inglis
2011 Chris Sandow
2010 Sam Burgess
2009 Luke Stuart
2008 Luke Stuart and Nathan Merritt
2007 Roy Asotasi
2006 Nathan Merritt
2005 Peter Cusack
2004 Ashley Harrison
2003 Luke Stuart
2002 Paul Stringer and Scott Geddes
