Imagine how many tries Brent Crisp could've scored this season if he hadn't gone to Darwin for work?
That's the question that amazes his Queanbeyan Kangaroos coach Aaron Gorrell about the new Les McIntyre Medallist, who was named Canberra Raiders Cup best-and-fairest on Wednesday night.
Crisp played just 10 of the 16 home-and-away games because the scaffolder spent time working up north.
In that time the Kangaroos playmaker scored 16 tries and 186 points to lead the competition in both areas despite missing more than a third of the season.
His crowning as the best player in the competition was a feat Gorrell didn't think possible and adds to his 2012 medal, when he was a joint winner with Goulburn's Mick Dodson.
Crisp polled 20 votes, four clear of runner-up Josh Mitchell, from the Tuggeranong Bushrangers, with Blues captain-coach Terry Campese third on 11.
"I think he missed six games so you wouldn't think [he'd win it]," Gorrell said.
"He ended up leading try scorer, he might've even been leading point scorer as well, but I know he at least got the leading try-scorer, which is a fair effort considering he missed a third of the season.
"I'd hate to see what he would've ended up scoring if he was here the whole year."
While Crisp hasn't played since mid-July, he'll return to the Roos line-up for Saturday's major semi-final against cross-town rivals Queanbeyan Blues at Seiffert Oval.
The Bushrangers play the Yass Magpies at Kippax on Sunday in the minor semi.
Gorrell confirmed his star playmaker would also be available for the rest of the finals series as well, including the grand final if they make it.
Both the Roos and Blues were the two best teams all season, although they go into the finals on the back of back-to-back losses.
"He'll be back, he'll be playing this weekend and we'll be close to full strength as we've been for pretty well all the year, which will be good," Gorrell said.
"If we make it [to the grand final], he'll be here. We've just got to make sure we're there I guess."
In other awards, Canberra Raiders young gun Nick Cotric was awarded the Don Elphick Medal as the rookie of the year.
The 18-year-old has played every game in his debut NRL season and has scored 15 tries to sit fifth on the try-scoring list.
Steve and Scott Naughton were named Canberra Raiders Cup coaches of the year after guiding Yass to the finals in just their second season back from a three-year hiatus from the competition.
LES MCINTYRE MEDAL TALLY
20 votes: Brent Crisp (Queanbeyan Kangaroos)
16 votes: Josh Mitchell (Tuggeranong Bushrangers)
11 votes: Terry Campese (Queanbeyan Blues)
10 votes: Cleveland McGhie (Woden Valley Rams); Ben Sione (Belconnen United Sharks)
OTHER MAJOR AWARDS
Rookie of the year (Don Elphick Medal): Nick Cotric
Coach of the year: Steve Naughton and Scott Naughton (Yass Magpies)
Outstanding referee (Noel Bissett Trophy): Oliver Levido
BEST AND FAIRESTS
Ladies League Tag: Alana Franks (West Belconnen Warriors)
Katrina Fanning Shield: Katie Glover (West Belconnen Warriors)
Reserve grade: Chris Rawlinson (Yass Magpies)
Under-18: Lachlan Ingram (Queanbeyan Kangaroos)
George Tooke Shield: Ben Picker (Crookwell Green Devils)
George Tooke Youth: Nicoloas Stephens (Harden Hawks)
George Tooke Ladies League Tag: Emma James (Harden Hawks)
TOP POINTSCORERS
First grade: Brent Crisp (Queanbeyan Kangaroos)
Ladies League Tag: Sally Curry (Goulburn Workers Bulldogs)
Katrina Fanning Shield: Lauren Kelly (Goulburn Stockmen)
Reserve grade: Nicolas Grant (Queanbeyan Kangaroos)
Under 18: Kristian Jansen West (Belconnen Warriors)
George Tooke Shield: Ben Picker (Crookwell Green Devils)
George Tooke Ladies League Tag: Brittany Thomas (Bungendore Tigerettes)
George Tooke Youth: Ryan Daley (Harden Hawks)
TOP TRYSCORERS
First grade: Brent Crisp (Queanbeyan Kangaroos)
Ladies League Tag: Sophie Broadhead (Yass Girl Pies)
Katrina Fanning Shield: Cailah Welch (Queanbeyan Blues)
Reserve grade: Nick Lawrence (Queanbeyan Blues)
Under 18: Kaine Pagura (Queanbeyan Kangaroos)
George Tooke Shield: Kirk Patton (North Canberra Bears)
George Tooke Ladies League Tag: Brittany Thomas (Bungendore Tigerettes)
George Tooke Youth: Wil Stanley, Nic Stephens and Patrick Smith (Harden Hawks)
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
Canberra Raiders Cup: West Belconnen Warriors
George Tooke Shield: Harden Hawks
