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Going out in style
By Barry Rollings
Volume 49, No. 15, August 23, 2007 |
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CHAMPION’S CUP: FLTLT Nick Leseberg from RAAF Base Williamtown shows off the Will Tanner Trophy he won as the NSW Country Rugby Union Player of the Year.
Photo by LACW Sonja Inderwisch |
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Inset: FLTLT Nick Leseberg sharpens up his kicking skills at training.
Photo by LACW Sonja Inderwisch |
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FLTLT NICK Leseberg has achieved every sportsperson’s dream by leaving his chosen pursuit on a high.
An Air Force air traffic control officer at RAAF Base Williamtown, FLTLT Leseberg was named the 2007 NSW Country Rugby Union Player of the Year.
Given that FLTLT Leseberg will travel to San Diego in the United States in October for a three-year exchange, he could not have picked a better year to win.
Being “fairly certain” that this was his last year pulling on the rugby boots, he’s naturally delighted to have the Will Tanner Player of the Year Trophy on his mantelpiece.
“It is a significant recognition and as an Air Force member and an air traffic control officer, 44WG is particularly proud of his achievement,” Air Force colleague and fellow rugby union enthusiast SQNLDR Jim Svede said.
“I am pretty sure the exchange will mean the end of my rugby career, so I picked a good year to win it,” FLTLT Leseberg said.
“The award is undoubtedly the highlight of my career.”
FLTLT Leseberg became the 10th Will Tanner Player of the Year.
Points were awarded by the coach, a selector and an independent judge after each of the NSW Country representative matches this year.
The Cockatoos’ (NSW Country team) No. 8 and captain, FLTLT Leseberg made a slow start in the voting but registered two Man of the Match performances against Melbourne and Queensland Country to come from behind and claim the award from last year’s winner Paul Elliott.
Going into the last match of the season against NSW Suburban, FLTLT Leseberg held a five-point lead over his nearest rival, and this was enough for him to take out the award, even though he was ruled out of that match with injury.
In his second year with the Cockatoos, FLTLT Leseberg had an outstanding season, and his award followed his strong 2006 season, which included the NSW Country development tour to Fiji.
A No. 8 or second-rower, he began playing rugby in the early 1990s at St Patrick’s College, Goulburn, a noted southern NSW rugby nursery.
He played from 1991 to 1999, when he finished his studies at ADFA and then had a three-year hiatus when posted to Sale, where he was not tempted to take up Australian football.
But he did dabble with the “Victorian” code when posted to RAAF Base Tindal in 2002. He had a run as full forward and in the forward pocket in an on-base competition but also resumed playing rugby union there.
“I missed the first trial game because of work but got to play in the Australian Rugby Shield against teams from all over Australia. I played in the Northern Territory, against Adelaide and Melbourne in NSW, and Queensland Country in Mackay,” he said.
“I was pretty much surprised to win because the competition was strong. Votes were allocated on a 3-2-1 basis during the season and my performances against Melbourne and Queensland Country probably got me over the line.
“After the final game, they had a vote count and presentation night. I didn’t think I would get it because I missed the last game, which was a one-off game against a Sydney sub-districts team.
“I hurt my knee at training the day before and the points for that game also counted.”
On the club scene, FLTLT Leseberg plays for Merewether-Carlton in Newcastle when fit.
Sidelined at the time of interview with a broken hand, FLTLT Leseberg hoped to get back into action before the finals.
“With three games to go, we are third on the table and it looks like we might make the finals.”
With that in prospect, FLTLT Leseberg might have a second good reason to celebrate his football finale.
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