New South Wales Blues second-rower Angus Crichton has won the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the 2024 State of Origin series.
The award caps a remarkable return for Crichton, who at one point last year appeared as if he wouldn't be a rugby league player heading into this season.
His return to form with the Sydney Roosters in the first half of this year though saw him return to the Origin set up for Game 1, and it was a place he held right throughout the series.
The second-rower was in excellent touch throughout for the Blues, being one of the most consistent. Playing with 12 in Game 1, he fought alongside his teamates to keep the game respectable, before putting in mammoth efforts in both Game 2 and 3 as the Blues took out firstly an enormous win, and then a tight victory on enemy soil in the decider.
Crichton, who played 65 minutes of the decider, made 142 metres from 16 carries, to go with two tackle busts, a line break assist and a staggering 6 offloads.
He played all 80 minues in Game 1 and 2, making 168 and then 174 metres, with offloads and tackle breaks on the stats sheet in both games.
The likes of Mitchell Moses, Stephen Crichton and Zac Lomax may have been the other players in contention for the Blues after their series win.
