In addition to picking up some super gear from Canterbury, being presented with a trophy and feted at a glittering sports industry luncheon earlier in the year, the profile of the boxing mentor has sky-rocketed.

“The win went viral,” the Clubbies 2019 Coach of the Year told Inside Sport. “People still stop me in the street and say well done.”

Nominations are now open for the 2020 Sportscover Clubbies Awards and once again the hunt is on for more uplifting stories from the grassroots of Aussie sport. It’s not about how many wins you have under your belt but the passion and dedication you put into the local game. There are eight categories – best club, coach, administrator, stalwart, association master’s performance, facility and use of media – plus total prizes valued at more than $10,000.

For the drought-stricken region 960km outside Brisbane, a Best Club win by the Blackall Magpies Senior Rugby League Club was a huge morale-booster. After taking out the 2019 Clubbies top gong (and a host of league awards), the inspirational outfit went on to back-to-back grand final triumphs for the first time in 60 years.

Club president Phil "Flop" Rooney said you can’t underestimate the value of national recognition for a job well done: “To win the Clubbies like that was really something”.

Inside Sport's Clubbies is Australia's largest community awards program of it's type and is co-presented by the Confederation of Australian Sport (CAS) – dedicated to supporting Australia's 90-plus national sporting organisations – and partnered by Sportscover.

Nominations close on February 14, 2020 and voting opens on February 26 for two weeks. Winners will be notified in March before a presentation luncheon in April.

See full details at www.clubbies.com.au