By Alan Macdonald

The 2025 Peter McDonald Premiership was a great season for the Parkes Spacemen and the committee utilised 2025 to rebuild and retain most of this year’s players, with some exciting new signings for 2026.

To give an example of Parkes club spirit for 2025, Parkes had six reserves on the sideline for Reserve Grade at Nyngan (the longest trip for the year). This showed the commitment that is evolving in the club.

2026 looks to be building into a great season for Parkes.

President Tony Dwyer thanks the players, coaches, committee, sponsors and spectators for a wonderful and entertaining 2025 season.

The next AGM for the club will take place on Monday, 13 October.

Members of the club gathered for the Parkes Spacemen presentation dinner on Friday, 12 September.

The dinner was an enjoyable night with one of the biggest crowds in attendance.

The Coachman Hotel Motel dinning room was decorated in red, white and blue of the Spacemen colours and those attending were dressed semi formal.

2025 Player of the Year was taken home by Tom Phillips who put in a solid season for the Spacemen and looks to be an early signing for 2026

The club has several memorial awards but none more poignant than the 43rd Steve Sullivan Memorial Award presented by Steve’s parents Brenda and John to the well-deserved Taj Lovett.

Taj was also awarded PMP 2025 Try of the Year, with a spectacular chip and chase to score under the posts.

A new award was given this year, the Spacemen Legend and it was awarded to the ever-youthful Epi Sadrodro with 235 games and 77 tries.

The other main awards were:

First Grade:

Best Back - Joseph Dwyer. Best Forward - Ben Thomson. Coaches Award - Eden Lydford. Best & Fairest runner-up - Cody Crisp. Old Boys Award - Tom Phillips. Coachman Hotel/Motel Sponsors Award with two recipients - Mitch Wright (absent) and Jake Hutchings (pictured). Brian Usher Memorial Best Defensive Player - Cody Crisp. FS & KA King Memorial Award – Junior Igila.

Jim Creith Memorial Clubman of the Year – Tim Taylor.

Reserve Grade:

Best Back - Will Taylor. Best Forward - Zac Payseno. Coaches Award - Riley Thomson. Best & Fairest runner-up - Luke Clarke. Best & Fairest - Tyler Yeo. George Wright Shield Managers Award - Cameron Dent. Old Boys Award - Luke Clarke.

Under 18s:

Best Back - Oakley Fliedner. Best Forward - Bryce O’Malley. Coaches Award - Ryan Cox. Best & Fairest Charles Dwyer Memorial Shield - Ethan Moran. Old Boys Award - Taj Lovett.

Jock Colley Memorial Trophy Rookie of the Year - Sonny MacGregor and Grace MacGregor.

League Tag:

Best Back - Ash Ward. Best Forward - Malia Morrison. Coaches Award two recipients - Joan Carolan and Lillian Gosper. Best & Fairest runner-up - Leni Constable. Best & Fairest – Malia Morrison. League Tag Player of the year - Leni Constable. Old Boys Award - Leni Constable.

Pictured above at the first grade awards.

Presentation photos of the Reserve, Under 18s and League Tag grades will appear in a later edition of the Champion Post.