Cyril Burke Medal winner Khace Petera celebrates his prestigious accolade with Nelson Bay Gropers committee member Wayne Bron, strapper Hugh Thompson, prop forward and committee member Nathan McLeay, vice president Brad McLeay and team manager Greg Spake at last Saturday’s annual Hunter Suburban Rugby Awards Night at.Newcastle’s Customs House.
NELSON Bay Gropers excitement machine Khace Petera is this year’s recipient of Hunter Suburban Rugby’s Cyril Burke Medal.
The classy young fly half capped a stellar 2025 season when judged the best and fairest player in the President’s Cup first grade competition by the Hunter Rugby Union referees.
Petera turned in consistent performances for the Gropers with his organisational skills and attacking flair a feature of the club’s Grand Final charge.
The Cyril Burke Medal is voted on by the referees and awarded to the player within the Suburban competition who performed the best, demonstrated good sportsmanship and who made the most impact during the season.
It is named after legendary Newcastle Waratahs scrum half Cyril Burke, who made 26 appearances for the Wallabies between 1946 and 1956 and was capped 36 times by the NSW Waratahs.
Cyril had a long association with the Newcastle Waratahs as a player and coach and was inducted into the Australian Rugby Union’s Hall of Fame in 2015.
Petera received the award from Burke’s son at the annual Hunter Suburban Rugby Awards Night staged last Saturday at Newcastle’s Customs House.
A skilful playmaker with a sharp turn of speed, he finished the season with 14 votes, followed by Singleton Red Bulls winger Campbell Harris and Scone Brumbies number eight Viliami Li – both on 11 points.
Nelson Bay team manager Greg Spake told News Of The Area that the talented Kiwi had made a “huge impression” on the local referees panel.
“I spoke to the head representative of the Referees Association on the night and he noted that Khace had won the award not only due to his skills and ability but the respect that he showed to the referees and players throughout the season,” revealed Spake.
Petera is the third Nelson Bay player to receive the Cyril Burke Medal – emulating the feat of previous winners in club stalwart Grant Stewart and fullback Willy Dunn (2023).
“This is a great honour for Khace who has proved a valuable acquisition to the Nelson Bay club since moving across the Tasman,” quipped Greg.
The mercurial five eighth hails from the small country town of Foxton on the North Island of New Zealand.
He represented Foxton Rugby Club – the oldest established organisation in the Horowhenua-Kapiti Union (1880) – before crossing the ditch in 2024 to join great mate Isaac Laracy and cousin Zion Takarua at the Gropers.
Nelson Bay Rugby Club will hold its Annual General Meeting this Sunday at the Groperdome clubhouse at 98 Shoal Bay Road, Nelson Bay from 3.30pm, with all players and supporters welcome.
By Chris KARAS