John Eales Medal

Hooper polled 91 points in the player-led vote, finishing just three points ahead of last year's winner Marika Koroibete, while James Slipper was third with 79 points.

Nic White (61 points) and Reece Hodge (56) rounded out the top five.

In a pandemic-reduced season, the Wallabies played six tests, winning one, drawing three and losing two.

"On behalf of the Australian Rugby community, I would like to congratulate all of our winners throughout the Rugby Australia Awards series," Rugby Australia interim boss Rob Clarke said.

Koroibete paid a heartfelt tribute to Cheika after joining the modern-day greats of Australian rugby as the Wallabies’ 2019 player of the year.

In just his third season in the 15-man code after defecting from the NRL, the electric winger won the battle of the Fijian-born backs to see off Samu Kerevi and claim the Wallabies’ highest individual honour.

Folau has topped the medal count, which is voted on by players on a 3-2-1 basis after each Test from Spring Tour to the final Bledisloe, for the third time in just five seasons in rugby, finishing with 260 votes, ahead of Kurtley Beale (166), Bernard Foley (146), Michael Hooper (142) and Sean McMahon (129)

The fullback, who is set to go on sabbatical after this weekend's Barbarians clash, was one of just four players to have won it twice before this season - alongwith George Smith, Nathan Sharpe and current skipper Michael Hooper.