Ioane named top Red

Digby Ioane has been named the winner of the 2009 Pilecki Medal as the Queensland Reds players' player of the year, edging out Wallaby team-mate Hugh McMeniman, and skipper Berrick Barnes for the award.

Ioane amassed 253 votes, 22 more than McMeniman, to claim the award despite missing the final two games of the Super 14 season. Barnes was third with 122 votes.

The 23-year-old started the season on the wing but proved a sensation at outside centre when coach Phil Mooney made the switch during the Reds tour of South Africa.

So good was Ioane's form in the new position, he was considered a certain selection for the Wallabies until a shoulder reconstruction forced a premature end to his Super 14 season.

Mooney said it was no surprise that Ioane, who polled votes in all 11 games he played, won both the Pilecki medal and Hardest Trainer award - the same double claimed by former Reds flanker David Croft in 2008

"Like Crofty, Digby's success on the field is a product of the amount of hard work he does off it," Mooney said.

"Digby is a gifted athlete but he also works extremely hard on improving every facet of his game. That's why he's successful and why his best years are still ahead of him."

While McMeniman will head overseas in 2010, Ioane and Barnes are currently finalising their contract negotiations with the Wallabies and Reds.

"We are confident both are on track to re-sign until the next Rugby World Cup," Mooney said.