The Dawson Valley Drovers’ outside centre had an outstanding tour with consistently high-quality performances in both attack and defence during the seven match tour.

Kirk was the tour’s top try scorer with 11 tries and never failed to make the most of every attacking opportunity that came his way. Possessing blistering pace, he regularly turned half-chances into tries for himself or surrounding players and was equally solid in defence. His quick actions against the Las Vegas Black Jacks to seize up a loose ball in defence and then step through to score beneath the posts was an act of immense poise under pressure and delivered the crucial match winning try.

Stephen O’Leary from Toowoomba Rangers was named the Best Back of the Tour for his never-tiring work at five-eigth, a position he has not played since year 10 at Downlands College. The Rangers’ wing/fullback proved his versatility on the tour with a quality ball distribution and running game. His goal kicking was also a feature of the tour, landing all but one of 10 and 13 conversion attempts against the Razorbacks and Armada/Aztecs respectively.

Barnstorming loose forward Todd Lynch from the Frenchville Pioneers club at Rockhampton came out of a three year rugby retirement to tour with the Outback Barbarians and showed he has lost none of the class and physicality he was renowned for as a Queensland Country Number Eight. The hard-running forward was named Best Forward of the Tour, in recognition of both his physical presence around the field for the Barbarians and his on-field leadership as well. He vocally rallied and guided the troops around all corners of the paddock.

Rockhampton’s Jono Bradbury won the award for Best Hit of the Tour for a spectacular horizontal annihilation of a Calgary Canucks player at the second half kick off. Goondiwindi Emu’s winger Matt Tully, who played halfback for the Barbarians, was recognised with the award for Best Try for his display of individual brilliance against the Las Vegas Black Jacks. It was one of seven tries scored by the halfback. Rockhampton Brothers flanker Wayne Wilson was named Entertainer of the Tour for his consistent ability to keep team mates laughing off the field and for the entertaining brand of running rugby he played on the field.

Other standouts included Rockhampton’s Murray Brooks who rarely failed to penetrate deep into opposition territory in attack and finished with nine tries from seven matches. Emerald’s Zak Costar may have played his last game of rugby after injuring a knee in the final match but if that is the case he can be content he went out on a high, after capping a solid tour with an excellent performance at San Diego in which he found holes in the opposition backline every time he held the ball.

The Barbarians also benefited from the experience and impact of Townsville loose forward and former Australian Army representative Cory Camps who knows only one gear on the field, whether it is running the ball, cleaning out at the ruck or aiming up in defence – flat out.

You would have to go a long way to find a better starting front row than Rockhampton’s Andrew Walker, Goondiwindi’s Trent Raymond and Capella’s Eddie Shaw, and it was in their hidden work at the coal face that every Barbarian victory on the tour was founded.

Every player is worthy of accolades for their hard work and dedication to the cause on the field and their contribution to a magnificent tour and exemplary team-camaraderie off the field.

Geoff Barton and Trent Raymond both played major roles in organising the three-week tour and ensured that almost 30 players from throughout Queensland were given the opportunity to participate in an international tour and a unique life experience that without their work would never have happened.

Generous sponsorship support from organizations such as Rumevite, Rockhampton’s Gorman’s Removals, Black Toyota, Teys Brothers, Central Queensland University and Kooga were also vital to the tour’s success.