Gidley was named Newcastle's player of the year in 20 and voted players' player in 20. "Kurt's been such a standout this year, the way he's played and captained the side and handled everything through the State of Origin period, so the Excalibur Club has recognised that," club spokesman Grant Secomb said. He came off the bench in Australia's 12-8 victory over New Zealand in the Anzac Test on May 7, taking his total of Test caps to eight. Gidley played all three State of Origin games for NSW - the first two as captain - to take his overall tally to 10, including five as skipper.
For the fourth straight season and fifth overall, the 28-year-old utility back was Newcastle's leading points scorer with 134 from four tries and 59 goals.
Gidley missed the last-round game against Melbourne on September 5 due to cartilage damage in his knee, which required surgery but will not keep him out of Australia's Four Nations campaign starting next month. After missing the first five games due to a knee injury suffered in the pre-season All Stars game, and another two as mandatory stand-downs during the State of Origin series, Kurt Gidley played 16 of a possible 17 games for the Knights this year. Past winners under those guidelines have been Matt Hilder (2009), Zeb Taia (2008), Cory Paterson (2007), Matt Gidley (2006), Craig Smith (2005) and Danny Buderus (2004). Until 2004, the Excalibur Club handed out the players' player of the year award at their presentation lunch each year, but the criteria changed so it became an achievement award that designated club members voted for on a 3-2-1 points allocation each game. Gidley's older brother Matt won the same award in 2006, his final season at the Knights before joining English Super League powerhouse St Helens. KNIGHTS captain Kurt Gidley was named Excalibur Club Player of the Year at a function at EnergyAustralia Stadium yesterday.
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