Declan Meredith eyes ACT Brumbies Super Rugby spot after MacDougall Medal win

Meredith claimed the MacDougall Medal as the John I Dent Cup's player of the year in resounding fashion at the ACT and Southern NSW Rugby awards on Monday night.

The 24-year-old quickly emerged as the favourite to claim the award during a stellar start to the season with Wests - and nobody would be able to rein him in.

Meredith can play flyhalf and fullback but faces an uphill battle to earn a starting spot at Super Rugby level given the Brumbies have Test-capped players in each of those positions.

But Cecere is adamant Meredith can be the perfect deputy for fullback Tom Wright while adding crucial depth at flyhalf behind Noah Lolesio and Jack Debreczini.

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Now Meredith has another chance to prove it as a Brumbies squad assembles at club headquarters for a training block ahead of a two-game tour of Japan next month.

The Brumbies will face Suntory Sungoliath at the Sapporo Dome on October 7 before closing out the trip with a clash against Black Rams Tokyo on October 14.

"I think he's probably still naturally a better fullback, but the fact he can do both is really good. As he matures physically and as a player, it may just well be 10," Wests coach Marco Cecere said.

"Depending on the configuration of the Brumbies and the people he's got in front of him, he might just get a chance there. I still think he's a better fullback, but I don't think there's a lot in it. At our level, in club rugby, we get more out of him at 10 purely because he has more touches of the ball.

"I imagine 'Bernie' [Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham] is probably still looking at him predominantly as a fullback, but speaking to him, I think he now sees him as a genuine third-choice No.10 at the Brumbies.

"He's played more fullback in the last couple of years. He was really vocal about playing 10, he was happy to do it. It adds good versatility for him."

Meredith made two appearances in his rookie season for the Brumbies and has already signed a two-year deal to keep him in Canberra until the end of the 2025 Super Rugby season.

"For our sake [at Wests], we love having him, but hopefully he gets more games there next year. I think he should," Cecere said.

"I don't think they'll have a huge amount of changeover but hopefully he's got that confidence now, after having a good season with us, and hopefully he gets good game time in Japan.

"When he came down four years ago, he was a pretty shy, skinny kid and pretty homesick. He's certainly come a long way in four years, like most people would in that professional environment. He could easily jump a couple of guys there."

Wests swept ACT rugby's premier individual awards with Fijiana Drua tighthead prop Mereoni Namositava claiming the Louise Ferris Medal as the Premier XVs player of the year.

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