Poverty Bay rugby player of the year Sione Ngatu is one of three finalists for the 2009 Heartland Player of the Year award.

The award is presented at the annual Steinlager Rugby Awards function at the Sky City Convention Centre on December 17.

Poverty Bay coach Grainger Heikell said Ngatu was outstanding for the representative side again this year and “well and truly” deserved the nomination.

“He gives you 100 percent consistently and is a player who leads by example with his punishing tackling and explosive runs,” Heikell said.

This will be Ngatu’s second appearance at the Steinlager Rugby Awards. He was nominated for the same honour in 2004.

Last week Ngatu was presented with the Paul Sceats Memorial Trophy for being Poverty Bay player of the year.