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Kesha, who has had a life-long involvement in the game, won the Women in League Achievement Award ahead of the other finalists Jackie Edwards (Northern Territory Rugby League) and Ange Rossi (Bulldogs).

On hand to see her recognised were Vodafone Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah, football operations manager Don Mann and new Vodafone Warriors captain Simon Mannering.

“This is a fantastic acknowledgement for Petrece and the work she has done not just for the Vodafone Warriors but across the game generally,” said Scurrah.

“She is the driving force behind our highly successful Vodafone Warriors One Community operation which saw us being named the club of the year at the 2009 One Community Awards. That came about primarily through Petrece’s involvement in launching our Warriors against Bullying and Rugby League Reads initiatives in schools.

“The year before Ruben Wiki won the Ken Stephen Medal for his contribution to the community through rugby league and now Petrece has also been recognised individually.

“It reflects the importance we place on embracing the community.”

Kesha’s success tonight is the second major women’s award for the Vodafone Warriors this year. Only a few weeks ago, Danielle Miller, a member of the club’s Bendon Man Cheer Team, was voted the Big League Cheer Girl of the Year.
”We’re thrilled that women like Petrece and Danielle have been recognised for the outstanding contribution they make to the Vodafone Warriors,” said Scurrah.

The Women in League Achievement Award is presented to a woman who has either acted as an outstanding advocate for the advancement and opportunity of women in rugby league or the advancement of rugby league generally.

Brought up in Northland, Kesha wanted to play rugby league as a youngster but, when it became clear her mother wouldn’t allow her to do so, she took up refereeing instead.

Some years after completing a Sports and Fitness Diploma at Northland Polytechnic, she moved to Auckland where she later completed a double degree in Marketing and Sports Management, doing her practicum with the Vodafone Warriors before taking up full-time employment with the club.

Married to Auckland referee Aaron – son of former international referee Neville Kesha – Petrece has refereed in Auckland for more than 10 years and has also been an active administrator with the Auckland Rugby League Referees’ Association, filling a number of roles including terms as vice-president and secretary.

While she was acknowledged with a major award tonight, the Vodafone Warriors were again finalists in the Club of the Year category.