The National Rugby League (NRL) and RLPA are pleased to announce Josh Addo-Carr and Corban Baxter as the winners of the 2023 NRL and NRLW Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
The awards have been announced as part of the NRL's Wellbeing & Education Awards, which acknowledge and celebrate the significant amount of dedication, commitment and effort NRL and NRLW players put in to their lives from the field.
The Entrepreneur of the Year award celebrates the commitment, creativity, motivation and passion of current NRL and NRLW players, who have started, established and operate businesses alongside their playing careers.
NRL Club Wellbeing and Education staff were invited to nominate one business (and the player/s who own and operate it) for the award based on criteria of:
- The business has been in operation for a minimum of one year
- The player/s play a significant role in the day to day operations of the business
- Demonstrates behaviours that align with the Wellbeing and Education behavioural objectives: excellence, inclusion, courage and teamwork
- Dedication to professional development and lifelong learning
- Wise and ethical decision makers
"On behalf of the RLPA, I'd like to congratulate Josh and Corban for being honoured as the Entrepreneur's of the year for the NRL and NRLW competitions," Luke Ellis, Chief Operating Officer RLPA said.
"The commitment both Josh and Corban have shown to pursue their off-field interests is fantastic. Despite playing in the world's toughest competitions at the elite level, they have both managed to juggle their high-performance commitments and successful businesses."
Addo-Carr was the winner of the NRL award with Angus Crichton (Roosters) and Reimis Smith (Storm) nominated as finalists while Baxter was the winner from two finalists for the NRLW award alongside Shontelle Stowers (Eels).
NRL Winner – Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs)
- – A highly successful clothing brand that was conceptualised by Josh and has grown from a start-up to turning over more than $1M in less than two years. Whether it is selecting materials, designing apparel, working with manufacturers or delivering a sales pitch, Josh is involved in it all.
NRLW Winner – Corban Baxter (Roosters)
- – Based in the Sutherland Shire, CK Athletic Development was created to provide individuals of all ages the opportunity to develop their athletic abilities through professional training. Founders Corban Baxter and Kiana Takairangi combine their experience together and knowledge as they aim to inspire, guide and support athletes to reach their goals and be better people, both on and off the field.
