Queensland playmakers Quade Cooper and Will Genia could be in line to repeat their 2010 quinella when the Australian Super Rugby Player of the Year award polling is revealed on Thursday.

Five-eighth Cooper won the 2010 count from halfback Genia and both were again on the mid-season list of 11 front-runners for the 2011 award issued by the Australian Rugby Union back in April.

That list didn't include points tallies but the two creative halves remained consistently prominent performers throughout their team's minor premiership-winning campaign.

Last year's third and fourth placegetters, fellow Wallaby backline stars James O'Connor (Western Force) and Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), could also feature prominently.

Brumbies' captain Matt Giteau and Force skipper Nathan Sharpe were also among the halfway-stage pace-setters and both performed consistently well in struggling teams.

Injuries may have cruelled the prospects of some of the other early frontrunners, including Waratahs' winger Drew Mitchell and team mate Tatafu Polota-Nau and Reds' flanker Beau Robinson.

Two players - former Brumbies flanker George Smith and ex-Reds fullback Chris Latham - have dominated the 13-year history of the award, each winning it four times.

Smith won it four straight seasons from 2006-09 and Latham in 2000 and from 2003-05, though he shared the award with Joe Roff in 2003.

Reds' mentor Ewen McKenzie is in line to become the first four-time winner of the coach of the year award after steering Queensland to first place on the ladder.

He took out the title three times during his tenure with NSW, equalling the record of former Brumbies' coach David Nucifora.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP