McGregor granted his wish and, on Wednesday night, Sims was named Dragons Player of the Year, capping a stunning career resurgence six years after two horrific broken legs almost ended his career.

The frank chat with McGregor followed the preseason departure of former left edge enforcer Joel Thompson to Manly, with Sims having spent the bulk of his time at the club in the middle.

The return to the edge, where he first burst on the scene as a 21-year-old in 2011, saw a return to the form that had him earmarked as an Origin star in waiting.

That long-awaited Blues debut occurred in Origin III this year with a remarkable first-half hat-trick against Brisbane in week one of the finals the exclamation point on an outstanding campaign.

The Gerringong product saw off a stiff challenge from fellow NSW forwards Tyson Frizell and Jack de Belin to claim the award that will go some way towards easing the pain of a meniscus tear that forced him from the park in his side's one-point semi-final loss to the Rabbitohs.

Having undergone surgery, the 29-year-old is facing a three to four-month recovery that should see him back to full fitness well ahead of the 2019 season.

In the other major awards handed out at Pyrmont's Doltone House, Holli Wheeler was named the inaugural women's premiership player of the year, the cherry on top of her Jillaroos selection earlier this week.

It goes with NSW and Prime Minister's XIII jumpers in a stellar campaign for the Mid-North Coast product.

Warriors-bound prop Leeson Ah Mau received the Geoff Selby Memorial Trophy as a parting gift, while dual New Zealand international Honey Hireme picked up Daniel Lacey's NRLW Coach's Award.

Frizell was voted as the Red V Members' Player of the Year on the back of another outstanding season, while skipper Gareth Widdop was awarded the Dragons' Immortals Trophy.  

Young centre Matheson Johns won the Paul McGregor trophy as under 20s Player of the Year, while Reece Robson was named Intrust Super Premiership (ISP) Player of the Year.

In the off-field awards, Jeremy Latimore was the recipient of the Mark Coyne Trophy for career development and young front-rower Josh Kerr won the community involvement award.