Man of Steel Awards

Steve Prescott Man Of Steel
Awarded for Best player of the Super League season
Country United Kingdom
Presented by Rugby Football League
History
First award 1977
First winner David Ward
Most wins Ellery Hanley (3)
Wigan Warriors (11)
Most recent Bevan French (Wigan Warriors) (2023)

The Steve Prescott Man of Steel Awards is an end-of-season awards dinner for the Super League rugby league competition. The event's name is taken from the main award presented, the Man of Steel award for the rugby league footballer of the year. In 2014, it was renamed after Steve Prescott.

The Steve Prescott Man of Steel award

Origins

The awards were started in 1977 when David Howes, the Rugby League's public relations officer, organised sponsorship worth £3,000 from Trumanns Steel Limited for awards in six different categories; Trumanns Man of Steel, Division One Player of the Year, Division Two Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Referee of the Year. The awards were voted on by the members of the rugby league press. The first awards were made at the end of the 1976–77 season with the inaugural award winners being:

In 2008, the voting for the award was changed, with the winner being chosen by the players of the Super League instead. In 2019, in response to criticism that some players were not taking the voting seriously, a panel of former rugby league players was chosen to determine the winner of the award. The voting was changed to a system similar to the Australian Dally M Medal, with points being awarded to the best performing players after each game (three points for the man of the match, two points for the runner-up, and one point for the third best player).

Name change

Former England player Steve Prescott died of cancer in 2013, aged 39. Following a short campaign, a petition with over 12,000 signatures was sent to the Rugby Football League, calling for the Man of Steel award to be renamed in Prescott's honour. In March 2014, the RFL officially announced that the award would be called the "Steve Prescott Man of Steel" from the 2014 season onwards.

Men of Steel

Year Nat Winner Club Position
1977 David Ward Leeds Hooker
1978 George Nicholls St. Helens Prop
1979 Doug Laughton Widnes Loose forward
1980 George Fairbairn Wigan Fullback
1981 Ken Kelly Warrington Scrum-half
1982 Mick Morgan Carlisle Second-row
1983 Allan Agar Featherstone Rovers Coach
1984 Joe Lydon Widnes Wing, Fullback
1985 Ellery Hanley Bradford Northern Stand-off
1986 Gavin Miller Hull Kingston Rovers Loose forward
1987 Ellery Hanley Wigan Stand-off
1988 Martin Offiah Widnes Wing
1989 Ellery Hanley Wigan Loose forward
1990 Shaun Edwards Wigan Stand-off
1991 Garry Schofield Leeds Stand-off
1992 Dean Bell Wigan Centre
1993 Andy Platt Wigan Prop
1994 Jonathan Davies Warrington Centre
1995 Denis Betts Wigan Second-row
1996 Andy Farrell Wigan Loose forward
1997 James Lowes Bradford Hooker
1998 Iestyn Harris Leeds Fullback
1999 Adrian Vowles Castleford Loose forward
2000 Sean Long St. Helens Scrum-half
2001 Paul Sculthorpe St. Helens Stand-off
2002 Paul Sculthorpe St. Helens Loose forward
2003 Jamie Peacock Bradford Second-row
2004 Andy Farrell Wigan Prop, Second-row
2005 Jamie Lyon St. Helens Centre
2006 Paul Wellens St. Helens Fullback
2007 James Roby St. Helens Hooker
2008 James Graham St. Helens Prop
2009 Brett Hodgson Huddersfield Fullback
2010 Pat Richards Wigan Wing
2011 Rangi Chase Castleford Stand-off
2012 Sam Tomkins Wigan Fullback
2013 Danny Brough Huddersfield Scrum-half
2014 Daryl Clark Castleford hooker
2015 Zak Hardaker Leeds Fullback
2016 Danny Houghton Hull Hooker
2017 Luke Gale Castleford Scrum-half
2018 Ben Barba St. Helens Fullback
2019 Jackson Hastings Salford scrum-half, stand-off
2020 Paul McShane Castleford scrum-half, hooker
2021 Sam Tomkins Catalans Fullback
2022 Brodie Croft Salford scrum-half
2023 Bevan French Wigan stand-off

Multiple winners

Player Wins Winning Years
1 Ellery Hanley 3 1985, 1987, 1989
2 Paul Sculthorpe 2 2001, 2002
3 Andy Farrell 2 1996, 2004
3 Sam Tomkins 2 2012, 2021

Winners by club

Club Wins
1 Wigan Warriors 12
2 St. Helens 9
3 Castleford Tigers 5
4 Leeds Rhinos 4
5 Widnes Vikings 3
Bradford Bulls
7 Warrington Wolves 2
Huddersfield Giants
Salford Red Devils
9 Carlisle 1
Catalans Dragons
Featherstone Rovers
Hull F.C.
Hull Kingston Rovers

Winners by country

Nationality Wins
1 England 32
2 Australia 9
3 Scotland 2
4 Wales 2
5 New Zealand 2

Woman of Steel

Main article: Woman of Steel

In 2018 an additional category for the Woman of Steel from the Women's Super League was inaugurated.

Year Winner Club
2018 Georgia Roche Castleford Tigers
2019 Courtney Hill Leeds Rhinos
2020 No award
2021 Jodie Cunningham St. Helens
2022 Tara-Jane Stanley York City Knights
2023 Sinead Peach York Valkyrie

Wheels of Steel

In 2023 a new category for Wheels of Steel from the RFL Wheelchair Super League was inaugurated.

Year Winner Club
2023 Lewis King London Roosters

Other awards

Young Player of the Year

Year Winner Club
1996 Keiron Cunningham St. Helens
1997 Lee Briers Warrington Wolves
1998 Lee Gilmour Wigan Warriors
1999 Leon Pryce Bradford Bulls
2000 Stuart Fielden Bradford Bulls
2001 Rob Burrow Leeds Rhinos
2002 Richard Horne Hull F.C.
2003 Gareth Hock Wigan Warriors
2004 Shaun Briscoe Hull F.C.
2005 Richard Whiting Hull F.C.
2006 James Graham St. Helens
2007 Sam Burgess Bradford Bulls
2008 Joe Westerman Castleford Tigers
2009 Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors
2010 Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors
2011 Jonny Lomax St. Helens
2012 Zak Hardaker Leeds Rhinos
2013 Ben Crooks Hull F.C.
2014 Daryl Clark Castleford Tigers
2015 George Williams Wigan Warriors
2016 Tom Johnstone Wakefield Trinity
2017 Oliver Gildart Wigan Warriors
2018 Jake Trueman Castleford Tigers
2019 Matty Lees St. Helens
2020 Harry Newman Leeds Rhinos
2021 Jack Welsby St. Helens
2022 Jack Welsby St. Helens
2023 Josh Thewlis Warrington Wolves

Coach of the Year

Year Nat Winner Club
2009 Australia Nathan Brown Huddersfield Giants
2010 Australia Michael Maguire Wigan Warriors
2011 Australia Trent Robinson Catalans Dragons
2012 Australia Mick Potter Bradford Bulls
2013 England Paul Anderson Huddersfield Giants
2014 England Daryl Powell Castleford Tigers
2015 England Brian McDermott Leeds Rhinos
2016 England Lee Radford Hull F.C.
2017 England Daryl Powell Castleford Tigers
2018 England Shaun Wane Wigan Warriors
2019 Australia Justin Holbrook St. Helens
2020 Papua New Guinea Adrian Lam Wigan Warriors
2021 England Steve McNamara Catalans Dragons
2022 England Matt Peet Wigan Warriors
2023 Papua New Guinea Adrian Lam Leigh Leopards

Top Try Scorer

Year Winner Club Tries
1996 Paul Newlove St. Helens 28
1997 Nigel Vagana Warrington Wolves 17
1998 Anthony Sullivan St. Helens 20
1999 Toa Kohe-Love Warrington Wolves 25
2000 Sean Long
Tommy Martyn 		St. Helens 22
2001 Kris Radlinski Wigan Warriors 27
2002 Dennis Moran London Broncos 22
2003 Dennis Moran London Broncos 24
2004 Lesley Vainikolo Bradford Bulls 36
2005 Mark Calderwood Leeds Rhinos 27
2006 Justin Murphy Catalans Dragons 25
2007 Henry Fa'afili Warrington Wolves 21
2008 Ade Gardner St. Helens 26
2009 Ryan Hall Leeds Rhinos 29
2010 Pat Richards Wigan Warriors 29
2011 Ryan Hall
Sam Tomkins 		Leeds Rhinos
Wigan Warriors 		28
2012 Josh Charnley Wigan Warriors 31
2013 Josh Charnley Wigan Warriors 33
2014 Joel Monaghan Warrington Wolves 28
2015 Jermaine McGillvary Huddersfield Giants 27
2016 Denny Solomona Castleford Tigers 40
2017 Greg Eden Castleford Tigers 38
2018 Ben Barba St. Helens 28
2019 Tommy Makinson St. Helens 23
2020 Ash Handley Leeds Rhinos 14
2021 Ken Sio Salford Red Devils 19
2022 Bevan French Wigan Warriors 31
2023 Tom Johnstone
Abbas Miski 		Catalans Dragons
Wigan Warriors 		27

Top Points Scorer

Year Winner Club Points
1996 Bobbie Goulding St. Helens 257
1997 Andrew Farrell Wigan Warriors 243
1998 Iestyn Harris Leeds Rhinos 255
1999 Iestyn Harris Leeds Rhinos 325
2000 Sean Long St. Helens 390
2001 Andrew Farrell Wigan Warriors 388
2002 Paul Deacon Bradford Bulls 301
2003 Paul Deacon Bradford Bulls 286
2004 Kevin Sinfield Leeds Rhinos 277
2005 Paul Deacon Bradford Bulls 322
2006 Jamie Lyon St. Helens 316
2007 Pat Richards Wigan Warriors 248
2008 Pat Richards Wigan Warriors 269
2009 Pat Richards Wigan Warriors 252
2010 Pat Richards Wigan Warriors 288
2011 Jamie Foster St. Helens 330
2012 Scott Dureau Catalans Dragons 281
2013 Danny Brough Huddersfield Giants 208
2014 Marc Sneyd Castleford Tigers 224
2015 Luke Gale Castleford Tigers 247
2016 Luke Gale Castleford Tigers 262
2017 Luke Gale Castleford Tigers 317
2018 Danny Richardson St Helens 296
2019 Lachlan Coote St Helens 259
2020 Lachlan Coote St Helens 152
2021 James Maloney Catalans Dragons 221
2022 Tommy Makinson & Mark Sneyd St Helens / Salford 242
2023 Stefan Ratchford Warrington Wolves 200

Top Metre Maker

Year Winner Club Metres
2003 Craig Greenhill Hull F.C. 3,594
2004 Michael Korkidas Wakefield Trinity 4,084
2005 Terry O'Connor Widnes Vikings 4,104
2006 Danny Nutley Castleford Tigers 3,372
2007 James Roby St. Helens 3,303
2008 James Graham St. Helens 3,774
2009 James Graham St. Helens 4,752
2010 James Graham St. Helens 4,036
2011 James Roby St. Helens 5,000
2012 James Roby St. Helens 3,971
2013 Jamie Peacock Leeds Rhinos 4,040
2014 Matty Russell Warrington Wolves 3,546
2015 Alex Walmsley St. Helens 4,092
2016 Chris Hill Warrington Wolves 3,983
2017 Alex Walmsley St. Helens 4,256
2018 Bill Tupou Wakefield Trinity 4,114
2019 Tommy Makinson St. Helens 3,803
2020 Ash Handley Leeds Rhinos 2,541
2021 Tom Davies Catalans Dragons 3,332
2022 Ash Handley Leeds Rhinos 3,646
2023 Tom Amone Leigh Leopards 3,467

Hit Man

The player making most tackles in the regular season.

Year Winner Club Tackles
2009 Malcolm Alker Salford Red Devils 981
2010 Dallas Johnson Catalans Dragons 1,106
2011 Danny Houghton Hull F.C. 1,060
2012 Danny Washbrook Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 991
2013 Danny Houghton Hull F.C. 1,179
2015 James Roby St. Helens 1,054
2016 Danny Houghton Hull F.C. 1,359
2017 Danny Houghton Hull F.C. 1,123
2018 Paul McShane Castleford Tigers 1,160
2019 Danny Houghton Hull F.C. 1,259
2020 Michael Lawrence Huddersfield Giants 749
2021 Joe Shorrocks Wigan Warriors 833
2022 Danny Houghton Hull F.C. 1,031
2023 Luke Yates Huddersfield Giants 1,027

Club of the Year

Year Club
2009 Huddersfield Giants
2010 Wigan Warriors
2011 Huddersfield Giants
2012 Wigan Warriors
2013 St. Helens
2014 Widnes Vikings
2015 Leeds Rhinos
2016 Hull F.C.
2017 Castleford Tigers
2018 Warrington Wolves
  • The Mike Gregory Spirit of Rugby League Award - Both players and non-players are eligible to receive the award, which will be judged by a panel from the governing body.
  • Fairplay Index Award for Super League
  • The Community Player of the year

Special awards

  • The ‘200 Club’ - retiring players who have played in over 200 games.

See also