Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters' Association

The Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters' Association (RLWBA) is an association of members of the English news media who write about rugby league in newspapers or present for television and radio programmes. Founded as the Rugby League Writers' Association, it presents a Player of the Year award annually to the best performing player in English rugby league.

Members of the Association who are present at the Challenge Cup Final decide which player should be awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for being man of the match.[1]

RLWBA Player of the Year

[edit]

Since 1996, the association has voted on the Player of the Year in recognition of the best performing Super League player that season.

Winners

[edit]
Year Winner Club Notes
1996 Apollo Perelini St Helens [2]
1997 Andy Farrell Wigan Warriors [2]
1998 Iestyn Harris Leeds Rhinos [2]
1999 Iestyn Harris Leeds Rhinos [2]
2000 Tommy Martyn St Helens [2]
2001 Paul Sculthorpe St Helens [2]
2002 Adrian Lam Wigan Warriors [2]
2003 Jamie Peacock Bradford Bulls [2]
2004 Danny McGuire Leeds Rhinos [2]
2005 Jamie Lyon St Helens [2]
2006 Paul Wellens St Helens [2]
2007 Trent Barrett Wigan Warriors [2]
2008 James Graham St Helens [3]
2009 Brett Hodgson Huddersfield Giants [4]
2010 Pat Richards Wigan Warriors [5]
2011 Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors [6]
2012 Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors [7]
2013 Danny Brough Huddersfield Giants [8]
2014 Jamie Peacock Leeds Rhinos [9]
2015 Adam Cuthbertson Leeds Rhinos [10]
2016 Gareth Ellis
Danny Houghton		 Both Hull F.C. [11]
2017 Luke Gale Castleford Tigers [12]
2018 James Roby St Helens [13]
2019 Jackson Hastings Salford Red Devils [14]
2020 Bevan French Wigan Warriors [15]
2021 Sam Tomkins Catalans Dragons [16]
2022 Jai Field Wigan Warriors [17]
2023 Lachlan Lam Leigh Leopards [18]
2024 Mikey Lewis Hull KR [19]

Merit Award

[edit]

The Rugby League Writers' Merit Award is awarded annually to a player, coach or official for their services to the game of rugby league. The inaugural winner of the award was Geoff Fletcher in 1982. The award winner is presented with the Arthur Brooks Trophy,[20] named after a former rugby league journalist for the Daily Mirror.[21]

Winners

[edit]
Year Winner Role
1982[21] Geoff Fletcher Player and official
1983[21] David Howes RFL Press Officer
1984[21] Tom Morton Club secretary
1985[21] John Holmes Player
1986[21] Roger Millward Player and coach
1987[21] Tom Bergin RL Writers' Association life member
1988[21] Trevor Foster Player and official
1989[21] Gary Hetherington Player and official
1990[21] Maurice Oldroyd BARLA administrator
1991[21] John Joyner Player
1992[21] David Oxley RFL chief executive
1993[21] Jeff Grayshon Player
1994[21] Mal Meninga Player and coach
1995[21] Alex Murphy Player and coach
1996[21] Garry Schofield Player
1997[21] Lee Crooks Player
1998[21] Eric Ashton Player, coach and official
1999[22] Shaun Edwards Player
2000[23] Daryl Powell Player and coach
2001[24] Johnny Whiteley Player and coach
2002[25] Peter Fox Player and coach
2003[26] Ray French Commentator
2004[27] Harry Jepson Administrator
2005[28] Colin Hutton Player, coach and official
2006[29] David Hinchliffe Member of Parliament
2007[20] John Wilkinson Chairman
2008[30] Tommy Sale Player and official
2009[31] Steve Prescott Player
2010[32] Malcolm Alker Player
2011 Not awarded
2012[33] Mark Aston Player and official
2013[34] Dave Hadfield Rugby league correspondent
2014[35] Mike Nicholas Player, coach and official
2015 Kevin Sinfield
Jamie Peacock		 Players
2016 Richard Bott Rugby league correspondent
2021 Bernard Guasch Chairman
2022 Jodie Cunningham Player
2023 Dave Woods Commentator

References

[edit]
  1. ^ RFL. "Lance Todd Trophy". Rugby Football League. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Barrett Voted RLWA Player Of The Year". Wigan Warriors. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  3. ^ Wilson, Andy (9 September 2008). "Three southerners in England's World Cup squad". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  4. ^ "Trio shortlisted for top honour". BBC Sport. 17 September 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  5. ^ "Wigan's Pat Richards wins RLWA player of the year award". BBC Sport. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  6. ^ "Sam Tomkins heads nominations for the Super League Man of Steel award". The Guardian. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  7. ^ "All Write for Sam". Wigan Warriors. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Huddersfield's Danny Brough wins Super League Man of Steel award". BBC Sport. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Leeds Rhinos: Peacock shortlisted for top honour in Super League". Yorkshire Evening Post. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  10. ^ "Cuthbertson Lands Award". Rugby Football League. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Ellis and Houghton to share RLWBA award for 2016". Total Rugby League. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  12. ^ "Luke Gale named Rugby League Writers' player of the year". Total Rugby League. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  13. ^ "Roby Wins Rugby League Writers' Award". Rugby Football League. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Hastings Wins Rugby League Writers' Award".
  15. ^ "French Wins Rugby League Writers' Award".
  16. ^ "Sam Tomkins: Catalans Dragons and England full-back wins Rugby League writers' award for third time".
  17. ^ "Field Wins Rugby League Writers' Award".
  18. ^ "Like father, like son – Lachlan Lam follows Adrian as RLWBA Player of the Year".
  19. ^ Ben Olawumi (29 Sep 2024). "Hull KR's Mikey Lewis beats Wigan Warriors star to major award". Love Rugby League.
  20. ^ a b "Award for Wilkinson". Metro News. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Fletcher, Raymond. Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1999. Headline. p. 380. ISBN 978-0-7472-7572-5.
  22. ^ Irvine, Christopher (26 November 1999). "Lost trophy comes back into service - Rugby League". The Times.
  23. ^ "Powell scoops award". BBC Sport. 21 November 2000. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  24. ^ Irvine, Christopher (21 November 2001). "Australia coach taken to hospital for tests - Rugby league". The Times.
  25. ^ Irvine, Christopher (20 November 2002). "Retiring Hoppe is centre of attention again". The Times. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  26. ^ Wilson, Andy (22 Nov 2003). "Defiant Waite turns on his Lions critics". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  27. ^ "President Awarded RLW Order Of Merit". Leeds Rhinos. 17 November 2004. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  28. ^ Fisher, Michael (23 November 2005). "Wigan sent to Dragons' den". The Telegraph. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  29. ^ "Hull quartet are lifted by England call". Yorkshire Post. 18 October 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  30. ^ Hulme, Mike (17 September 2008). "Writers' award for Tommy". Leigh Journal.
  31. ^ "Cancer battler Steve Prescott awarded MBE". St Helens Reporter. 31 December 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  32. ^ Barker, Neil (8 February 2011). "Super League XVI: Season preview". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  33. ^ "Sheffield Eagles founder picks up top award". ITV News. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  34. ^ "The Sport Matrix". The Independent. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  35. ^ "Nicholas handed merit award". BT Sport. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
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