Lance Todd Trophy
Awarded forChallenge Cup
Final man of the match
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byReds Devils Association
History
First award1945–46

The Lance Todd Trophy is a trophy in rugby league, awarded to the annual Challenge Cup Final's man of the match.[1] Introduced in 1945–46, the trophy was named in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War.[2] After Todd's death a fund, the Lance Todd memorial Trophy Fund, was established by Australian journalist and rugby league official Harry Sunderland.[3] The trophy's winner is selected by the members of the Rugby League Writers' Association present at the game. Until 1957 there was no permanent trophy, instead the winner was given a cash prize with which to buy themselves a memento.[3] In 1956 the Red Devils Association, the official body representing ex-Salford players, decided to pay for a permanent trophy to be awarded to the winner and the first recipient of the new trophy was Jeff Stevenson in 1957.[3] The trophy is presented at a celebratory dinner at the Salford Community Stadium, home of the Salford Red Devils. As of 2023, no Salford player has won this award.[1]

The first winner of the trophy was Wakefield Trinity Centre, Billy Stott in 1945–46.[1][4] St. Helens' Sean Long made history in 2006 becoming the first player to win the Lance Todd Trophy three times, having won in 2001 and 2004. Five players have won the trophy twice: Warrington's Gerry Helme in 1949–50 and 1953–54; Wigan's Andy Gregory in 1987–88 and 1989–90; and Martin Offiah in 1991–92 and 1993–94; St. Helens' Paul Wellens in 2007 (jointly) and 2008; Hull FC's Marc Sneyd in 2016 and 2017. Sneyd and Wellens are the only players to win the award in consecutive finals.

Halifax's former Australian international fullback Graham Eadie and Wigan's 1984-85 Australian import stand-off Brett Kenny are the only players to win both the Lance Todd Trophy and the Clive Churchill Medal as the player of the match in the Sydney Premiership Grand Final. Eadie won the Lance Todd in 1986–87 and was (retrospectively) twice awarded the Churchill after Manly-Warringah's premiership wins in 1976 and 1978 while 1984–85 trophy winner Kenny was retrospectively awarded the Churchill for Parramatta's Grand Final wins in 1982 and 1983.

The first player to win the trophy on the losing side was Frank Whitcombe of Bradford Northern in the 1947–48 final against Wigan; he was also the first forward to win the award. Robbie Paul, Gary Connolly, Kevin Sinfield, Niall Evalds and Chris McQueen have all won the award since 1996, despite each of them finishing on the losing side.

The youngest player to win the trophy was Huddersfield's Peter Ramsden who won it on his 19th birthday in 1952–53.[5]

The trophy has been shared on two occasions, in 1964–65 by Ray Ashby (Wigan) & Brian Gabbitas (Hunslet), and in 2007 by Wellens and Leon Pryce.

Winners

Year Recipient[1] Winners Runners-up Position
2023 Lachlan Lam Leigh Leopards Hull Kingston Rovers Scrum-half
2022 Chris McQueen † Wigan Warriors Huddersfield Giants Second-row
2021 Niall Evalds † St Helens Castleford Tigers Fullback
2020 Richie Myler Leeds Rhinos Salford Red Devils Fullback
2019 Daryl Clark Warrington Wolves St Helens Hooker
2018 Tony Gigot Catalans Dragons Warrington Wolves Fullback
2017 Marc Sneyd Hull F.C. Wigan Scrum-half
2016 Marc Sneyd Hull F.C. Warrington Wolves Scrum-half
2015 Tom Briscoe Leeds Rhinos Hull Kingston Rovers Wing
2014 Ryan Hall Leeds Rhinos Castleford Tigers Wing
2013 Matty Smith Wigan Warriors Hull F.C. Scrum-half
2012 Brett Hodgson Warrington Wolves Leeds Rhinos Fullback
2011 Jeff Lima Wigan Warriors Leeds Rhinos Prop
2010 Lee Briers Warrington Wolves Leeds Rhinos Stand-off
2009 Michael Monaghan Warrington Wolves Huddersfield Giants Hooker
2008 Paul Wellens St Helens Hull F.C. Fullback
2007 Paul Wellens
Leon Pryce		 St Helens Catalans Dragons Fullback
Stand-off
2006 Sean Long St Helens Huddersfield Giants Scrum-half
2005 Kevin Sinfield † Hull F.C. Leeds Rhinos Loose forward
2004 Sean Long St Helens Wigan Warriors Stand-off
2003 Gary Connolly † Bradford Bulls Leeds Rhinos Fullback
2002 Kris Radlinski Wigan Warriors St Helens Fullback
2001 Sean Long St Helens Bradford Bulls Stand-off
2000 Henry Paul Bradford Bulls Leeds Rhinos Stand-off
1999 Leroy Rivett Leeds Rhinos London Broncos Wing
1998 Mark Aston Sheffield Eagles Wigan Warriors Scrum-half
1997 Tommy Martyn St Helens Bradford Bulls Stand-off
1996 Robbie Paul† St Helens Bradford Bulls Scrum-half
1994–95 Jason Robinson Wigan Leeds Wing
1993–94 Martin Offiah Wigan Leeds Wing
1992–93 Dean Bell Wigan Widnes Loose forward
1991–92 Martin Offiah Wigan Castleford Wing
1990–91 Denis Betts Wigan St Helens Second-row
1989–90 Andy Gregory Wigan Warrington Scrum-half
1988–89 Ellery Hanley Wigan St Helens Loose forward
1987–88 Andy Gregory Wigan Halifax Scrum-half
1986–87 Graham Eadie Halifax St Helens Fullback
1985–86 Bob Beardmore Castleford Hull Kingston Rovers Scrum-half
1984–85 Brett Kenny Wigan Hull F.C. Stand-off
1983–84 Joe Lydon Widnes Wigan Centre
1982–83 David Hobbs Featherstone Rovers Hull F.C. Second-row
1981–82 Eddie Cunningham † Hull F.C. Widnes Centre
1980–81 Mick Burke Widnes Hull Kingston Rovers Fullback
1979–80 Brian Lockwood Hull Kingston Rovers Hull F.C. Prop
1978–79 David Topliss † Widnes Wakefield Trinity Stand-off
1977–78 George Nicholls † Leeds St Helens Prop
1976–77 Steve Pitchford Leeds Widnes Prop
1975–76 Geoff Pimblett St Helens Widnes Fullback
1974–75 Ray Dutton Widnes Warrington Fullback
1973–74 Derek Whitehead Warrington Featherstone Rovers Fullback
1972–73 Steve Nash Featherstone Rovers Bradford Northern Scrum-half
1971–72 Kel Coslett St Helens Leeds Loose forward
1970–71 Alex Murphy Leigh Leeds Scrum-half
1969–70 Bill Kirkbride Castleford Wigan Second-row
1968–69 Mal Reilly Castleford Salford Loose forward
1967–68 Don Fox † Leeds Wakefield Trinity Prop
1966–67 Carl Dooler Featherstone Rovers Barrow Scrum-half
1965–66 Len Killeen St Helens Wigan Wing
1964–65 Ray Ashby
Brian Gabbitas †		 Wigan Hunslet Fullback
Stand-off
1963–64 Frank Collier Widnes Hull Kingston Rovers Prop
1962–63 Harold Poynton Wakefield Trinity Wigan Stand-off
1961–62 Neil Fox Wakefield Trinity Huddersfield Centre
1960–61 Dick Huddart St Helens Wigan Second-row
1959–60 Tommy Harris † Wakefield Trinity Hull F.C. Hooker
1958–59 Brian McTigue Wigan Hull F.C. Second-row
1957–58 Rees Thomas Wigan Workington Town Scrum-half
1956–57 Jeff Stevenson Leeds Barrow Scrum-half
1955–56 Alan Prescott St Helens Halifax Prop
1954–55 Jack Grundy Barrow Workington Town Second-row
1953–54 Gerry Helme Warrington Halifax Scrum-half
1952–53 Peter Ramsden Huddersfield St Helens Stand-off
1951–52 Billy Ivison Workington Town Featherstone Rovers Loose forward
1950–51 Cec Mountford Wigan Barrow Stand-off
1949–50 Gerry Helme Warrington Widnes Scrum-half
1948–49 Ernest Ward Bradford Northern Halifax Centre
1947–48 Frank Whitcombe † Wigan Bradford Northern Prop
1946–47 Willie Davies Bradford Northern Leeds Stand-off
1945–46 Billy Stott Wakefield Trinity Wigan Centre

† = Won Lance Todd Trophy whilst on losing team

Awards by club

Club Number of winners
Barrow Raiders 1
Bradford Bulls 4
Castleford Tigers 4
Catalans Dragons 1
Featherstone Rovers 3
Halifax 1
Hull F.C. 3
Hull Kingston Rovers 1
Huddersfield Giants 4
Leeds Rhinos 8
Leigh Leopards 2
Sheffield Eagles 1
St Helens 12[lower-alpha 1]
Wakefield Trinity 4
Warrington Wolves 7
Widnes Vikings 5
Wigan Warriors 17[lower-alpha 2]
Workington Town 1
  1. ↑ includes joint award in 2007
  2. ↑ includes joint award in 1965

Winners by playing position

Position Number of winners
Centre 5
Fullback 14[lower-alpha 1]
Hooker 3
Loose forward 6
Prop 8
Scrum-half 16
Second-row 7
Stand-off 12[lower-alpha 2]
Wing 7
  1. ↑ includes joint winners in 1965 and 2007
  2. ↑ includes joint winners in 1965 and 2007

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 RFL. "Lance Todd Trophy". Rugby Football League. Retrieved 2017-03-01.
  2. ↑ "The History Of Rugby League". Rugby League Information. napit.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Morris, Graham (Autumn 2019). "Lance Todd Trophy; the first decade of awards: 1946-1956". Rugby League Journal (68): 24.
  4. ↑ BBC Sport (2008-08-26). "Lance Todd Trophy winners". BBC. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
  5. ↑ news.bbc.co.uk (11 May 2004). "Cup final facts". BBC Sport. UK: BBC. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
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