Toronto a Super addition
Hastings lands top award
JACKSON HASTINGS will head to Saturday’s Grand Final as the Steve Prescott Man of Steel.
The Australian scrum-half, 23, was a clear winner of the award – presented at Salford’s Lowry Theatre last night.
A panel of rugby league legends ranked the three top players in every Super League game this season and Salford star Hastings finished 12 points ahead of Castleford prop Liam Watts, with Warrington stand-off Blake Austin third.
Hastings also became the inaugural winner of the Fans’ Entertainer award, having been named Rugby League Writers’ and Broadcasters’ Player of the Year too.
He arrived at Salford midway through last season after high-profile exits from two Australian clubs, but has been the key figure in the Red Devils’ remarkable run to the Grand Final, forming an instant bond with the club’s supporters.
Even confirmation that he has signed COACH Brian McDermott says Toronto can take Super League to a new level after Saturday’s 24-6 win over Featherstone secured promotion.
The Wolfpack will not take a central distribution from the Sky TV deal next year, giving their 11 rivals a six-figure windfall, and McDermott is predicting other benefits.
He said: “The bosses of the game are trying to negotiate for Wigan for next season has not affected that or Hastings’ form, which has arguably improved since the July announcement.
St Helens’ Justin Holbrook was named Coach of the Year. Saints – the Red Devils’ Old Trafford opponents at the weekend – finished 16 points clear, the widest margin in rugby league history.
Their prop Matty Lees was named Young Player of the Year while Leeds’ Australian playmaker Courtney Hill won the Woman of Steel.
Her clubmate, the retiring Jamie JonesBuchanan, was also acknowledged for his contribution to the sport on and off the field with the Spirit of Super League award while Warrington Wolves won Foundation a bigger TV deal and to get some investment from some billion dollar companies.
“Names such as London Broncos, Toronto, Toulouse, Barcelona and New York – you have to have those.”
■ CANBERRA, featuring English trio John Bateman, Elliott Whitehead and Josh Hodgson, lost 14-8 to Sydney Roosters in the NRL decider. of the Year. Watts, Sam Tomkins, Reece Lyne and Ash Handley are all on standby for the Great Britain squad, with the other inclusions for the Nines being confirmed as Lions, bar Canberra forward Ryan Sutton.
GB squad: James Graham (St George Illawarra, captain), Tom Burgess (South Sydney), Daryl Clark (Warrington), Jake Connor (Hull FC), Ryan Hall (Sydney Roosters), Ash Handley (Leeds), Jack Hughes (Warrington), Reece Lyne (Wakefield), Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield), Ryan Sutton (Canberra), Sam Tomkins (Catalans), Jake Trueman (Castleford), Liam Watts (Castleford), Elliott Whitehead (Canberra), Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra), George Williams (Wigan).