League Express

With the new season fast approaching, make sure you pick up your copy of League Express on Monday 19 January to get all the gossip, reaction and reports from another jam-packed week in the world of Rugby League.



Here's what's inside today's edition:

• Castleford Tigers coach Daryl Powell provides an update on one of his injured stars.
• Gareth Ellis talks to us ahead of his testimonial match this weekend.
• Get the lowdown on Catalans Dragons star Todd Carney and his injury blow.
• Bradford fans - we speak to your chairman Marc Green about what's happening as the Bulls prepare for the Championship.
• Huddersfield coach Paul Anderson explains what he wants from his side in 2015.
• We've our final season preview - and this time it's the Champions, St Helens, who are featured.
• Ben Flower speaks for the first time since that Grand Final red - hear from St Helens boss Keiron Cunningham on the incident, too.
• Kevin Locke provides Salford fans with an insight into life at the club ahead of his first full season with the Red Devils.
• Which NRL side is Nathan Brown set to link up with?

As well as all the reports from EVERY friendly played over the weekend, as well as a full report and reaction from the BARLA Yorkshire Cup Final.

There's also a special feature with Hull star Gareth Ellis, as we pay tribute to one of Super League's greatest ever players.

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League Express reports today (Mon 5 Jan) that leading bookmaker Ladbrokes will be unveiled as the sponsor for the 2015 Challenge Cup this Thursday (8 January).
After the two-year sponsorship deal with Tetley's came to an end following Leeds Rhinos' 23-10 victory against Castleford Tigers last August, the oldest Cup competition in Rugby League had been searching for the seventh sponsor in its history, dating back to State Express' backing of the Cup from 1980-85.
Since then a variety of organisations have sponsored the competition, but sponsorship from a bookmaker would be new territory for Rugby League in the United Kingdom.

http://www.totalrl.c...-challenge-cup/

London's Olympic Stadium is being lined up to host the second Test between England and New Zealand on Saturday, November 7, according to a report in today's League Express (Mon, 5 Jan).
With the first and final games set to take place in the North of England, the RFL has been in discussions to take the second Test south, with the main stadium of the 2012 London Olympics believed to be the venue of choice.
That game will take place a week after the third/fourth placed play-off in the Rugby Union World Cup, also at the Olympic Stadium on Friday, October 30 - the same night as the opening Test of the series between the English and the Kiwis.

http://www.totalrl.c...ngland-v-kiwis/

Five leading players will enter into battle to gain the support of League Express readers over the Christmas period in the League Express annual Readers’ Poll, while another five will also do battle for the title of League Express Young Player of the Year.

There are also polls in a wide variety of categories covering both the Super League and the Championship competitions, with readers also invited to vote for a Super League Team of the Year.

This article originally appeared in League Express newspaper. Click here to download the latest digital version to your computer, smartphone or tablet

After over half of League Express readers voted for Huddersfield Giants captain – and current Albert Goldthorpe Medal winner – Danny Brough in 2013, Brough is again shortlisted for the award in 2014. Should he win, he would become only the fourth player to win the award twice – after Sean Long, Paul Sculthorpe and Kevin Sinfield.

Steve Prescott Man of Steel Daryl Clark is also in contention, after a sensational final season with Castleford Tigers. Fellow Man of Steel nominee James Roby is another nominated for your vote, after playing a crucial role in St Helens’ run to Grand Final glory earlier this year.

CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE NOW

Warrington’s Chris Hill and new Widnes captain Kevin Brown are the other two players on the shortlist.

Leeds youngster Liam Sutcliffe claimed the prestigious Young Player of the Year last year in one of the tightest votes in the history of our readers’ polls, and he is again nominated for the 2014 award. Daryl Clark is included in the list, as is Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year Joe Burgess, Warrington’s Matty Russell and Widnes’ Jack Owens.

Click here to download the latest issue of Rugby League World magazine to your computer, smartphone or tablet

CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE NOW

The Readers’ Poll results will be revealed in the first issue of League Express of 2015, on Monday 5 January.

Past winners
League Express Player of the Year
1999 Sean Long (St Helens)
2000 Sean Long (St Helens)
2001 Paul Sculthorpe (St Helens)
2002 Paul Sculthorpe (St Helens)
2003 Brian Carney (Wigan Warriors)
2004 Andy Farrell (Wigan Warriors)
2005 Jamie Lyon (St Helens)
2006 Paul Wellens (St Helens)
2007 Trent Barrett (Wigan Warriors)
2008 James Graham (St Helens)
2009 Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos)
2010 Pat Richards (Wigan Warriors)
2011 Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors)
2012 Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos)
2013 Danny Brough (Huddersfield Giants)

League Express Young Player of the Year
1999 Danny Orr (Castleford)
2000 Richard Horne (Hull FC)
2001 Rob Burrow (Leeds Rhinos)
2002 Richard Horne (Hull FC)
2003 Danny McGuire (Leeds Rhinos)
2004 Danny McGuire (Leeds Rhinos)
2005 Danny Brough (Hull FC)
2006 James Roby (St Helens)
2007 Sam Burgess (Bradford Bulls)
2008 Joe Westerman (Castleford Tigers)
2009 Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors)
2010 Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors)
2011 Zak Hardaker (Leeds Rhinos)
2012 John Bateman (Bradford Bulls)
2013 Liam Sutcliffe (Leeds Rhinos)