Kingstone Press Championship awards shortlists

The nominations for the 2014 Kingstone Press Championships awards have been confirmed today.

In the Kingstone Press Championship, Paul Cooke could be set to seal an impressive double after being nominated for both Coach of the Year and Player of the Year following another successful season at Doncaster.

Cooke is joined by Paul Rowley of Leigh Centurions, Glenn Morrison of Dewsbury Rams and Phil Veivers of Workington Town in the Coach of the Year shortlist.

Martyn Ridyard of Leigh Centurions, who earlier this year reached 1,000 points for his hometown club, and Anthony Thackeray of Dewsbury Rams are also up for the coveted individual Player of the Year award.

The Championship Young Player of the Year will be chosen from a shortlist of three, with little to separate Whitehaven’s Carl Foster, Leigh Centurion Ryan Brierley and Workington Town’s Liam McAvoy.

In Kingstone Press Championship One, new coach at Gateshead Thunder Stanley Gene is shortlisted alongside Mike Grady of South Wales Scorpions, Gary Thornton of York City Knights and Troy Perkins of Hemel Stags for the Coach of the Year award.

The Player of the Year award in Championship One sees three nominations for League Leaders York City Knights with Jack Lee, Ben Reynolds and Pat Smith all shortlisted alongside Jason Payne of Gateshead Thunder.

A four-player shortlist makes up the contenders for the Championship One Young Player of the Year award, with Gateshead Thunder’s Matty Beharrell, South Wales Scorpion Connor Farrer, York City Knight Ben Reynolds, who is already nominated for the Player of the Year award, and Oldham’s Mo Agoro.

The 2014 Kingstone Press Championship Awards shortlists in full are as follows:

Championship Player of the Year: Martyn Ridyard (Leigh Centurions) Anthony Thackeray (Dewsbury Rams) Paul Cooke (Doncaster)

Championship Young Player of the Year: Carl Foster (Whitehaven) Ryan Brierley (Leigh Centurions) Liam McAvoy (Workington Town)

Championship Coach of the Year: Paul Rowley (Leigh Centurions) Glenn Morrison (Dewsbury Rams) Phil Veivers (Workington Town) Paul Cooke (Doncaster)

Championship One Player of the Year: Jason Payne (Gateshead Thunder) Jack Lee (York City Knights) Ben Reynolds (York City Knights) Pat Smith (York City Knights)

Championship One Young Player of the Year: Matty Beharrell (Gateshead Thunder) Connor Farrer (South Wales Scorpions) Ben Reynolds (York City Knights) Mo Agoro (Oldham)

Championship One Coach of the Year: Stanley Gene (Gateshead Thunder) Mike Grady (South Wales Scorpions) Gary Thornton (York City Knights) Troy Perkins (Hemel Stags)

The winners will be announced at the 2014 Kingstone Press Championship Awards night in Manchester on Tuesday September 30.