Huddersfield Giants’ Chris McQueen followed in the footsteps of Castleford’s Niall Evalds last season by becoming a Lance Todd Trophy winner as a beaten Challenge Cup finalist.
The Australian is only the eleventh player to do so since the man-of-the-match award was inaugurated in 1946.
As well as scoring a first-half try via a mesmerising dummy, the 34-year-old, who returned from an abductor injury picked up in the semi-final win over Hull KR at Elland Road, was highly effective alongside Josh Jones and compatriot Luke Yates in the Giants back row as Wigan were pushed all the way before a late try sealed their dramatic 16-14 triumph.
There’s obviously no doubt the rugged former NRL forward would have traded the trophy for a winners’ medal.
But his Lance Todd success over other candidates, such as Wigan halfback Harry Smith and winger Bevan French, shows how much the Giants matched the Warriors and how close they came to putting claret-and-gold ribbons on the trophy for the first time since 1953.
And on top of previous performances, such an eye-catching display on the big stage of the impressive Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has also brought suggestions Wigan’s leadership and management director Shaun Wane should be adding McQueen to his England squad as the build-up to the World Cup continues apace.
While born in Brisbane, the ex-South Sydney Rabbitohs, Gold Coast Titans and Wests Tigers player, who played for Queensland in the 2013 and 2104 State of Origin series, qualifies for England through his father and was selected by Wane’s predecessor Wayne Bennett as a Gold Coast Titan in 2017.
He played in the 30-10 win over Samoa in Campbelltown in May of that year but didn’t make the final cut for the World Cup.
With appearances in Souths’ 2014 Grand Final win over Canterbury Bulldogs and subsequent World Club Challenge success at St Helens as well as an appearance for the NRL All Stars side and two for the Prime Minister’s XIII, he has plenty of big-game experience.
It’s not all been plain sailing since he was relegated to the lower grades at Wests at one stage before being released from his contract early to join Huddersfield in September 2020.
But there’s no doubting his influence on the Yorkshire side, and while, at the age of 34, he may be the second-oldest Lance Todd Trophy winner behind Bradford Northern prop Frank Whitcombe in 1948 (another year in which Wigan overcame Yorkshire opposition), there’s plenty of fuel left in the tank if Saturday is anything to go by.
Now his aim is to help Huddersfield recover from their crushing disappointment and maintain their push for the play-offs.
“It’s something I am extremely proud of,” he said of his Lance Todd recognition. “But I’d give it back for the other trophy.
“It was a heartbreaking way to lose for the players, the whole club and the fans, but I was so proud of the boys’ effort in what was an unbelievable occasion on a big stage with a big crowd.
“It just goes to show that in games like this, you can’t afford to clock off for a second.
“The gameplan was to keep it simple – kick, chase, tackle and try to keep our discipline tight and control the ball as much as we could.
“I thought we did a good job for the whole of the game, but those little moments can really cost you.
“Give credit to Wigan because they really hung in. It was an 80-minute performance by both teams, but they got the job done in the end.”
The Lance Todd voting by members of the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association was as follows: Chris McQueen 14, Ricky Leutele 9, Oliver Russell 6, Tui Lolohea 5, Jermaine McGillvary 2, Harry Smith 2, Daniel Levi 1
*Chris McQueen is featured in the June issue of Rugby League World, which is available by visiting totalrl.com/shop.
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