Huddersfield Giants half-back and captain Danny Brough has been crowned 2013 Super League Man of Steel.
The 30-year-old collected the sport’s most coveted individual award, presented to the player deemed to have made the greatest impact on the 2013 season, at a gala presentation dinner at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester on Monday 30th Sept.
Brough, who joined the Giants from Wakefield Trinity Wildcats in 2010, has been in outstanding form for Huddersfield, playing an instrumental role in guiding them to their first League Leaders’ Shield in 81 years, scoring 129 goals and eight tries in the process.
He secured the award following a two-part selection process incorporating a ballot of every Super League player before the final decision was made by a specially convened five-man Man of Steel Selection Panel.
Brough won the award ahead of Wigan Warriors captain Sean O’Loughlin and Leeds Rhinos prop Jamie Peacock, who collected the Super League Top Meter Maker Award as part of a three-trophy haul for the Rhinos.
Leeds won the first ever Community Foundation of the Year Award, for their continued efforts in the local community, while captain Kevin Sinfield received the inaugural Rhino Top Gun Award as the most accurate goal kicking during the regular season.
Huddersfield coach Paul Anderson made it a trophy double for the League Leaders as he picked up the Coach of the Year Award, as voted for by his fellow coaches, in recognition of his efforts in guiding the Giants to top spot in the league during his debut season as a Super League coach.
2013 Tetley’s Challenge Cup finalists Hull FC celebrated two awards on the night, the highlight coming when centre Ben Crooks picked up the prestigious Super League Young Player of the Year award.
Crooks piped Kieran Dixon of London Broncos and Catalan Dragons full-back Morgan Escare to the award while his Hull FC team-mate Danny Houghton collected the Super League Hit Man Award for topping the tackle charts during the 2013 season.
St Helens rounded off the evening’s awards when they were named the 2013 Super League Club of the Year for their investment in developing a world class facility at Langtree Park and their continued success in the area of youth development.
Retiring Super League players Stuart Fielden and Shaun Briscoe were also presented with Outstanding Contribution Awards to mark their long service to the competition having made over 200 Super League appearances.
The award winners in full from the 2013 Super League Man of Steel dinner are as follows:
Top metre maker – Jamie Peacock (Leeds Rhinos)
Top try-scorer – Josh Charnley (Wigan Warriors)
Hit man – Danny Houghton (Hull FC)
Rhino Top Gun – Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos)
Outstanding Achievement – Stuart Fielden and Shaun Briscoe
Foundation of the Year – Leeds Rhinos
Club of the Year – St Helens
Young Player of the Year – Ben Crooks (Hull FC)
Coach of the Year – Paul Anderson (Huddersfield Giants)
Man of Steel – Danny Brough (Huddersfield Giants)