Show respect to Harry Sunderland Trophy winners

I also wish, at the outset, to congratulate Rob Burrow CBE and his family on the news that the trophy for man of the match in the Super League Grand Final will from this year carry his name, replacing Harry Sunderland’s name, which has been used for the past 59 years.

However, the news that the Harry Sunderland Trophy has been renamed virtually overnight with very little apparent consultation has surprised me and, in my view, shows no respect to Mr Sunderland or his remaining family members, who I don’t believe have been contacted.

The correct way to add Rob’s name to the trophy should have been to announce that this would be the last year the Harry Sunderland Trophy will be awarded, retiring it gracefully over that season and that the new Rob Burrow Award would replace it the following season.

There could then have been a handover ceremony with as many past winners of the Harry Sunderland Trophy present, passing over the new Rob Burrow trophy and retiring the Harry Sunderland Trophy on the pitch.

That would have made it a special occasion and a media event.

For people who don’t know the history of the Harry Sunderland Trophy, it was first given out in 1965 by the Rugby League Writers’ Association to commemorate his life after his death in 1964.. It recognised the great work he did to promote the sport of Rugby League.

It was awarded to the player of the match in the Championship Final from 1965 to 1973, then in the Premiership Final from 1974 to 1997 and in the Grand final from 1998 to 2023.

Many great players have won this award. Alan Tait was the first player to win it twice in 1989 and 1990, followed by Andrew Farrell in 1996 and 1997, Chris Joynt in 1993 and 2000, Rob Burrow in 2007 and 2011, Kevin Sinfield in 2009 and 2012, James Roby 2014 & 2020 and Danny McGuire in 2015 and 2017.

So while I understand the point about Rob winning it twice, so have many other great players.

In my view, by simply announcing what amounts to a name change and not giving it the recognition it deserves, this decision shows a lack of respect for our game’s history and the past players that have won this award.

It would be fitting to see a Harry Sunderland plaque with every winning player’s name on it and displayed somewhere to commemorate this award, be that at Old Trafford; the now recognised home of the Grand Final, or the George Hotel in Huddersfield, where our game was born all those years ago.

My father Terry Fogerty was a professional Rugby League player for Halifax, Wigan and Rochdale Hornets. He represented his country as a Great Britain tourist in 1966. He was also the first ever winner of the Harry Sunderland Trophy in 1965.

And that is why I have written this letter as a proud son of a great dad. I don’t want to see his name or any other on the award forgotten about. I don’t want to see history changed simply to gain some publicity.

But to be very clear, I have nothing but admiration for Rob and the tremendous way he and Kevin Sinfield are raising both money and profile to fight against the ravages of this terrible disease MND.

As far as I am concerned, Rob and Kevin deserves every single accolade that the sport can give them.

This is not about Rob. This is about the decision to consign the Harry Sunderland Trophy to history and the way it has been announced with undue haste and, in my view, with a lack of respect for those great players who have actually built its reputation and tradition as probably the most important award for their individual performance in the sport’s biggest game.

1964–65 Terry Fogerty Halifax

1965–66 Albert Halsall St Helens

1966–67 Ray Owen Wakefield Trinity

1967–68 Gary Cooper Wakefield Trinity

1968–69 Bev Risman Leeds

1969–70 Frank Myler St Helens

1970–71 Bill Ashurst Wigan

1971–72 Terry Clawson Leeds

1972–73 Mike Stephenson Dewsbury

1973–74 Barry Philbin Warrington

1974–75 Mel Mason Leeds

1975–76 George Nicholls St Helens

1976–77 Geoff Pimblett St Helens

1977–78 Bob Haigh Bradford Northern

1978–79 Kevin Dick Leeds

1979–80 Mal Aspey Widnes

1980–81 Len Casey Hull Kingston Rovers

1981–82 Mick Burke Widnes

1982–83 Tony Myler Widnes

1983–84 John Dorahy Hull Kingston Rovers

1984–85 Harry Pinner St Helens

1985–86 Les Boyd Warrington

1986–87 Joe Lydon Wigan

1987–88 David Hulme Widnes

1988–89 Alan Tait Widnes

1989–90 Alan Tait Widnes

1990–91 Greg Mackey Hull FC

1991–92 Andy Platt Wigan

1992–93 Chris Joynt St Helens

1993–94 Sam Panapa Wigan

1994–95 Kris Radlinski Wigan

1996 Andrew Farrell Wigan

1997 Andrew Farrell Wigan

1998 Jason Robinson Wigan

1999 Henry Paul Bradford Bulls

2000 Chris Joynt St Helens

2001 Michael Withers Bradford Bulls

2002 Paul Deacon Bradford Bulls

2003 Stuart Reardon Bradford Bulls

2004 Matt Diskin Leeds Rhinos

2005 Leon Pryce Bradford Bulls

2006 Paul Wellens St Helens

2007 Rob Burrow Leeds Rhinos

2008 Lee Smith Leeds Rhinos

2009 Kevin Sinfield Leeds Rhinos

2010 Thomas Leuluai Wigan Warriors

2011 Rob Burrow Leeds Rhinos

2012 Kevin Sinfield Leeds Rhinos

2013 Blake Green Wigan Warriors

2014 James Roby St Helens

2015 Danny McGuire Leeds Rhinos

2016 Liam Farrell Wigan Warriors

2017 Danny McGuire Leeds Rhinos

2018 Stefan Ratchford Warrington Wolves

2019 Luke Thompson St Helens

2020 James Roby St Helens

2021 Kevin Naiqama St Helens

2022 Jonny Lomax St Helens

2023 Jake Wardle Wigan Warriors

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