FOUR clubs have nominees for the three Betfred Championship end of season awards, with League Leaders Wakefield Trinity again leading the way.
Trinity have four nominees, including two contenders – full-back Max Jowitt and forward Ky Rodwell – in a quartet in the running for the Player of the Year award.
Daryl Powell is a nominee for Coach of the Year, and 20-year-old centre Oliver Pratt is in the running to be Young Player of the Year.
York Knights, who finished fourth in the Betfred Championship table and will host Widnes Vikings at the LNER Community Stadium in an Elimination Play-Off this weekend, also have a nominee in each of the three categories.
Jordan Thompson has been recognised for another hard-working season with a place among the Player of the Year nominees, and outside back Brad Ward joins Pratt in contention for the Young Player of the Year award.
The Wakefield connection continues in York’s third nomination as Mark Applegarth, who earned admiration for his work at Trinity over a number of years, has been recognised for inspiring the Knights’ late-season surge to the Play-Offs with a nomination as Coach of the Year.
Toulouse Olympique, who finished second in the table behind Wakefield and like Trinity have therefore earned a bye through the first round of the Play-Offs, have two nominations.
Sylvain Houles is nominated alongside Powell and Applegarth for the Coach of the Year award, and France international Anthony Marion is in contention to be Player of the Year.
The third nominee for Young Player of the Year is the Jayden Myers of Bradford Bulls, who finished third in the table and host Featherstone Rovers on Sunday in this weekend’s second Elimination Play-Off.
The nominees and award winners are decided by a poll of coaches at the 14 Betfred Championship clubs.
The winners will be announced at the Rugby League Awards at the Royal Armouries in Leeds next Tuesday (October 8), when the outstanding performers in the Betfred Men’s, Women’s and Wheelchair Super Leagues will also be celebrated.
Betfred Championship Attendances 2024
Last weekend’s final round of regular season fixtures in the Betfred Championship attracted the best cumulative attendance for more than five years – and that has sealed a significant increase in attendances over the course of the 2024 season.
The aggregate gate of 19,877 from the seven matches was the highest for the Championship since 2019, when Toronto Wolfpack were in the competition and attracted average crowds of 7,882.
The 2024 increase has been driven by the attendances attracted by Wakefield Trinity, who have averaged 5,628 in their 13 home games at the DIY Kitchens Stadium – a 30% increase on their average in the Betfred Super League last season, and Trinity’s best since 2013.
That has driven an increase of 7% in cumulative attendances in the Betfred Championship compared to 2023, with an average attendance of 2,046 also the best for five seasons, with that Toronto-driven 2019 figure the only higher average outside Super League since 2015.
Betfred Championship Awards 2024 – nominees
(all in alphabetical order)
Player of the Year – Max Jowitt (Wakefield Trinity). Anthony Marion (Toulouse Olympique), Ky Rodwell (Wakefield Trinity), Jordan Thompson (York Knights).
Young Player of the Year – Jayden Myers (Bradford Bulls), Oliver Pratt (Wakefield Trinity), Brad Ward (York Knights).
Coach of the Year – Mark Applegarth (York Knights), Sylvain Houles (Toulouse Olympique), Daryl Powell (Wakefield Trinity).
