Bevan French named Man of Steel
Wigan Warriors’ Bevan French was named 2023 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel at Tuesday’s Rugby League Awards.
Bevan French, Sinead Peach and Lewis King were the headline winners as Rugby League staged its biggest and most inclusive Awards Night at Emirates Old Trafford.
French, the brilliant Australian whose successful switch to stand-off has been pivotal in Wigan Warriors’ drive to Saturday’s Betfred Super League Grand Final against Catalans Dragons, was named the 2023 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel as the competition’s outstanding player – the first Wigan player to win the award since Sam Tomkins in 2012.
Sinead Peach, the tough and skilful hooker who lifted the Betfred Women’s Super League trophy for York Valkyrie after Sunday’s Grand Final victory, was named the 2023 Woman of Steel.
Lewis King, a 38-year-old from Dartford in Kent who has excelled for London Roosters this season after playing a key part in England’s World Cup win last autumn, was the inaugural winner of the new Wheels of Steel as the outstanding performer in the Betfred Wheelchair Super League. In an undoubted first for Rugby League, King was one of three Kent-born winners on a special night for both the Roosters and the London Broncos, whose surge to this Sunday’s Betfred Championship Grand Final received treble recognition.
As announced before the ceremony, the Glen’s Spirit of Super League Award was presented to the family of Rob Burrow MBE, for their inspirational support of the former Leeds Rhinos and England half-back since his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease four years ago.
Rugby League Awards Night 2023 – Winners
- Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel – Bevan French (Wigan Warriors)
- Woman of Steel – Sinead Peach (York Valkyrie)
- Wheels of Steel – Lewis King (London Roosters)
- Betfred Championship Player of the Year – Dean Parata (London Broncos) and Lachlan Walmsley (Halifax Panthers)
- Betfred League One Player of the Year – Reiss Butterworth (Dewsbury Rams)
- Betfred Super League Young Player of the Year – Josh Thewlis (Warrington Wolves)
- Betfred Women’s Super League Young Player of the Year – Caitlin Casey (Leeds Rhinos)
- Betfred Wheelchair Super League Young Player of the Year – Josh Butler (Leeds Rhinos)
- Betfred Championship Young Player of the Year – Bill Leyland (London Broncos)
- Betfred League One Young Player of the Year – Ciaran Walker (Workington Town)
- Betfred Super League Coach of the Year – Adrian Lam (Leigh Leopards)
- Betfred Women’s Super League Coach of the Year – Lindsay Anfield (York Valkyrie)
- Betfred Wheelchair Super League Coach of the Year – Tom Coyd MBE (London Roosters)
- Betfred Championship Coach of the Year – Mike Eccles (London Broncos)
- Betfred League One Coach of the Year – Liam Finn (Dewsbury Rams)
- Foundation of the Year – Barrow Raiders (with commendations for Leigh Leopards and York RLFC)
- Glen’s Spirit of Super League Award – The Burrow Family
