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Ex-Wests Tigers star wins UK league gong
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AAP Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:54:09
Former Wests Tigers star Pat Richards has won English rugby league’s top individual award, The Man of Steel.
The prolific goalkicking winger capped a sweep of the Super League awards for Wigan at the dinner in Manchester.
Wigan’s Michael Maguire won the coach of the year award in his first season and five-eighth or fullback Sam Tomkins was named young player of the year for the second year in a row.
The Warriors were also named club of the year.
Richards, 28, was judged to have made the biggest impact on the season, beating Tomkins and Warrington captain Adrian Morley, who was short-listed for the second successive season, in a secret poll of fellow players.
Only the fifth Australian to be crowned Man of Steel since the award was introduced in 1977, Richards succeeds countryman and fellow ex-Tiger Brett Hodgson, the Huddersfield fullback.
Richards, who was named the Rugby League Writers’ Association player of the year earlier this month, was instrumental in helping Wigan to their best season for 10 years.
A member of the Tigers’ 2005 NRL grand final-winning team, Richards scored 29 tries, kicked 135 points and amassed 388 points for Wigan this year, topping all three scoring charts and equalling the Super League record set by former Warriors captain Andy Farrell.
Only two players have made more metres than the Australian winger, who is also joint top for clean breaks.
Special awards to mark their final seasons in Super League were made to St Helens captain Keiron Cunningham, Salford skipper Malcolm Alker and Wakefield captain Jason Demetriou.
BBC commentator Ray French was awarded the Mike Gregory Spirit of Rugby League Award to mark his contribution to the game and Sky Sports executive producer Neville Smith was inducted as a guest onto the RFL Roll of Honour.
source: ever reliable nrl.com
Good on ya Patty!!! You are doing us all proud :master:
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Congrats to big Pat on becoming the second Wests Tiger to win the Man of Steel award. We sure could use him on the right wing for next year.
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Great to see this former Fan fav has truly KICKED on.
Well Done.
Can you come back and give Benji a few tips…Ha
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2010….BrettHodgson
2011…Pat Richards
2012…???Well done Richards not bad for a winger …eh!!
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Ben Galea also made the team of the year with Hodgo in 2009!
We have made a great contribution to their league & Gareth is our reward!!
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