The recipient of the esteemed Steve Prescott MBE Betfred Super League Man of Steel award for this year is Bevan French.

After performing admirably after switching from the wing to the halves this season, the Wigan Warriors stand-off—who had previously been nominated for the Super League’s player-of-the-year award in 2020—was awarded the honor after helping his team win the League Leaders’ Shield and advance to Saturday’s Grand Final.

French, who was selected for this year’s Super League Dream Team, defeated Tom Johnstone, the star of Wigan’s rivals Catalans Dragons at Old Trafford and the league’s co-leading try-scorer Jack Welsby of St Helens, to win the award.

The Australian is the first Wigan player to receive the award since Sam Tomkins, now with Catalans, in 2012 and it marks the 12th time overall a player from the club has been awarded with the accolade since it was introduced in 1977.

At the Rugby League Awards Night in Manchester, French was declared the winner. England international hooker Sinead Peach, who helped York Valkyrie win the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final and the League Leaders’ Shield, was awarded the Woman of Steel award.

Lewis King, the winner of the England Wheelchair World Cup, received the first Wheels of Steel award in recognition of his outstanding performances for the London Roosters in the Betfred Wheelchair Super League.

At Emirates Old Trafford, 17 awards were given out. Adrian Lam won Super League Coach of the Year after leading Leigh Leopards to their first-ever play-off berth and helping them win the Betfred Challenge Cup for the first time in more than 50 years.

MBE Steve Prescott Bevan French of the Wigan Warriors, Sinead Peach of the York Valkyrie, Lewis King of the London Roosters, and Dean Parata of the London Broncos and Lachlan Walmsley of the Halifax Panthers were the winners of the Betfred Championship Player of the Year, while Reiss Butterworth of the Dewsbury Rams was named the Betfred League One Player of the Year.

Josh Thewlis of Warrington Wolves won Betfred Super League Young Player of the Year; Caitlin Casey of the Leeds Rhinos won Betfred Women’s Super League Young Player of the Year; Josh Butler of the Leeds Rhinos won Betfred Wheelchair Super League Young Player of the Year; Bill Leyland of the London Broncos won Betfred Championship Young Player of the Year; and Ciaran Walker of Workington Town won Betfred League One Young Player of the Year.

Adrian Lam of the Leigh Leopards won Betfred Super League Coach of the Year; Lindsay Anfield of the York Valkyrie won Betfred Women’s Super League Coach of the Year; Tom Coyd MBE of the London Roosters won Betfred Wheelchair Super League Coach of the Year; Mike Eccles of the London Broncos won Betfred Championship Coach of the Year; and Liam Finn of the Dewsbury Rams won Betfred League One Coach of the Year.

After leading York to a winning season, Lindsay Anfield won the Women’s Super League equivalent, while Tom Coyd, the head coach of England, got the wheelchair prize for his work with the London Roosters.

Josh Thewlis, a winger for Warrington Wolves, won the Super League Young Player of the Year title. Caitlin Casey, a half-back for Leeds Rhinos, won the Women’s Super League Young Player of the Year award. Josh Butler, another Rhinos, won the wheelchair equivalent.

The family of Rob Burrow MBE received the Glen’s Spirit of Super League Award, as was previously announced, in recognition of their amazing support of the former England half-back and Leeds Rhinos player since his diagnosis with motor neurone disease four years ago.

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