Lance Todd Trophy

Template:Short description Template:Infobox sports award The Lance Todd Trophy is a trophy in rugby league, awarded to man of the match in the annual Challenge Cup Final.

Introduced in 1945–46, the trophy was named in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War. After Todd's death a fund, the Lance Todd memorial Trophy Fund, was established by Australian journalist and rugby league official Harry Sunderland. The trophy's winner is selected by the members of the Rugby League Writers' Association present at the game. Until 1957 there was no permanent trophy, instead the winner was given a cash prize with which to buy themselves a memento. In 1956 the Red Devils Association, the official body representing ex-Salford players, decided to pay for a permanent trophy to be awarded to the winner and the first recipient of the new trophy was Jeff Stevenson in 1957. The trophy is presented at a celebratory dinner at the Salford Community Stadium, home of the Salford Red Devils. As of 2025, no Salford player has won this award.

The first winner of the trophy was Wakefield Trinity Template:Rlp, Billy Stott in 1945–46. St. Helens' Sean Long made history in 2006 becoming the first player to win the Lance Todd Trophy three times, having won in 2001 and 2004. Five players have won the trophy twice: Warrington's Gerry Helme in 1949–50 and 1953–54; Wigan's Andy Gregory in 1987–88 and 1989–90; and Martin Offiah in 1991–92 and 1993–94; St. Helens' Paul Wellens in 2007 (jointly) and 2008; Hull FC's Marc Sneyd in 2016 and 2017. Sneyd and Wellens are the only players to win the award in consecutive finals.

Halifax's former Australian international fullback Graham Eadie and Wigan's 1984-85 Australian import stand-off Brett Kenny are the only players to win both the Lance Todd Trophy and the Clive Churchill Medal as the player of the match in the Sydney Premiership Grand Final. Eadie won the Lance Todd in 1986–87 and was (retrospectively) twice awarded the Churchill after Manly-Warringah's premiership wins in 1976 and 1978 while 1984–85 trophy winner Kenny was retrospectively awarded the Churchill for Parramatta's Grand Final wins in 1982 and 1983.

The first player to win the trophy on the losing side was Frank Whitcombe of Bradford Northern in the 1947–48 final against Wigan; he was also the first forward to win the award. Robbie Paul, Gary Connolly, Kevin Sinfield, Niall Evalds and Chris McQueen have all won the award since 1996, despite each of them finishing on the losing side.

The youngest player to win the trophy was Huddersfield's Peter Ramsden who won it on his 19th birthday in 1952–53.

The trophy has been shared on two occasions, first in 1964–65 by Ray Ashby (Wigan) and Brian Gabbitas (Hunslet), and most recently in 2007 by St Helens duo Paul Wellens and Leon Pryce.

Winners

Season	Recipient	Team	Position
1945–46	Billy Stott	Template:Leagueicon Wakefield Trinity	Template:Rlp
1946–47	Willie Davies	Template:Leagueicon Bradford Northern	Template:Rlp
1947–48	Frank Whitcombe †	Template:Leagueicon Bradford Northern	Template:Rlp
1948–49	Ernest Ward	Template:Leagueicon Bradford Northern	Template:Rlp
1949–50	Gerry Helme	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp
1950–51	Cec Mountford	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1951–52	Billy Ivison	Template:Leagueicon Workington Town	Template:Rlp
1952–53	Peter Ramsden	Template:Leagueicon Huddersfield Giants	Template:Rlp
1953–54	Gerry Helme	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp
1954–55	Jack Grundy	Template:Leagueicon Barrow Raiders	Template:Rlp
1955–56	Alan Prescott	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
1956–57	Jeff Stevenson	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
1957–58	Rees Thomas	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1958–59	Brian McTigue	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1959–60	Tommy Harris †	Template:Leagueicon Hull F.C.	Template:Rlp
1960–61	Dick Huddart	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
1961–62	Neil Fox	Template:Leagueicon Wakefield Trinity	Template:Rlp
1962–63	Harold Poynton	Template:Leagueicon Wakefield Trinity	Template:Rlp
1963–64	Frank Collier	Template:Leagueicon Widnes Vikings	Template:Rlp
1964–65	Ray Ashby	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
	Brian Gabbitas †	Template:Leagueicon Hunslet	Template:Rlp
1965–66	Len Killeen	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
1966–67	Carl Dooler	Template:Leagueicon Featherstone Rovers	Template:Rlp
1967–68	Don Fox †	Template:Leagueicon Wakefield Trinity	Template:Rlp
1968–69	Mal Reilly	Template:Leagueicon Castleford Tigers	Template:Rlp
1969–70	Bill Kirkbride	Template:Leagueicon Castleford Tigers	Template:Rlp
1970–71	Alex Murphy	Template:Leagueicon Leigh Centurions	Template:Rlp
1971–72	Kel Coslett	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
1972–73	Steve Nash	Template:Leagueicon Featherstone Rovers	Template:Rlp
1973–74	Derek Whitehead	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp
1974–75	Ray Dutton	Template:Leagueicon Widnes Vikings	Template:Rlp
1975–76	Geoff Pimblett	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
1976–77	Steve Pitchford	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
1977–78	George Nicholls †	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
1978–79	David Topliss †	Template:Leagueicon Wakefield Trinity	Template:Rlp
1979–80	Brian Lockwood	Template:Leagueicon Hull Kingston Rovers	Template:Rlp
1980–81	Mick Burke	Template:Leagueicon Widnes Vikings	Template:Rlp
1981–82	Eddie Cunningham †	Template:Leagueicon Widnes Vikings	Template:Rlp
1982–83	David Hobbs	Template:Leagueicon Featherstone Rovers	Template:Rlp
1983–84	Joe Lydon	Template:Leagueicon Widnes Vikings	Template:Rlp
1984–85	Brett Kenny	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1985–86	Bob Beardmore	Template:Leagueicon Castleford Tigers	Template:Rlp
1986–87	Graham Eadie	Template:Leagueicon Halifax	Template:Rlp
1987–88	Andy Gregory	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1988–89	Ellery Hanley	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1989–90	Andy Gregory	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1990–91	Denis Betts	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1991–92	Martin Offiah	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1992–93	Dean Bell	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1993–94	Martin Offiah	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1994–95	Jason Robinson	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
1996	Robbie Paul†	Template:Leagueicon Bradford Bulls	Template:Rlp
1997	Tommy Martyn	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
1998	Mark Aston	Template:Leagueicon Sheffield Eagles	Template:Rlp
1999	Leroy Rivett	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
2000	Henry Paul	Template:Leagueicon Bradford Bulls	Template:Rlp
2001	Sean Long	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
2002	Kris Radlinski	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
2003	Gary Connolly †	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
2004	Sean Long	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
2005	Kevin Sinfield †	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
2006	Sean Long	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
2007	Paul Wellens	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
	Leon Pryce	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
2008	Paul Wellens	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	Template:Rlp
2009	Michael Monaghan	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp
2010	Lee Briers	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp
2011	Jeff Lima	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
2012	Brett Hodgson	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp
2013	Matty Smith	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
2014	Ryan Hall	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
2015	Tom Briscoe	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
2016	Marc Sneyd	Template:Leagueicon Hull F.C.	Template:Rlp
2017	Marc Sneyd	Template:Leagueicon Hull F.C.	Template:Rlp
2018	Tony Gigot	Template:Leagueicon Catalans Dragons	Template:Rlp
2019	Daryl Clark	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp
2020	Richie Myler	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	Template:Rlp
2021	Niall Evalds †	Template:Leagueicon Castleford Tigers	Template:Rlp
2022	Chris McQueen †	Template:Leagueicon Huddersfield Giants	Template:Rlp
2023	Lachlan Lam	Template:Leagueicon Leigh Leopards	Template:Rlp
2024	Bevan French	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	Template:Rlp
2025	Marc Sneyd †	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	Template:Rlp

† = Won Lance Todd Trophy whilst on losing team

Awards by club

Club	Number of winners
Template:Leagueicon Barrow Raiders	1
Template:Leagueicon Bradford Bulls	4
Template:Leagueicon Castleford Tigers	4
Template:Leagueicon Catalans Dragons	2Template:Efn
Template:Leagueicon Featherstone Rovers	3
Template:Leagueicon Halifax	1
Template:Leagueicon Hunslet	1Template:Efn
Template:Leagueicon Hull F.C.	3
Template:Leagueicon Hull Kingston Rovers	1
Template:Leagueicon Huddersfield Giants	4
Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	8
Template:Leagueicon Leigh Leopards	2
Template:Leagueicon Sheffield Eagles	1
Template:Leagueicon St Helens	12Template:Efn
Template:Leagueicon Wakefield Trinity	4
Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	8
Template:Leagueicon Widnes Vikings	5
Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	18Template:Efn
Template:Leagueicon Workington Town	1

Winners by playing position

Position	Number of winners
Template:Rlp	5
Template:Rlp	15Template:EfnTemplate:Efn
Template:Rlp	3
Template:Rlp	6
Template:Rlp	8
Template:Rlp	17
Template:Rlp	7
Template:Rlp	14Template:EfnTemplate:Efn
Template:Rlp	7

See also

• Harry Sunderland Trophy
• Man of Steel Award
• Clive Churchill Medal

References

• Lance Todd Wigan Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.