Readers’ Awards 2019: Signing of the Year
Transfer speculation makes the world go round. And when your team makes a signing, you can only hope he has the desired impact.
Here are your top three signings for 2019.
3. Zak Hardaker
A difficult start to the season for Wigan on and off the pitch in some ways diverted the attention away from Zak Hardaker, making his return to Super League following a drugs ban.
He turned in to a dependable and key figure in Adrian Lam’s side during their revival and push for the Grand Final, which ultimately ended prematurely at the hands of Salford.
While you can’t shy away from the controversies in Hardaker’s career, he keeps coming back and proving what a quality player he is, and Wigan will hope that they can be the beneficiaries for years to come.
2. Cameron King
The NRL winner with Melbourne was quite a coup for Featherstone under their new Australian coach Ryan Carr, and he was a key figure in their run to the Championship Grand Final and defeat to Toronto.
King took to social media to plea for a new club, and many eyebrows were raised when he wound up at the LD Nutrition Stadium.
While Featherstone received criticism for their reliance on loan and dual-reg players, there’s no doubting that one of their mainstays in the key position in modern day rugby league had a big impact.
1. Lachlan Coote
He’s the reason they were top of the league this season. Well, it wasn’t quite down to him, but from day one, Lachlan Coote slotted seamlessly in to the St Helens team.
From his debut against the old enemy Wigan, Coote showed his class – steady under the high ball, pacey when joining the line and confident with a more than capable kicking game.
The Scotland international made 27 appearances in his maiden year in Super League, scoring a total of 299 points.
After tasting Grand Final success with St Helens, he celebrated the year with a call-up to the Great Britain squad, making his debut on the Lions tour Down Under.
Love Rugby League Readers’ Awards 2019 Signing of the Year – Lachlan Coote
