Date confirmed for annual Super League Awards night; history to be made with men, women and wheelchair winners combined

Super League have today confirmed details for the 2023 edition of their annual awards evening, which will mark the start of Grand Finals week when it takes place on Tuesday October 10.

The awards evenings pre-date even Super League itself, first taking place back in 1977. Since then, and in recent years even more so, they have grown bigger and better consistently.

This year’s ceremony will take place at The Point, located at the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester, meaning that current Man of Steel, Salford Red Devils’ star Brodie Croft, won’t have far to go with the trophy!

History to be made at Super League Awards night

As confirmed on the Super League website, history is set to be made this year. Brian Carney will host an event which will see the Men’s and Women’s Super League Awards joined by the equivalent for those in the Betfred Championship, League One and Wheelchair Super League.

Live music will be provided throughout the night by a band named ‘The Graduates’, kickstarting a huge week in the rugby league calendar in the shadow of Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United Football Club, where the men’s Super League Grand Final will be played out four days later.

Sunday October 15 will then see a double-header of final showdowns, with the Betfred Championship Grand Final kicking off at 2.30pm and to be shown live on ViaPlay. Given the news surrounding the Nordic-based company’s financial woes which broke last month, that’s likely to be the last ever time we’ll see a British rugby league game broadcast by them.

Meanwhile, after promotion to Super League for 2024 is decided, come 5.30pm we’ll see the Betfred Wheelchair Super League Grand Final. That will also take place in Manchester, at the Basketball Centre, and will be shown live on Sky Sports.

At the 2023 end-of-season awards, as happened in 2019 and 2021, the winner of the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel will be announced alongside the winner of the Woman of Steel.

That wasn’t possible in 2020 with no Woman of Steel crowned due to the COVID-19 Pandemic curtailing their season, while last year, the choice was made not to present Tara-Jane Stanley’s trophy alongside Salford star Croft.

Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel 2023

We’re not sure where Red Devils ace Croft has been keeping the Man of Steel trophy for the last 12 months or so, but it looks likely he’ll have to give it back come October 10.

As things stand according to the Super League website, Warrington Wolves’ George Williams is the frontrunner to win the award this year. He sits ahead of the pack on 19 points to date, earned by being one of the best performers in games as decided by a panel of former players.

Bevan French of Wigan Warriors and Tom Johnstone of Catalans Dragons are the next two in line, but still have some catching up to do, locked together on 15 points in 2nd and 3rd respectively. The latter is the top scorer in the competition at present.

If Williams does go on to win it, he will become just the third-ever Wolves player to do so, and the first since Jonathan Davies in 1994. Ken Kelly was the only other back in 1981.

Only four players have ever scooped the award more than once, and all four have been Englishmen. Sam Tomkins was the latest to make it a double as he won it in 2021, nine years after his first.

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