Leeds Rhinos legend's father to present new Rob Burrow Award at Super League Grand Final
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From this year, the Betfred Super League Grand Final player of the match will receive the Rob Burrow Award in recognition of the late scrum-half’s outstanding performances for Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford and his inspirational response following his diagnosis with motor neurone disease in 2019. Previously, the Grand Final’s most valuable player received the Harry Sunderland Trophy, commemorating a former journalist, coach and administrator.
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Hide AdThe Rob Burrow Award winner will be decided by votes from members of the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters’ Association (RLWBA) at the Grand Final on Saturday, as was the case for the Harry Sunderland Trophy. Burrow, who died in June, won the Harry Sunderland Trophy in 2007 and again four years later. He also presented the award, to St Helens, Kevin Naiqama, in 2021. Former Harry Sunderland Trophy holders, including Rhinos’ Matt Diskin (2004), Lee Smith (2008) and Danny McGuire (2015 and 2017) will be at the final, along with Burrow’s wife Lindsey, their children and his parents Geoff and Irene.
The Harry Sunderland Trophy was introduced for the 1965 Championship final and transferred to the end-of-season Premiership Trophy in 1973. It switched to the Grand Final when Super League play-offs began in 1998.
Trevor Hunt, chairman of the RLWBA, said: “We thought it was the right time to make a change and to recognise a man who produced some of the most memorable Grand Final moments, but it was always important for us the achievements and history of the Harry Sunderland Trophy winners would be recognised. That has been done with the design of the superb new trophy and by the invitation [to Saturdays’ final] of as many Harry Sunderland Trophy winners, or their family members, as it has been possible to contact.”
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Hide AdRL Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones added: “Saturday’s Grand Final will be a special occasion for so many reasons and, as with the Challenge Cup final in June, it is another opportunity for us to remember Rob Burrow and to celebrate his contribution to rugby league. He was thrilled when we told him last winter the player of the match at the Grand Final would win the Rob Burrow Award and we are honoured his father has agreed to present the new trophy to the first winner, with Lindsey and the children also in attendance.
“It was important to us to respect the winners and history of the Harry Sunderland Trophy, and we have done that in the new trophy we commissioned from Fattorini, whose long history in rugby league dates back to the original Challenge Cup, with the names of the Harry Sunderland winners engraved around the lower of two bases. We are pleased so many of the winners will be at Old Trafford on Saturday, or represented by family members.”
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