Lance Todd Trophy
Lancelot Beaumont “Lance” Todd (26 May 1883 – 14 November 1942) was a New Zealand-born rugby league footballer and manager of the early 20th century.
Originally from Otahuhu where he played rugby union, Todd later joined the Parnell club and from here made the Auckland side. He did not make the All Blacks but this was due to the tremendous talent in front of him and he was still regarded as being a special player in the Auckland scene.
He was picked for the professional All Blacks 1907–1908 rugby tour of Great Britain and Australia and subsequently, like all members of the tour, received a life ban from the New Zealand Rugby Union. Todd had been involved in organising the tour and served on the Management Committee. During the tour he excelled at the game of rugby league, playing in four Test matches, and scoring eight tries in all games. He was one of five players who opted to stay in Great Britain at the tour’s end. He was signed by Wigan after the tour for £400 and the captaincy, and he became an outstanding centre, making 186 appearances for the club.
Lance Todd played left-centre in Wigan’s 10-9 victory over Oldham in the 1908 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1908–09 season and played left-centre and scored a try in the 21-5 victory over Rochdale Hornets in the 1912 Lancashire County Cup Final during the 1912–13 season.
In 1928 he became the team manager at Salford, achieving legendary status. Salford were close to folding when he joined but his management turned them into a formidable and successful team. During the 1930s Salford won three League Championships, five Lancashire League Championships, four Lancashire Cups, and was the coach in Salford’s 7-4 victory over Barrow in the 1938 Challenge Cup Final.
Todd died on 14 November 1942, in a motor accident. An inquest into his death determined a verdict of “accidental death”.
During World War II Todd was serving as a commandant to the Salford section of the Home Guard but it would be on a return home from duty in Oldham that the accident happened. A car he was driving swerved to avoid a collision with a tram, but crashed into a lampost. Todd died along with his colleague Colonel Frank Sewell in the front passenger seat. Two passengers in the rear seats of the car survived. Todd is buried in Wigan (Ince) cemetery.
For his work as a manager and as a radio commentator resulted in the Lance Todd Trophy being named after him. This trophy is awarded to the man of the match in the Challenge Cup Final.
In 2007 Todd was inducted as one of the New Zealand Rugby League’s inaugural “Legends of League”.
Winners List
| Season | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Bevan French | Wigan |
| 2023 | Lachlan Lam | Leigh |
| 2022 | Chris McQueen | Huddersfield |
| 2021 | Niall Evalds | Castleford |
| 2020 | Richie Myler | Leeds Rhinos |
| 2019 | Daryl Clark | Warrington Wolves |
| 2018 | Tony Gigot | Catalans Dragons |
| 2017 | Marc Sneyd | Hull FC |
| 2016 | Marc Sneyd | Hull FC |
| 2015 | Tom Briscoe | Leeds Rhinos |
| 2014 | Ryan Hall | Leeds Rhinos |
| 2013 | Matty Smith | Wigan Warriors |
| 2012 | Brett Hodgson | Warrington Wolves |
| 2011 | Jeff Lima | Wigan Warriors |
| 2010 | Lee Briers | Warrington Wolves |
| 2009 | Michael Monaghan | Warrington Wolves |
| 2008 | Paul Wellens | St Helens |
| 2007 | Leon Pryce & Paul Wellens | St Helens |
| 2006 | Sean Long | St Helens |
| 2005 | Kevin Sinfield | Leeds Rhinos |
| 2004 | Sean Long | St Helens |
| 2003 | Gary Connolly | Leeds Rhinos |
| 2002 | Kris Radlinski | Wigan Warriors |
| 2001 | Sean Long | St Helens |
| 2000 | Henry Paul | Bradford Bulls |
| 1999 | Leroy Rivett | Leeds Rhinos |
| 1998 | Mark Aston | Sheffield Eagles |
| 1997 | Tommy Martyn | St Helens |
| 1996 | Robbie Paul | Bradford Bulls |
| 1995 | Jason Robinson | Wigan Warriors |
| 1994 | Martin Offiah | Wigan Warriors |
| 1993 | Dean Bell | Wigan Warriors |
| 1992 | Martin Offiah | Wigan Warriors |
| 1991 | Dennis Betts | Wigan Warriors |
| 1990 | Andy Gregory | Wigan Warriors |
| 1989 | Ellery Hanley | Wigan Warriors |
| 1988 | Andy Gregory | Wigan Warriors |
| 1987 | Graham Eadie | Halifax RLFC |
| 1986 | Bob Beardmore | Castleford Tigers |
| 1985 | Brett Kenny | Wigan Warriors |
| 1984 | Joe Lydon | Widnes Vikings |
| 1983 | David Hobbs | Featherstone Rovers |
| 1982 | Eddie Cunningham | Widnes Vikings |
| 1981 | Mick Burke | Widnes Vikings |
| 1980 | Brian Lockwood | Hull KR |
| 1979 | David Topliss | Wakefield Trinity |
| 1978 | George Nicholls | St Helens |
| 1977 | Steve Pitchford | Leeds Rhinos |
| 1976 | Geoff Pimblett | St Helens |
| 1975 | Ray Dutton | Widnes Vikings |
| 1974 | Derek Whitehead | Warrington Wolves |
| 1973 | Steve Nash | Featherstone Rovers |
| 1972 | Kel Coslett | St Helens |
| 1971 | Alex Murphy | Leigh Centurions |
| 1970 | Bill Kirkbride | Castleford Tigers |
| 1969 | Malcolm Reilly | Castleford Tigers |
| 1968 | Don Fox | Wakefield Trinity |
| 1967 | Carl Dooler | Featherstone Rovers |
| 1966 | Len Kileen | St Helens |
| 1965 | Brian Gabbitas & Ray Ashby | Hunslet & Wigan Warriors |
| 1964 | Frank Collier | Widnes Vikings |
| 1963 | Harold Poynton | Wakefield Trinity |
| 1962 | Neil Fox | Wakefield Trinity |
| 1961 | Dick Huddart | St Helens |
| 1960 | Tommy Harris | Hull FC |
| 1959 | Brian McTigue | Wigan Warriors |
| 1958 | Rees Thomas | Wigan Warriors |
| 1957 | Jeff Stevenson | Leeds Rhinos |
| 1956 | Alan Prescott | St Helens |
| 1955 | John ‘Jack’ Grundy | Barrow |
| 1954 | Gerry Helme | Warrington Wolves |
| 1953 | Peter Ramsden | Huddersfield Giants |
| 1952 | William Ivison | Workington |
| 1951 | Cecil ‘Cec’ Mountford | Wigan Warriors |
| 1950 | Gerry Helme | Warrington Wolves |
| 1949 | Ernest Ward | Bradford Northern |
| 1948 | Frank Whitcombe | Bradford Northern |
| 1947 | Willie Davies | Bradford Northern |
| 1946 | William ‘Billy’ Stott | Wakefield Trinity |
† = denotes a player who won the trophy but played on the losing team in the final.