It was the year of the Rhino in Super League, while Australia once again ruled the international roost.
To borrow a phrase from a wise man I once saw on television, the 2011 rugby league year was "nothing short of sensational".
It is hard to think we've seen a better Super League season - Warrington and Wigan were the two frontrunners in the regular season, only to fail to make it to the Grand Final. Instead it was once again St Helens and Leeds who met, something few would have predicted at the start of the campaign.
Catalans Dragons, rejuvenated under the leadership of coach Trent Robinson, Huddersfield and Castleford, inspired by Man of Steel Rangi Chase, all provided sparkling moments for their fans, though it wasn't all rosy.
Both Crusaders and Wakefield were deducted points for entering administration, while the Welsh club shocked their players, supporters and probably those at RFL headquarters when they pulled out of the running for a new three-year licence on the eve of the announcement.
As for the international game, England's Four Nations campaign again raised hope but there was that familiar disappointment in the end, Australia crushing them at Elland Road to take the trophy back from New Zealand's grasp and give skipper Darren Lockyer the perfect send-off.
England had also lost out in their mid-summer match against the Exiles, the International Origin a successful new idea that saw Super League's best overseas stars come together to face Steve McNamara's side. The only disappointment was the booing of Sam Tomkins by the crowd.
Down Under, Manly were crowned NRL champions and then quickly saw their coach, Des Hasler, depart in controversial circumstances. The State of Origin series did not disappoint, New South Wales and Queensland turning in three classics before Lockyer was left with the trophy at his beloved Suncorp.
Team of the Year - Leeds Rhinos
It's tough to imagine even the most loyal of Leeds fans believing 2011 would end up as the year of the Rhino, particularly after a mixed start to the campaign. When they were comprehensively beaten by Catalans Dragons as late as the middle of July, Leeds looked in danger of missing out on the play-offs completely, and the pressure appeared to be growing on coach Brian McDermott. Instead, though, they would go on to lose just once more in Super League, defying the logic that home advantage matters in the post season by triumphing away at both Huddersfield and Warrington, who had finished as minor premiers but came up short when it mattered the most. Leeds, in contrast, came on strong in the closing stages from almost nowhere, meaning a St Helens side who had once again done marvellously well to overcome injury problems were left as bridesmaids for a fifth straight year. It's easy to forget that the Rhinos reached the Challenge Cup final too, putting up a brave fight before going down to Wigan, who made sure Michael Maguire would claim a trophy in each of his years at the DW Stadium, in a Wembley thriller that the competition desperately needed.
Player of the Year - Kevin Sinfield
While Leeds were the only real choice to be named team of the year, there were plenty of candidates to be picked out as the top player. Sam Tomkins provided a raft of highlight-reel moments during a campaign that saw him top the try-scoring charts and while James Roby may not grab the headlines quite as much, he was just as effective for Saints - he had 778 runs out of dummy half, more than twice as many as the next player on the list. Both players were pipped by Rangi Chase in the battle to be crowned Man of Steel, but the influential Castleford half-back has missed out on our award. Instead Kevin Sinfield gets the nod, the Rhinos captain having led from the front with class and style during a real topsy-turvy season for his club. Sinfield made a smooth progression from the pack to stand-off, a position he ended up filling for both club and country, and was instrumental in Leeds' unlikely run to the title - it was his last-gasp penalty against Warrington that booked his team yet another trip to Old Trafford. Throw in a golden-point winner against Castleford in a Challenge Cup semi-final and it's fair to say Sinfield has nerves of steel.
Young Player of the Year - Jonny Lomax
Another catergory with a long list of contenders, but it's Jonny Lomax that ends up coming out on top. At the start of 2011 the 21-year-old might have expected to play a supporting role with St Helens, particularly with Leon Pryce and Kyle Eastmond seen as the starting half-backs. But he ended the Super League season as first-choice scrum-half next to fellow youngster Lee Gaskill, suggesting Saints won't miss the departed Pryce (who has moved to Perpignan to become a Dragon) and Eastmond (now in the 15-man code with Bath) at all in 2012. Lomax is recognisable for more than just his scrum cap - he is a serious danger to opponents with ball in hand and is always willing to attack the line. Having signed a new long-term contract Lomax is set to be a cornerstone for Saints for years and years to come, while international recognition is now surely only just around the corner. Zak Hardaker stood up tall for Leeds in their play-off run, while Josh Charnley was another back to impress. A word too for Castleford's collection of young talent, including hooker Adam Milner and backs Daryl Clark and Joe Arundel. In truth, every club seemed to discover fresh faces, suggesting the future of the game is in good health.
Moment of the Year - Burrow's Grand Final try
It is tempting to pick out Darren Lockyer's quite-dreadful conversion attempt that proved to be the last kick of his career, just because it shows he is human after all. Instead, though, let me eulogise over my favourite try of the Super League season - Rob Burrow's moment of individual brilliance in the Grand Final. Having found himself in the role of a super-sub for Leeds in the second half of the season, 'Beep Beep' came off the bench and duly beep beeped right down the middle at Old Trafford, ducking under the first line of Saints' defence before rounding last-man Paul Wellens and galloping away to the line for a score that will live long in the memory. It was a moment of sheer magic on the biggest of stages, one that saw him become the first player to win the Harry Sunderland Award twice.
Lowlight - Seeing Sam Tomkins playing for the Barbarians
It's not that Tomkins played badly against Australia at Twickenham, in fact he did remarkably well considering he'd admitted to never playing the 15-man code before in his life (My favourite quote of the year came in his post-match interview - "Where I am from people don't know what rugby union is and I am glad I have had the chance to play, but I am still a rugby league player"). The disappointment was that it seems inevitable now that Tomkins will one day be plying his trade in union, particularly with older brother Joel having already crossed codes. He has signed a new deal with the Warriors that will mean he can't even talk to a union club for another three years, so league fans should make the most of a once-in-a-generation talent while he's still around. Losing him to the NRL would be bad enough, but another big name crossing the divide? It's a worrying thought for the 13-man game.
Best Performance - England flatten Kiwis
In a battle for the chance to meet Australia in the Four Nations Final, England turned in their best performance in a long while to resoundly defeat New Zealand 28-6. Both teams had lost to the Kangaroos and beaten Wales, meaning it was a winner-takes-all showdown at the KC Stadium. England did not disappoint the majority of the sell-out crowd, scoring four tries to one to topple the reigning champions. The Kiwis did not take kindly to losing, with Jeremy Smith and Isaac Luke both lucky to escape anything more than being placed on report for dangerous challenges on Sam Tomkins and Rangi Chase respectively. In the end, a 70-metre score from home-town hero Tom Briscoe put England clear, with James Graham sealing the win with a try from close range in the final few minutes.
