Tuesday 6 October 2015 10:06, UK
Zak Hardaker has been named Super League Man of Steel after a superb season in leading the Leeds Rhinos to the Grand Final.
The full-back was rewarded for the scintillating play that has put the Rhinos in sight of the treble when he scooped the big prize at the Man of Steel awards night in Manchester on Monday.
The 23-year-old was adjudged by his fellow players to be the man to have made the biggest impact on Super League XX.
Former dual-code international Iestyn Harris was the last Rhinos player to be crowned Man of Steel in 1998.
Leeds, who have already won the Challenge Cup and the league leaders' shield, dominated the awards, winning club of the year, while Brian McDermott was named coach of the year.
Wigan stand-off George Williams was unveiled as Super League's young player of the year.
And Sky Sports rugby league commentator Eddie Hemmings was inducted into rugby league's Roll of Honour for his services to broadcasting.
Hardaker topped the poll of players ahead of his Rhinos team-mate Adam Cuthbertson and St Helens prop Adam Walmsley, the other members of the Steve Prescott Man of Steel shortlist, and completes a major turnaround in his fortunes.
Earlier this year, he was sent by his club on an anger management course, fined and ordered to do 20 hours a week voluntary work after admitting assaulting a student in February.
Last season, Hardaker received a five-match ban from the Rugby Football League for a homophobic comment and two years ago he was fined £2,500 and issued with a warning by Leeds for a breach of the club's players' code of conduct.
That followed his expulsion from the England squad during the 2013 World Cup when he failed to add to the cap he won against Wales in 2012.
The former Featherstone player, who joined the Rhinos in 2011 and signed a new four-year contract in July, was last week named in the 2015 Super League Dream Team and on Saturday will aim for a third Super League ring when Leeds meet Wigan at Old Trafford.
McDermott says he is expecting his full-back to rise to the occasion on Saturday but warns he has yet to completely fill the boots of his predecessor Brent Webb.
McDermott said: "Zak's probably not there up with Brent Webb, where it was almost like having another half on the field, yet as a full-back but in terms of determination and showing up in the big games, I don't see another fella, certainly in his position.
"He's relentless, he shows up week in week out and it's on the biggest stage where he seems to do it as well. He's a tough competitor and he can hold his nerve.
"Full-back is an isolated position and when the ball goes up under heavy traffic, he normally comes up with the goods."
Watch Leeds Rhinos against Wigan Warriors in the Super League Grand Final, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 6pm on Saturday night.
