Thursday 4 October 2018 11:00, UK
St Helens hooker James Roby has been named player of the year by the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association.
The 32-year-old England international is the seventh Saints winner of an award which was first presented to Apollo Perelini in 1996.
Roby polled around 40 per cent of the votes to win the Raymond Fletcher Memorial Trophy, pushing team-mate Ben Barba into second place and Wigan's John Bateman into third.
All three players are also on the short-list for the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award, which will be presented on Monday - while Tony Gigot (Catalans), Luke Thompson, Tommy Makinson, Danny Richardson (all St Helens), and Bill Tupou (Wakefield) also gained votes based on their performances throughout the domestic season.
RLWBA chairman Trevor Hunt said: "Roby beat off plenty of fierce opposition for the coveted RLWBA award.
"He's had a superb season, following up his magnificent World Cup in 2017, with yet another peerless set of performances for St Helens."
