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Saints prop James Graham maintained St Helens’ dominance of rugby league’s top individual award when he was named the 2008 engage Super League Man of Steel

The 23-year-old emerged top of a poll of engage Super League players who determined the winner of the prestigious award for the first time.

Also shortlisted were St Helens stand-off Leon Pryce and Leeds forward Jamie Peacock, who like Graham will feature in Saturday’s Grand Final at Old Trafford.

Graham, who was recently voted as player of the year by the Rugby League Writers Association, received his trophy and a cheque for £5,000 at a gala dinner in Manchester.

He becomes the seventh St Helens player to be crowned Man of Steel in the last nine years, emulating the feat of James Roby (2007), Paul Wellens (2006), Jamie Lyon (2005), Sean Long (2000) and Paul Sculthorpe (2001 and 2002).

Graham, who was engage Super League’s young player of the year in 2006, has been inspirational this season in St Helens’ bid to complete a domestic whitewash of the trophies, taking up the mantle when the team lost both first-choice starting props Jason Cayless and Nick Fozzard through injury.

“It’s fantastic news for James,” said St Helens coach Daniel Anderson. “To do what he’s done this year is exceptional. He’s been tremendous for us.”

Since scoring twice on his debut for Great Britain against New Zealand two years ago, Graham has yet to appear on the losing side for his country and promises to be a key figure for England in the World Cup.

Interestingly, the last three winners of the award are also products of the Club’s highly successful Academy programme.

Castleford Tigers loose forward Joe Westerman, 18, who is also in England’s World Cup squad, was named young player of the year, beating off competition from Joel Tomkins (Wigan Warriors) and Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield Giants).

Mick Potter topped a poll of engage Super League coaches to be named coach of the year after guiding Catalans Dragons to a third-place finish in his final season before taking over from Anderson at St Helens.

St Helens’ recently-retired forward Mike Bennett won the Carnegie community player of the year award and Hull Kingston Rovers were named club of the year in recognition of their outstanding development across the board.

Chris Chester (Hull KR), Joe Vagana (Bradford Bulls) and Paul Sculthorpe (St Helens) all received special awards to recognise their retirement from the game after chalking up more than 200 Super League appearances.

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James Graham wins Man of Steel

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