HULL FC hooker Danny Houghton beat off stiff competition to be named the 2016 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel.
Houghton, who is the first ever Hull FC player to win the coveted award, has been at the heart of the Black and Whites attack and defence this year, playing a major role in their Ladbrokes Challenge Cup victory and helping them secure a top three finish in the First Utility Super League for the first time since 2006.
Shortlisted alongside teammate Gareth Ellis and Castleford Tigers winger Denny Solomona, the 28-year-old Hull FC player has been in fine form this season and received the award as the stand-out performer in 2016 at the First Utility Super League Man of Steel dinner held at Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester.
Houghton secured the award following a ballot of 288 Super League players and beat Hull Captain Ellis, who finished in second place, by almost twice as many first choice votes 113 to 59. For the first time ever the choices of every Super League player who voted have been made public on rugby-league.com. Each Super League player votes for three players they feel deserves the award, with their first choice receiving 5 points, second choice receiving 3 points and third choice receiving 1 point.
The award winners in full from the 2016 First Utility Super League Man of Steel awards are as follows:
- Hit man – Danny Houghton (Hull FC – 1289 tackles)
- Top metre maker – Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves – 3983 metres made)
- Top try-scorer – Denny Solomona (Castleford Tigers – 40 tries)
- Top Gun – Marc Sneyd (Hull FC – 83% conversion rate)
- Outstanding Contribution – Gregory Mounis, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Jamie Langley, Kirk Yeaman, Luke Dorn, Luke Robinson, Pat Richards, Paul Jackson, Paul Wood, Richard Mathers, Stuart Littler, Wayne Godwin
- Foundation of the Year – Widnes Vikings
- First Utility Super League Club of the Year – Hull FC
- First Utility Super League Young Player of the Year – Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity Wildcats)
- First Utility Super League Coach of the Year – Lee Radford (Hull FC)
- The Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel – Danny Houghton (Hull FC)
You can see the players’ vote for Man of Steel here.
