The new prize to be presented to Grand Final man of the match

The new award for the Super League Grand Final’s man of the match has been named in honour of Rob Burrow (Image: SWPix.com)

A NEW award will be presented to the outstanding player of this year’s Super League Grand Final.

The man of the match of the 2024 showpiece at Old Trafford on October 14 will receive the first Rob Burrow Award in honour of the Leeds Rhinos legend, who has inspired millions during his battle with motor neurone disease.

The award will replace the Harry Sunderland Trophy, which has been presented to the Player of the Match in the previous 26 Grand Finals since 1998 having been introduced in 1965, and previously presented to the Man of the Match in Championship and Premiership Finals.

Burrow, who was awarded a CBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours list for services to motor neurone disease awareness, is one of only three players to win the Harry Sunderland Trophy twice in Grand Finals having been honoured in the 2007 and 2011 finals.

Rob Burrow won his second Harry Sunderland Trophy during Leeds’ 2011 Grand Final win over St Helens (Image: SWPix.com)

The other two are his former Leeds Rhinos teammates Kevin Sinfield and Danny McGuire, who have been invited to present the first award.

As with the Harry Sunderland Trophy, the award will be voted for by members of the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association who attend the Grand Final.

And their president Trevor Hunt believes it is only right to honour Burrow by making this change.

“After long and serious consideration, we believe the time is now right to introduce a new award for the Player of the Match in the Super League Grand Final – and I am certain that rugby league players and supporters will agree that the name of Rob Burrow is a fitting one to recognise,” he said.

“He has been one of the most popular and successful players in the three decades since the Super League was formed in 1996, and made his own history at Old Trafford as the first man to win the Harry Sunderland Trophy in two Grand Finals – setting a never to be beaten record of winning every single vote for his brilliant performance for Leeds against St Helens in 2011.

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“Our predecessors celebrated the contribution made by Harry Sunderland to rugby league in this country when they introduced the Harry Sunderland Trophy for the 1965 Championship Final, following his death in Manchester in 1964.

“After it was awarded to the Man of the Match in nine…