Rugby League: Hatton wins big at Hornets end of season awards

Lewis Hatton with Rochdale Hornets president Paul Ormerod

Lewis Hatton scooped the top prizes at the Rochdale Hornets end of season dinner on Friday 5 October at a ceremony at Rochdale Golf Club.

Hatton, 21, was voted by his peers as the player’s player of the year and was also elected coaches' player of the year by the coaching staff.

Dubbed by Alan Kilshaw as the ‘toughest bloke I’ve ever coached’, Hatton has missed just a handful of games with the departing Kilshaw revealing he has needed an anterior cruciate ligament operation for the most part of the season.

Crossing the line five times in 2018, the prop forward is known for his blockbusting carries and ruthless defence and has become notorious for his ability to get under the oppositions skin.

Billy Brickhill picked up the award for young player of the year and has impressed in 2018 with a strong running game and the ability to find an offload from anywhere.

The 21-year-old joined from Gloucestershire All Golds ahead of the season and was catapulted into action on the back of injuries to senior players. He has impressed since coming in and has been deployed at loose forward, hooker and centre.

Another youngster in Deon Cross picked up the supporter’s player of the year after joining from Blackbrook ARLFC. The centre crossed the line 13 times over the course of the season and really hit form at the right time by dominating in the Championship Shield, scoring six tries in five games including a brace away to Batley and two long range efforts in the wins over Dewsbury and Sheffield that kept the club in the Championship.

A new award was introduced for 2018 in memory of the late Ray Myers - The Ray Myers Memorial Trophy. Ray’s wife, Ena Myer’s picked Ben Moores as the recipient for his efforts in 2018. Moores made 25 appearances this year, crossing for three tries.

Rob Massam was awarded the timekeeper’s award by club timekeeper, Trevor Haigh for his efforts in defence and attack with Trevor citing his ability to carry Hornets off their own line when they need it while also chipping in with some impressive scores.

Massam was also recognised as the clubs top try scorer in 2018 with 14.

Fan blog, These Lads Can Run For 80 Minutes chose Tyler Whittaker’s match winning try at Sheffield as the moment of the 2018 season, while Deon Cross picked up the award for try of the season for his breakaway score against Dewsbury Rams in the penultimate round of the season.

Full list of winners

Lewis Hatton – Coaches player of the year
Lewis Hatton – Player’s player of the year
Billy Brickhill – Young player of the year
Rob Massam – Top try scorer
Deon Cross – Supporter’s player of the year
Rob Massam - Timekeepers award
Tyler Whittaker – TLCRF80 Minutes moment of the season
Ben Moores – Ray Myer’s memorial trophy
Deon Cross – Try of the season