The Lance Todd Trophy is a trophy in rugby league, awarded to man of the match in the annual Challenge Cup Final.

Introduced in 1945–46, the trophy was named in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War. After Todd's death a fund, the Lance Todd memorial Trophy Fund, was established by Australian journalist and rugby league official Harry Sunderland. The trophy's winner is selected by the members of the Rugby League Writers' Association present at the game. Until 1957 there was no permanent trophy, instead the winner was given a cash prize with which to buy themselves a memento. In 1956 the Red Devils Association, the official body representing ex-Salford players, decided to pay for a permanent trophy to be awarded to the winner and the first recipient of the new trophy was Jeff Stevenson in 1957. The trophy is presented at a celebratory dinner at the Salford Community Stadium, home of the Salford Red Devils. As of 2026, no Salford player has won this award.

The first winner of the trophy was Wakefield Trinity , Billy Stott in 1945–46. St. Helens' Sean Long made history in 2006 becoming the first player to win the Lance Todd Trophy three times, having won in 2001 and 2004. Long's record was equalled by Warrington's Marc Sneyd in 2025, having previously won the trophy with Hull F.C. in 2016 and 2017. Four players have won the trophy twice: Warrington's Gerry Helme in 1949–50 and 1953–54; Wigan's Andy Gregory in 1987–88 and 1989–90; and Martin Offiah in 1991–92 and 1993–94; St. Helens' Paul Wellens in 2007 (jointly) and 2008. Sneyd and Wellens are the only players to win the award in consecutive finals.

Halifax's former Australian international fullback Graham Eadie and Wigan's 1984-85 Australian import stand-off Brett Kenny are the only players to win both the Lance Todd Trophy and the Clive Churchill Medal as the player of the match in the Sydney Premiership Grand Final. Eadie won the Lance Todd in 1986–87 and was (retrospectively) twice awarded the Churchill after Manly-Warringah's premiership wins in 1976 and 1978 while 1984–85 trophy winner Kenny was retrospectively awarded the Churchill for Parramatta's Grand Final wins in 1982 and 1983.

The first player to win the trophy on the losing side was Frank Whitcombe of Bradford Northern in the 1947–48 final against Wigan; he was also the first forward to win the award. Robbie Paul, Gary Connolly, Kevin Sinfield, Niall Evalds, Chris McQueen and Marc Sneyd have all won the award since 1996, despite each of them finishing on the losing side.

The youngest player to win the trophy was Huddersfield's Peter Ramsden who won it on his 19th birthday in 1952–53.

The trophy has been shared on two occasions, first in 1964–65 by Ray Ashby (Wigan) and Brian Gabbitas (Hunslet), and most recently in 2007 by St Helens duo Paul Wellens and Leon Pryce.

Winners Season Recipient Team Position1945–46 Billy Stott Wakefield Trinity 1946–47 Willie Davies Bradford Northern 1947–48 Frank Whitcombe † Bradford Northern 1948–49 Ernest Ward Bradford Northern 1949–50 Gerry Helme Warrington Wolves 1950–51 Cec Mountford Wigan Warriors 1951–52 Billy Ivison Workington Town 1952–53 Peter Ramsden Huddersfield Giants 1953–54 Gerry Helme Warrington Wolves 1954–55 Jack Grundy Barrow Raiders 1955–56 Alan Prescott St Helens 1956–57 Jeff Stevenson Leeds Rhinos 1957–58 Rees Thomas Wigan Warriors 1958–59 Brian McTigue Wigan Warriors 1959–60 Tommy Harris † Hull F.C. 1960–61 Dick Huddart St Helens 1961–62 Neil Fox Wakefield Trinity 1962–63 Harold Poynton Wakefield Trinity 1963–64 Frank Collier Widnes Vikings 1964–65 Ray Ashby Wigan Warriors Brian Gabbitas † Hunslet 1965–66 Len Killeen St Helens 1966–67 Carl Dooler Featherstone Rovers 1967–68 Don Fox † Wakefield Trinity 1968–69 Mal Reilly Castleford Tigers 1969–70 Bill Kirkbride Castleford Tigers 1970–71 Alex Murphy Leigh Centurions 1971–72 Kel Coslett St Helens 1972–73 Steve Nash Featherstone Rovers 1973–74 Derek Whitehead Warrington Wolves 1974–75 Ray Dutton Widnes Vikings 1975–76 Geoff Pimblett St Helens 1976–77 Steve Pitchford Leeds Rhinos 1977–78 George Nicholls † St Helens 1978–79 David Topliss † Wakefield Trinity 1979–80 Brian Lockwood Hull Kingston Rovers 1980–81 Mick Burke Widnes Vikings 1981–82 Eddie Cunningham † Widnes Vikings 1982–83 David Hobbs Featherstone Rovers 1983–84 Joe Lydon Widnes Vikings 1984–85 Brett Kenny Wigan Warriors 1985–86 Bob Beardmore Castleford Tigers 1986–87 Graham Eadie Halifax 1987–88 Andy Gregory Wigan Warriors 1988–89 Ellery Hanley Wigan Warriors 1989–90 Andy Gregory Wigan Warriors 1990–91 Denis Betts Wigan Warriors 1991–92 Martin Offiah Wigan Warriors 1992–93 Dean Bell Wigan Warriors 1993–94 Martin Offiah Wigan Warriors 1994–95 Jason Robinson Wigan Warriors 1996 Robbie Paul† Bradford Bulls 1997 Tommy Martyn St Helens 1998 Mark Aston Sheffield Eagles 1999 Leroy Rivett Leeds Rhinos 2000 Henry Paul Bradford Bulls 2001 Sean Long St Helens 2002 Kris Radlinski Wigan Warriors 2003 Gary Connolly † Leeds Rhinos 2004 Sean Long St Helens 2005 Kevin Sinfield † Leeds Rhinos 2006 Sean Long St Helens 2007 Paul Wellens St Helens Leon Pryce St Helens 2008 Paul Wellens St Helens 2009 Michael Monaghan Warrington Wolves 2010 Lee Briers Warrington Wolves 2011 Jeff Lima Wigan Warriors 2012 Brett Hodgson Warrington Wolves 2013 Matty Smith Wigan Warriors 2014 Ryan Hall Leeds Rhinos 2015 Tom Briscoe Leeds Rhinos 2016 Marc Sneyd Hull F.C. 2017 Marc Sneyd Hull F.C. 2018 Tony Gigot Catalans Dragons 2019Daryl Clark Warrington Wolves 2020Richie Myler Leeds Rhinos 2021Niall Evalds † Castleford Tigers 2022Chris McQueen † Huddersfield Giants 2023Lachlan Lam Leigh Leopards 2024 Bevan French Wigan Warriors 2025 Marc Sneyd † Warrington Wolves 2026 Jack Farrimond Wigan Warriors

† = Won Lance Todd Trophy whilst on losing team

Awards by club Club Number of winners Barrow Raiders 1 Bradford Bulls 4 Castleford Tigers 4 Catalans Dragons 2 Featherstone Rovers 3 Halifax 1 Hunslet 1 Hull F.C. 3 Hull Kingston Rovers 1 Huddersfield Giants 4 Leeds Rhinos 8 Leigh Leopards 2 Sheffield Eagles 1 St Helens 12 Wakefield Trinity 4 Warrington Wolves 8 Widnes Vikings 5 Wigan Warriors 19 Workington Town 1

Winners by playing position Position Number of winners 5 15 3 6 8 17 7 15 7

Notes

See also Harry Sunderland Trophy Man of Steel Award Clive Churchill Medal

References

Lance Todd Wigan Career Page on the Wigan RL Fansite.