St Helens pair named top men

Sean Long had another stunning season for Saints

St Helens half-back combination Sean Long and Tommy Martyn picked up the top prizes at rugby league's end of season awards.

Long was crowned Man of Steel while Martyn claimed the Player of the Year award after topping a ballot of Super League players.

Long, a former Wigan player who has been a prolific scorer since joining Saints four years ago, was presented with a specially-designed trophy and a £5,000 cheque at the ceremony in Manchester.

Long was judged to have made the biggest impact on Super League V, and follows in a line of illustrious past winners, including Ellery Hanley, Andy Farrell, Jonathan Davies and Shaun Edwards.

Martyn got the nod from fellow players

New record

Long amassed a staggering 412 points, establishing a new Super League record on the way to confirming his standing as one of the modern greats.

Long, winner in 1999, was also nominated - along with Wigan captain Farrell - for the GMB/Players Association award which went to Martyn.

The award completed a fairytale season for Martyn, who was cast onto the scrapheap by Ellery Hanley in March but enjoyed a new lease of life under new coach Ian Millward.

Dream Team

Both winners were named in the 2000 Super League Dream Team and will play key roles for England and Ireland respectively in the forthcoming Lincoln World Cup.

Young star: Stuart Fielden

Wigan received some recognition for their achievements in finishing top of the table and reaching their second Grand Final in three years when Frank Endacott was named Coach of the Year in his first season with the club.

Millward and Bradford's outgoing boss Matthew Elliott, last year's winner, were the other nominees.

Bradford prop Stuart Fielden held off competition from Paul Wellens (St Helens) and Richard Horne (Hull) to lift the Young Player of the Year award and Castleford's Russell Smith was named Tissot Referee of the Year.