Sam Tomkins named 2012 Man of Steel

Wigan full-back Sam Tomkins has been named the 2012 Super League Man of Steel.

Tomkins, 23, was selected ahead of St Helens hooker James Roby and Warrington back-rower Ben Westwood.

He said: “It’s not very often I struggle for things to say but I certainly was when I went onto that stage.

“When you start playing rugby and you get your end-of-season awards, the biggest one is always the players’ player.

“They’re the people you want to impress the most – your peers. There are some great players in our league and people like Jamie Peacock made it public that he’d voted for me.

“To think a living legend is voting for you to pick up such a special award, it’s a little bit surreal.”

Mick Potter won Coach of the Year, after staying on at Bradford on a voluntary basis despite being made redundant in July, almost guiding the Bulls to the play-offs despite a six point deduction.

Leeds full-back Zak Hardaker won Young Player of the Year, while team-mate Jamie Peacock won the Mike Gregory State of Rugby League Award for lifetime achievement.

Danny Orr, Ryan Hudson and Ben Jeffries all picked up lifetime achievement awards after deciding to hang up their boots at the end of this campaign.

Josh Charnley won the Top try scorer award after crossing the whitewash 31 times in 2012, while the Hit Man accolade went to Wakefield’s Danny Washbrook, with 991 tackles. Roby was named Top metre maker with 3,971m gained.