Cooke wins awards double as Doncaster dominate prize night

Doncaster warmed up for Sunday’s Championship One Grand Final by monopolising last night’s competition awards ceremony.

The South Yorkshire club, who face Barrow Raiders in the showpiece at Warrington, saw Tony Miller win Coach of the Year while star stand-off Paul Cooke collected two gongs as well.

The ex-Hull FC, Hull KR and England international picked up the Championship One Player of the Year for his displays during a memorable debut campaign and also the Northern Star Award for his contributions to the local area as part of his community development role at Keepmoat Stadium.

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Under Miller’s guidance, Doncaster earned promotion playing an attractive brand of football which produced, on average,
almost 40 points per match.

With Cooke their chief playmaker, they won the League Leaders’ Shield – their first piece of silverware in 61 years – and, with the chance to do the double this weekend too, it was no surprise they were also named Championship One Club of the Year.

Other winners from the region included Featherstone Rovers scrum-half Liam Finn, who bagged the prestigious Championship Player of the Year award for the second time in three years.

He got the nod ahead of team-mate Andy Kain, departing Halifax captain Sean Penkywicz and Leigh’s Bob Beswick.

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Featherstone – who face Sheffield Eagles in Sunday’s Grand Final – were named Championship Club of the Year in a season where they were League Leaders’ Shield winners again, delivered a memorable Challenge Cup victory over Super League side Castleford Tigers and reached their first Northern Rail Cup Final.

Featherstone, meanwhile, have signed Wakefield Trinity’s Andy Ellis on a two-year deal – the experienced hooker who played a big part in Wildcats’ thrilling end of season run to the play-offs.

Coach Daryl Powell said: “Andy spent some time with us (on loan) this season which gave both us and him an opportunity to see how he fits into the way we play.

“He’s proven both in Championship and Super League as his last eight games for Wakefield showed. His signing gives us strength in depth in all positions, with Ben Kaye playing outstanding rugby league this year.”

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Batley Bulldogs forward Alex Walmsley was awarded the Championship Young Player of the Year award last night, crowning a magnificent season which has seen the former student prop earn a contract with St Helens.

He pipped Leigh’s Ryan Brierley, who has been on loan from Castleford Tigers, and Featherstone’s Greg Worthington,

Championship Coach of the Year award winner was Leigh Centurions’ Paul Rowley, the ex-Halifax hooker, who beat off competition from Powell, Batley’s John Kear and Halifax’s Karl Harrison.