SPORTS

Toronto Wolfpack and captain Craig Hall earn end-of-year rugby league honours

Neil Davidson The Canadian Press
Published Monday, September 18, 2017 9:32PM EDT

Toronto Wolfpack captain Craig Hall hoists the trophy as the first-year rugby league team celebrates winning the Kingstone Press League 1 title and promotion to the English second-tier after defeating the Barrow Raiders 26-2 at Toronto's Lamport Stadium, Saturday, September 9, 2017. (Neil Davidson/The Canadian Press)

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The Toronto Wolfpack and captain Craig Hall were honoured Monday night with English rugby league awards.

The first-year Wolfpack were named club of the year in the Kingstone Press League 1 while Hall won player of the year honours in England's third tier of rugby league.

"It's been an amazing, enthusiastic roller-coaster ride," Toronto director of rugby Brian Noble told the awards dinner Monday night in Manchester, England.

"The Canadians, I can just say, absolutely love our game," he added.

Hall was a big part of selling the game in North America, a stylish runner with a reliable boot. The 29-year-old centre led the Wolfpack to a 20-1-1 record in securing automatic promotion to the second-tier Championship while attracting more than 6,000 people to each home game at Lamport Stadium.

The former Hull F.C., Hull Kingston Rover and Wakefield Trinity player led the Kingstone Press League 1 with 420 points and was tied with teammate Jonny Pownall for second in tries (24) behind Toronto's Liam Kay (25). He also led the league with 162 goals.

Hall scored in all 25 Wolfpack games this season, including the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.

Toronto hooker Bob Beswick and Joe Bullock of the Barrow Raiders were also up for player of the year.

Whitehaven's player-coach Carl Forster was named coach of the year in his first year in charge of the club. He beat out James Ford of the York City Knights and Paul Crarey of the Barrow Raiders.

Lewis Young of the Newcastle Thunder was named young player of the year, over York City's Ash Robson and Liam Harris.

The awards were decided by coaches in the Kingstone Press League 1. The club of the year was decided by the Rugby Football League board.

In other awards, Hull Kingston Rovers captain Shaun Lunt was named player of the year in the Championship. Andrew Henderson of the London Broncos was chosen coach of the year.

Bradford Bulls forward James Bentley was voted Championship young player of the year.

The Kingstone Press Championship Club of the Year Award went to Hull Kingston Rovers, who secured a return to the Betfred Super League one year after relegation.