The Albert Goldthorpe Medal was created by League Express in 2008 to honour leading players in Super League each year, and to link Rugby League’s modern stars with its proud history.
The medal is named after a man who was English Rugby League’s first superstar, more than 100 years ago, who was the subject of one of the most iconic photographs in the history of the game, when he was pictured holding all four Cups when he captained the great Hunslet team of the 1907/8 season.
In considering its design and requirements, the directors of League Publications Limited, publishers of League Express, looked to the process applied in awarding Australia’s ‘Dally M Medal’, the award that goes to the NRL player with the highest number of weekly points awarded by Rugby League writers associated with the News Limited series of newspapers. That award is named after the great Australian superstar of both codes, Dally Messenger, who guaranteed the success of Rugby League in Australia when he signed to play the new code in 1907.
Each week, after every Super League game prior to the playoffs, the League Express match report writer awards medal points to the three players who, in the opinion of the writer, were the ‘best and fairest’ players in that game. 3, 2 & 1 points are awarded, respectively. Each week’s leading point scorers are published in League Express until the end of the Super League regular season.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE MEDAL WINNERS
- 2008 Danny Brough – Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
- 2009 Michael Dobson – Hull Kingston Rovers
- 2010 Pat Richards & Sam Tomkins – Wigan Warriors
- 2011 Rangi Chase – Castleford Tigers
- 2012 Scott Dureau – Catalan Dragons
- 2013 Danny Brough – Huddersfield Giants
- 2014 Danny Brough – Huddersfield Giants
- 2015 Luke Gale – Castleford Tigers
- 2016 Luke Gale – Castleford Tigers
- 2017 Luke Gale – Castleford Tigers
- 2018 Stefan Ratchford – Warrington Wolves
- 2019 Jonny Lomax – St Helens
- 2020 – Not awared due to Covid-19 pandemic
- 2021 – Not awarded due to Covid-19 pandemic
- 2022 – Brodie Croft (Salford Red Devils)
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR MEDAL
- 2008 Luke Burgess – Leeds Rhinos
- 2009 Sam Tomkins – Wigan Warriors
- 2010 Liam Watts – Hull Kingston Rovers
- 2011 Jermaine McGillvary – Huddersfield Giants
- 2012 John Bateman – Bradford Bulls
- 2013 Tom Lineham – Hull FC
- 2014 Joe Burgess – Wigan Warriors
- 2015 Andre Savelio – St Helens
- 2016 Max Jowitt – Wakefield Trinity
- 2017 Liam Marshall – Wigan Warriors
- 2018 Jake Trueman – Castleford Tigers
- 2019 Morgan Smithies – Wigan Warriors
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE TEAM AWARD
- 2011 Warrington Wolves
- 2012 Wigan Warriors
- 2013 Huddersfield Giants
- 2014 Wigan Warriors
- 2015 Wigan Warriors
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE PLAYING CAREER AWARD
- 2011 Robbie Paul – Bradford Bulls, Huddersfield Giants, Salford City Reds, Leigh Centurions
- 2012 Paul Sculthorpe – Warrington Wolves, St Helens
- 2013 Keith Senior – Sheffield Eagles, Leeds Rhinos / Steve Menzies – Catalan Dragons, Bradford Bulls, Manly Sea Eagles
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
- 2008 Francis Maloney
- 2009 Ray French
- 2010 Malcolm Alker
- 2011 Mike ‘Stevo’ Stephenson
- 2012 David Oxley
- 2013 Harry Jepson
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE PEN (JOURNALISM AWARD)
- 2012 Dave Hadfield
- 2013 Phil Caplan