Double delight for Dewsbury duo! Outgoing head coach Liam Finn and captain Reiss Butterworth triumph at the Rugby League Awards

Finn, the new head coach of Halifax Panthers, was named League One Coach of the Year while captain Reiss Butterworth, who is being rumoured to move to a Super League side for 2024, picked up the division’s Player of the Year award at a ceremony in Manchester last night (Tuesday).

Finn impressively guided the Rams to the League One title in 2023, as well as to the fifth round of the Challenge Cup, and was recognised at the annual Rugby League Awards presentation at Emirates Old Trafford.

His successful exploits with the Rams this season, in addition to the hometown connection he has to Fax, saw him announced as the new head coach at The Shay after Simon Grix - recently revealed as the new assistant head coach at Hull FC - informed of his departure after three years in the role part way through the campaign.

Finn told the Reporter Series after the awards ceremony: “Obviously I am really happy about picking up the award. It’s not what we do it for but it’s a nice pat on the back at the end of the season and a tip of the hat to the group of players that I worked with for the past 12 months who have all been absolutely first class.

“They were a good group of people to work with. I think that is a good starting point for any team - good people and having them around you. Ultimately, it was them who got the job done.

“I am thankful for that group of players. I am moving on but I hope they do well next season as well and they keep most of them together.”

On working with Butterworth, Finn added:

“Reiss deserves all the credit he gets because he works hard. He is really professional and he is constantly working on trying to improve his game.

“He keeps improving as a player and he was a massive influence on that team last season and played a pivotal role. He got the Player of the Year award because of that. It is really well deserved.”

Other winners on the night included Workington Town’s Ciaran Walker scooping the League One Young Player of the Year award, Mike Eccles, head coach of London Broncos, picking up the Championship Coach of the Year award and Wigan Warriors’ Bevan French lifting the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel award, while the Burrow Family won the Glen’s Spirit of Super League Award.