Douglas lands top Scottish Prize
Prop Luke Douglas has been voted Scotland Rugby League’s Senior Player of the Year at the end of his debut campaign with the Bravehearts.
The Gold Coast Titans star will receive the Dave Valentine Award after being considered the best performer during Scotland’s successful Rugby League World Cup 2013 campaign.
As is now tradition on Hogmanay, all the members of Scotland's coaching team – head coach Steve McCormack and assistants Dave Rotheram and John Duffy – chose their three best, with Douglas beating his Gold Coast team-mate Matt Russell, who has moved to Warrington Wolves during the close season, into second place.
Bradford Bulls utility Danny Addy and Huddersfield’s Super League Man of Steel Danny Brough were joint third.
Douglas, who is on the verge of breaking the NRL record for consecutive appearances with Cronulla Sharks and Gold Coast, only joined the Scotland squad less than two weeks before their opening RLWC2013 game.
The former Newtown Jet arrived from Sydney and went straight into training camp in West Yorkshire. He made his Scotland debut 48 hours later against Papua New Guinea in a warm-up game at Featherstone.
The 27-year-old from Yamba then went on to be a dominant force in Scotland’s pack, a fearless leader on the pitch and a gentle giant off it as Scotland reached the quarter-finals.
“Luke made a massive contribution on and off the field, as did the other lads who got votes,” said McCormack.
“He’d never met us before, didn’t really know anybody but fitted in straightaway and was brilliant from start to finish.”
He was supported throughout the tournament by his kilt-wearing father and family friends, while brother Kane was touring the UK with the Australia rugby union team.
Douglas will be presented with his award, named after the Scot who lifted the 1954 World Cup as Great Britain captain, at the beginning of the NRL season in March.
He is the first Australian-based player to be given the honour.
Previous winners:
2012 Ben Fisher
2011 John Duffy
2010 Dale Ferguson
2009 Mick Nanyn
2008 Iain Morrison
2007 Duncan MacGillivray
2006 Neil Lowe
2005 Jon Steel
2004 Chris Birchall