The story behind how St Helens’ Jonny Lomax battled with injury to win the Harry Sunderland Award

There’s an argument to be made that Jonny Lomax has been the best player in Super League over the last five years.

Despite this, like the likes of Kevin Sinfield before him, he has never been awarded the Man of Steel.

Even the Harry Sunderland Award alluded him in Grand Finals until Saturday night.

Lomax laid down an instant marker creating the first try of the game within minutes for Matty Lees before bossing the rest of the game as Saints defeated Leeds 24-12 to claim a record breaking fourth consecutive Super League title.

Winning the Harry Sunderland Award is impressive enough but what makes it more impressive is the fact that Lomax has spent the majority of the season dealing with a bicep injury which he has been forced to manage for months to give Saints a natural halfback after the loss of Lewis Dodd.

After the Grand Final win, Lomax revealed all: “The arm I’ve hidden it. It was a lot harder than what I let on. I suppose it’s one of them that’s about showing up for your mate. We lost Doddy but it’s not just him we’ve had adversity all through the year.

”I found a way I could take to the field, Percy and Sione have taken to the field today and will be sore. We talk about respecting each other and we set out to achieve something and I wasn’t going to let something I can manage through the season affect it.

”First 6-8 weeks was difficult just trying to stay on the field and bring organisation. Big thing then going back into the line and defending but you’ve got to find a way and keep adapting doing what we can. If Doddy had been available it would have been an easier decision in terms of how to manage the injury.”