The Ellery Hanley Man of Steel Award is awarded every two years at the french dinner after the Sharks have toured France. It is awarded by the Sharks to the player in the Cadets who has contributed the most not just on the field but also off it during the tour. It is known as the Ellery Hanley Man of Steel Award since its introduction in 2002.

Ellery Hanley presented the prestigious trophy to the Sharks first winner Tom Colleran in 2002. The trophy is one of the Man of Steel trophies Ellery won in 1985, 1987 and 1989. To date Ellery holds the record for the most number of times a player has won Man of Steel since it was introduced back in 1977 with the first ever winner been former Shaw Cross player and Hall of Fame legend David Ward. Ellery Cuthwyn Hanley MBE (born 27 March 1961 in Leeds) is a British former rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, and former head coach of Great Britain, St. Helens and Doncaster. As a player he played most of his games at Stand-off/Five-eighth, or Loose forward/Lock.

Over a period of nineteen years, he played for Bradford Northern, Wigan, Balmain, Western Suburbs and Leeds. He was capped 34 times by Great Britain and honoured by the Queen in January 1990 for his services to the game.

In 2007, he was voted as the greatest British rugby league player of all time. Ellery scored 396 tries in 479 games for his clubs and 20 tries in 34 caps for GB and is a true legend of the game and we thank him for his kind donation of the trophy.

In 2010 the Sharks introduced an award similar to this for the Minimes which was first won by Thomas Ripley and in 2012 by Nick Davies.

Ellery Hanley Man of Steel Award Roll of Honour

2002 - TOM COLLERAN

2004 - LUKE HAIGH

2006 - JOE DISKIN

2008 - ADAM MASSON

2010 - LEWIS SYKES

2012 - DALE SMITH

Shaw Cross Minimes Trophy Roll of Honour

2010 - THOMAS RIPLEY

2012 - NICK DAVIES