Billy best in the world
11/02/2011 11:32:44 PM
Superstar full-back Billy Slater has won the Rugby League International Federation's Player of the Year award for the second time in four seasons.
The Dally M Medallist backed up his 2008 win in the award by taking the top gong again ahead of Melbourne Storm team-mate Cam Smith and Wests Tigers playmaker Benji Marshall.
Slater was also named full-back of the year while Smith and Marshall didn't miss out entirely as they were named hooker and five-eighth of the year respectively.
NRL players dominated at the ceremony on Wednesday night at the Tower of London, with all of the positional awards going to Australian-based players.
Newcastle's Akuila Uate (winger), Manly pair Jamie Lyon (centre) and Daly Cherry-Evans (half-back), North Queensland's Matt Scot (prop), Brisbane's Sam Thaiday (second-rower) and Cronulla's Paul Gallen (Iock) were the other positional winners.
And Manly's dual premiership-winning coach Des Hasler was named coach of the year while Bronco Jharal Yow Yeh took out international rookie of the year ahead of Jamal Idris and Matt Duffie and Tony Archer was referee of 2011.