Jonny Lomax is the 2022 Harry Sunderland winner after a sublime performance in the Super League Grand Final.
Lomax was instrumental from the first minute as St Helens made it four titles in a row with a 24-12 victory at Old Trafford. It’s an incredible achievement, a record breaking feat in fact, and masterminded by the little stand off half, who was never far from the games biggest moments.
Lomax put Matty Lees over for the first try of the Grand Final with a neatly executed pass and followed it up with a relentless attacking game. His running was constantly a threat, whilst he marshalled his side around the field superbly with last tackle options that rarely let Leeds off the hook.
Read more: St Helens attain immortality as fourth straight win cements their greatness
“It’s an unreal feeling,” Lomax told Sky Sports post-match “I’m so proud of the boys. We’ve lost a few to injury as well. It’s been a difficult year for us full of adversity but we just keep finding a way. I can’t speak highly enough of them.
“I know I get to have this medal but it’s a reflection of what those boys do off the field, off the ball, they make my job so easy. It’s a collective effort, a team effort, and an incredible feeling.
“It’s not sunk in yet. The eighty minutes is horrible. The build up is great, the afterwards is great, but the eighty is so tough. It’s hard to do what we’ve done. I’m so proud.”
Lomax, who has recovered from three ACL injuries in his career, has been a key part of a Saints side that has dominated Super League for the last four years, but like he modestly admitted, he wasn’t on his own. Jack Welsby finished the game with three assists in what also was a superb display whilst James Roby also put in his accustomed mammoth performance at dummy half.
The latest Grand Final win has left many prepared to talk this St Helens side up as one of the greatest ever. Lomax was pretty modest when asked the question.
"I don't know - it's all down to everyone's opinion isn't it," he added. "The statistics are there to allow us to be in the picture. We've given ourselves a chance to be in the conversation and that's good enough for me.
"I've been a Saints fan all my life - I've watched some incredible teams and seen some incredible players. It's always going to be an opinion based game. We'll just go again next year."
Tries from Matty Lees, Jon Bennison, Konrad Hurrell and Mark Percival sealed the win, with Saints adding to their Grand Final wins over Salford, Wigan and Catalans.
A plucky Leeds side, who never threw in the towel, responded through Kruise Leeming and Rhyse Martin tries, who has a new Super League record for successive goal kicks, but it wasn’t enough as Saints lifted their ninth title of the summer era.
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