Football’s grip on Liverpool is unbreakable, but the city has an engage Super League Man of Steel in its midst. James Graham, from Maghull, who grew up supporting Everton and dreaming of round-ball glories, has become the fourth successive St Helens player to win rugby league’s most prestigious individual honour.

Graham follows James Roby last year, Paul Wellens in 2006 and Jamie Lyon in 2005 in an unprecedented monopoly of the prize by one club. With Mick Potter, who is taking over at St Helens from Daniel Anderson next year, being chosen by his peers as coach of the year for his outstanding efforts with Catalans Dragons this season, it was a portentous evening for the club.

In contrast, Leeds Rhinos, who face St Helens in the Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday, were overlooked at the event in Manchester last night. Graham collected a second award for making the most metres in Super League competition. Over the course of the season, the 23-year-old England prop has developed from an outstanding prospect to a player who has been the cornerstone of the team’s success. Injuries to Jason Cayless and Nick Fozzard have thrust an extra burden on him, and he has risen to the task and handled the responsibility with a newfound maturity.

Graham defeated Leon Pryce, his team-mate, and Jamie Peacock, the Leeds forward and England captain, in the poll of 300 players. “The honours and recognition are great, but it’d be wrong to get too caught up in all that,” Graham said. “Staying grounded is the important thing. It helps living in Liverpool, I suppose, because some people do come up, but it’s hardly what footballers are used to.”

It is quite a journey from Graham being dragged to a junior session at St Helens Crusaders by John, his league-loving father. Graham Jr proved better with a ball in his hands than at his feet. He captained the England Under-18 team to a series victory in Sydney against the Australian Institute of Sport and was pinpointed by Anderson as “someone who can reach whatever heights he wants to”.

Graham will be a key figure in Tony Smith’s England team for the World Cup, which starts this month. Joe Westerman, 18, the Castleford Tigers forward who is in the training squad preparing for the tournament in Australia, was named young player of the year. There was a posthumous Spirit of Rugby League award to Mike Gregory, the former Great Britain captain, who died last year.

Leeds have Lee Smith available for the Grand Final. The wing was fined, but not suspended, after being found guilty of reckless striking in the final eliminator against Wigan Warriors.

Man of Steel James Graham (St Helens)

Coach of the year Mick Potter (Catalans Dragons)

Young player Joe Westerman (Castleford Tigers)

Top tryscorer Ade Gardner (St Helens), 26

Top metre-maker James Graham (St Helens), 3,935

Top tackler Harrison Hansen (Wigan Warriors), 825