BEN Westwood’s outstanding contribution to a successful Warrington Wolves season was recognised again when he collected his fourth player-of-the-year award on Friday.
Already honoured by the club’s coaches, players and supporters’ club members, warringtonguardian.co.uk readers voted him as the player to have made the biggest impact on a history-making Wolves campaign to earn him his first Sports Personality gong in the event’s 17 years of running.
Westwood (pictured right), named in Super League’s end-of-season Dream Team and this week shortlisted for the award as best second rower in the world, earned selection for England’s tour Down Under as a result of his outstanding form.
And, with one Four Nations game remaining against Papua New Guinea in Auckland, New Zealand, on Sunday, he must be a contender for England’s player of the tournament.
Whether it is charging into defences or putting the blockers on opposing raids, the 29-year-old puts his whole heart into everything he does.
Westwood, who committed himself to Wolves until the end of 2013 with a two-year contract extension last month, has added new strings to his bow, too.
He showed a talent for goal-kicking consistency when Wolves’ regular marksmen collected injuries during 2010 and keen observers will have spotted his improved ball distribution skills, offloading out of the tackles and defence-splitting passes.
With the ability to play in either of the front or back-row positions, he revels in the physical contact with his no-nonsense style.
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