THE Rugby Football League have confirmed that the winners of the LHF Healthplan National League Two play-offs do not receive a trophy.

As these play-offs lead to what is officially called the National League One Qualifying Final (as opposed to the common term, NL2 Grand Final) it is not a Grand Final as such in which a title is decided, Barrow having already received the winners' trophy.

Therefore the victors in this final do not receive silverware - although, of course, they do get the more important prize of promotion.

It may seem strange at Halton Stadium next Sunday when, out of the three National League finals to be played that day, one victorious team does not have the ceremonial trophy presentation. But it is probably the right way to do things given the way titles/promotion/relegation is decided in the respective divisions.

Unlike in association football when the play-off winners get a big shiny trophy when a least one of the teams who have finished above them in the league and also gain promotion get nothing.

SCOTT Rhodes and Chris Langley were both named in the LHF Healthplan National League Two Team of the Month for September as published in Rugby League World magazine.

Rhodes was voted best stand-off ahead of Chorley's Brian Capewell, the man who struck the 52-metre winning drop goal against the Knights three weeks ago, and Swinton's Mick Coates.

Langley was voted best centre ahead of Swinton's Chris Maye and Gateshead's Kevin Neighbour. The Player of the Month for NL2 was Workington's Jonny Limmer.

The September Team of the Month was: Chris Hall (Hunslet), George Raynor (Hunslet), Chris Langley (Knights), Chris Maye (Swinton), Zane Gardiner (London Skolars), Scott Rhodes (Knights), Darren Holt (Barrow), Stuart Dancer (Barrow), Jonny Limmer (Workington), Matt Tunstall (Workington), Andy Raleigh (Sheffield), Deon McFadyen (Skolars), Paul Thorman (Gateshead).

SCOTT Rhodes might have got in the Team of the Month but he was just pipped to the Knights' Player of the Month Award for September.

This award will be presented before tomorrow's game against Workington by one of the Evening Press readers who sent in man of the match votes to the Sportsdesk, from which the Player of the Month is decided. The lucky fan picked out of the hat will also receive two VIP tickets to the game.

The name of September's Player of the Month will remain a secret until tomorrow's game, but it is fair to say - and this is a big clue - he is one of Rhodes' friendlier team-mates.

TICKETS for the Back to the Seventies Disco in the Huntington Stadium bar a week today, 8pm till midnight, are available from the club office on 01904 656105. The £5 price includes a basket meal supper. Hopefully it will prove to be a pre-Grand Final party.

Jackson gets back in contention

SKIPPER Lee Jackson has given himself a lifeline in the race to become the Evening Press/Collier Plant Hire Player of the Year.

Jackson was deemed the Knights' third best player in the play-off defeat to Halifax and thus picked up one player of the year point to move to within three of leader Scott Rhodes - touching distance with at least one game, hopefully two, to come.

Man of the match Jim Elston jumped a couple of places up the table after collecting the three-point haul, while two-try substitute John Smith was the other winner with two points.

The point from the fans' poll went to Aussie blockbuster Simon Friend. In fact, this week's poll went a long way to deciding the Evening Press-sponsored Player of the Month for September.

Player of the year standings: Rhodes 32pts, Jackson 29, Brough 25, Ball 21, Langley 20, Friend 19, Elston 14, Callaghan 13, Sozi 12, Wilson 8, J Smith 8, Graham 7, Cain 6, Forsyth 6, Buchanan 6, Godfrey 5, Stewart 5, C Smith 2, Briggs 2, Farrell 2, Ramsden 2, Wood 2, Walker 2, Talipeau 1, Hayes 1, T Andrews 1.

Updated: 10:13 Saturday, October 02, 2004