THE York City Knights Press Player of the Year award went right down to the wire - Joe Batchelor going top of the leaderboard only after the last game of the season.

Dual-reg play-maker Liam Harris had gone into the match at the summit after some sparkling performances at half-back and full-back, but Batchelor leapfrogged him in the standings thanks to his Press man-of-the-match accolade in the epic League One play-off semi-final defeat at Whitehaven.

The three Player of the Year points this garnered saw him pip Harris by just one point.

The final standings in the Press leaderboard had to take in the last four games of the season, plus the Player of the Month accolade for September.

The monthly gong went to Nev Morrison, who, having started the season at centre, effectively ended it as first-choice winger.

He picked up player-of-the-year points in the draw with Doncaster that sealed York’s play-off place (1pt as our choice as third-best performer on the day), the Super 8s defeat at Whitehaven (2pts as second-best performer) and the play-off semi-final back at The Recre (1pt as third-best).

Harris had gone top of the player-of-the-year leaderboard after his man-of-the-match accolade against Doncaster (3pts) at the start of the month but Batchelor stayed on his coattails after being deemed our second-best performer in that game (2pts).

Ash Robson, meanwhile, finished third in the leaderboard. He had been right up there in the Player of the Year reckoning and could have topped the standings but for the six-match ban that ruled him out of the Super 8s barring the stunning win over Toronto.

He was our second-best performer on his return to action in the semi-final at Whitehaven (2pts), when his two tries so nearly got his team to the final.

Tim Spears finished fourth in the final standings, while former York Acorn ARLC Player of the Year Joe Porter was fifth at the end of a terrific maiden season in the pro arena.

Captain Ed Smith, the 2015 and 2016 winner, finished joint-sixth after missing the Super 8s due to injury, alongside the new Players' Player of the Year Brad Hey.

Player of the Year points versus Doncaster: Liam Harris 3, Joe Batchelor 2, Nev Morrison 1.

Player of the Year points versus Whitehaven: Joe Porter 3, Nev Morrison 2, Jake Butler-Fleming 1.

Player of the Year points versus Newcastle: Andy Ellis 3, Joe Porter 2, Chris Siddons 1.

Player of the Year points versus Whitehaven (play-off): Joe Batchelor 3, Ash Robson 2, Nev Morrison 1.

September Player of the Month: Nev Morrison.

The Press Player of the Year final standings: Batchelor 23pts, Harris 22, Robson 17, Spears 15, Porter 12, E Smith 11, Hey 11, Foggin-Johnston 10, A Robinson 9, Morrison 8, Siddons 7, Jubb 6, Ellis 6, C Robinson, 5, Haynes 5, Carter 5, Rawsthorne 4, H Tyson-Wilson 3, Moran 3, Butler-Fleming 2, Saxton 2, Presley 1, B Tyson-Wilson 1, Osborne 1.