Dons enjoy End of Season Awards night

The Dons’ End of Season Awards night on Friday 9 October at Estabulo proved to be a special night for the players, staff and fans who attended.

After a 2026 campaign that saw records broken by both club and player, namely the Dons’ highest ever finish in the Betfred Championship and Connor Robinson setting a new world record of 58 consecutive goal kicks, it was only right to have a fitting celebration.

The evening began with words from Carl Hall and Richard Horne, who both spoke highly of the season and what’s to come next for the now sole team based in South Yorkshire.

There was also time to cherish the memories of the Dons’ retirees, with Reece Lyne, Luke Briscoe and Connor Robinson bowing out after the Grand Final against London Broncos.

Following an all you can eat meal enjoyed by all, the main event began.

First to be presented with an award was Robinson, who received the St John Ellis Back of the Year for his impactful contributions over many of the games in 2026.

Down the other end of the pitch, Muizz Mustapha was named the Kevin Parkhouse Forward of the year after proving to be a stalwart all year round.

The third award of the night went to Dons’ number one, Tom Holmes. He was chosen to be the Supporters’ Player of the Year, and, due to being unable to attend, provided a lengthy video message to give his thanks.

After the supporters had had their say, it was time for the team to give their verdict with the Players’ Player of the Year award. Mustapha wasn’t sitting down for too long, as he was soon up to collect his second award of the night.

Next up was the Ellery Hanley Man of Steel, which was given to Jacob Jones, with an accompanying highlight reel to further state why this choice was justified.

The penultimate award was arguably the most prestigious, with it being the outright Player of the Year. To complete his trophy hat-trick, Mustapha was once again the winner, rounding off a successful night for the prop.

There was one more trophy to be presented to conclude this year’s victors. The Special Recognition award was unsurprisingly given to Robinson for his astonishing world record.

To conclude the evening, Hall gave a final speech to show appreciation to the loyal fans for 75 years of support, alongside club partners and sponsors, for all their help in getting the Dons to this point.

We now hope 2027 can be even better!