THE Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association has selected former Bradford Bulls head coach John Kear as the recipient of their 2025 Merit Award.
This prestigious award recognises Kear’s outstanding contributions to the sport of rugby league and his impactful work in its presentation across the media.
Kear becomes the 39th winner since the award’s inception in 1982, joining a distinguished list of past recipients including Roger Millward, Mal Meninga, Garry Schofield, Jodie Cunningham, and last year’s winner Ben Thaler.
A former Castleford three-quarter, Kear has confirmed in recent weeks the end of a long and hugely successful coaching career, which included famous Challenge Cup triumphs with Sheffield Eagles in 1998 and Hull FC in 2005.
He coached England in the 2000 World Cup and Wales in the 2022 competition, and this season returned for a second stint with Batley Bulldogs at the age of 70.
Kear coached at the Bradford Bulls from 2018-2022.
Trevor Hunt, the Chair of the RLWBA, said: “It was quite a surprise to discover that John had not won our Merit Award already because he has been such a friend to the media, and done such a good job of presenting the sport in the media for so long.
“His coaching record speaks for itself, and from our angle he has always been a pleasure to deal with – courteous, eloquent, and with the passion for Rugby League you’d expect from someone who was born on Wheldon Road in Castleford.
“That made him a perfect fit for broadcasting, and over the last four decades he has become one of the most familiar voices of Rugby League nationwide through his work mostly for the BBC, on radio and TV.”
Kear was presented with the Arthur Brooks Trophy, named in memory of a long-serving former Daily Mirror Rugby League correspondent, on Tuesday.
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