Now, as his St Helens side prepares to face Catalans Dragons in the 2007 final at Wembley this Saturday, he talks to BBC Sport about his chances of winning it again.

What would it mean to win the Lance Todd again?

SL: It would be brilliant to win it four times. I'm pretty happy with winning it three times, but while I've got the chance to do it and while I'm part of a really good team, why not?

Why are you able to shine on the big occasion?

SL: It's not that I just go out there to play well in big games. I try my best in all games. I'm involved in such a great team - and I have over the last 10 years at St Helens - I just can't say it's all me. I've got some great players working round me, and they help me all the way.

What are your memories of the first occasion you won it, in the 2001 final win over Bradford at Twickenham?

SL: Ian Millward told me to just relax before the game so me and Kieron (Cunningham) were just having a laugh. It was a pretty good game early doors. The weather was fine and I put a couple of kicks in, one in for Tommy (Martyn) and one in for Kieron. They both scored off the kicks. I kicked both the goals that time as well, so I was pretty made up. At half-time it lashed it down. All I remember then was Ian Millward saying to me just kick the ball and make them come off the line and they'll find it hard to go 100 metres and score in these conditions. That was the game-plan. We stuck to it. The last thing on my mind at the time was the Lance Todd Trophy. I was just happy to know that with 10 minutes left we'd kind of won the game. When they announced I'd won it I didn't get a clear hearing of it. Then one of the lads came and patted me on the back and said 'well done'. I was made up.

What about the second time you received it, after the victory over Wigan at Cardiff in 2004?

SL: To play the old enemy, Wigan, in a Challenge Cup final - it doesn't get much bigger than that. There's no better feeling when you are in a tough match knowing, with 20 minutes left, they've got to score three times to win. It was a decent game. I thought Willie Talau and Paul Wellens had great games, but I just did enough to get the Lance Todd again. That was one of the best games I've been involved with.

And what was last year's experience like, when you were awarded the trophy by Martin Offiah, who won it twice himself, following the defeat of Huddersfield?

SL: Jon Wilkin pushed me all the way on that one. I thought he had a great game. Jamie Lyon had an outstanding match as well. I did a kick to the corner and Jamie chased it and scored. Without his chase and help from my team-mates that would have just been an ordinary kick and probably would have gone into touch. I'm part of a great team and I've got credit to all the boys who have helped me win these trophies.

Sean Long was talking to Radio 5live's Stuart Pyke

A member of the inaugural New Zealand touring team in 1907, Lance Todd appeared in all three Tests against the then Northern Union before signing for Wigan on 15 February, 1908.

A centre, he proved to be a great acquisition for the English club, playing an inspirational role for the next six years.

He eventually joined Dewsbury in the January of 1914 for more than �400, a huge fee at that time.

Then, following retirement and a spell out of the game, he returned to rugby league in 1928 as manager of Salford.

Under his guidance, the club became the dominant force of the 1930s - and that was in no small measure to his ability for spotting talent.

TROPHY FACTFILE The winner is selected by the members of the Rugby League Writers' Association The Trophy belongs to the Red Devils Association, the official body representing former Salford players Full list of Lance Todd winners

He was responsible for luring Gus Risman to league, the former Cardiff Scottish rugby union player going on to become on the game's legends.

With the likes of Risman, Alan Edwards, Emlyn Watkins and Barney Hudson in the ranks, it was hardly a surprise that Salford began to sweep all before them.

It was the most successful period in the history of the club, including the Rugby League Championship three times, the Lancashire League Championship five times, the Lancashire Cup four times and the Challenge Cup.

The outbreak of World War Two in 1939 interrupted the flow of silverware. Then Todd tragically died in 1942 following a road accident in Oldham.

Keen to keep his name alive, Australian-born commentator Harry Sunderland, Warrington director Bob Anderton and Yorkshire journalist John Bapty inaugurated the Lance Todd Trophy in 1946.

The first winner was Wakefield Trinity centre Billy Stott following his side's 13-12 win over Wigan.