ADAM KEIGHRAN leads the healthy Wigan Warriors contingent at the top of the Man of Steel voting for the final third of the regular season.
Wigan won all nine fixtures in that period to secure the League Leaders’ Shield and centre Keighran scored seven tries in as many matches, including a hat-trick in the key victory over Leeds Rhinos.
He was picked by an expert panel ahead of club teammates Bevan French (in second place), Brad O’Neill (third) and Jai Field (level fourth with Leigh Leopards’ Umyla Hanley).
Those five, along with others picked highly in the first and middle portion of the season, will now go into consideration for the Man of Steel prize.
The panel of former winners – Ellery Hanley, Sam Tomkins, James Roby, Joe Lydon and Paul Sculthorpe – will soon reveal a three-man shortlist and the winner will be announced at the Rugby League Awards on Tuesday, September 29.
Former Wigan star Sam Tomkins hailed the performances of Keighran not just recently but across the whole season, despite the Australian missing out on the Dream Team.
“Adam Keighran has had an outstanding year,” said Tomkins. “He’s just got better throughout the season and especially in this last set of games.
“It’s sometimes difficult for Wigan players to get much praise because they’re always playing in a team with Jai Field or Bevan French who very often get the headlines.
“But Keighran has just gone about his business – defensively he’s very, very strong, he’s shown skill in attack and he’s been superb from the kicking tee as well.
“He’s certainly been someone who slipped through the radar early on but has got better as the season’s developed and I imagine he will have a big finish to the season too.”
Keighran follows Lachlan Miller, in the first nine rounds, and his Leeds teammates Jake Connor and Ash Handley, joint-best over rounds ten to 18, in coming top of the panel’s voting.
The other players to feature in top-five lists this season are Brodie Croft (also Leeds), Hull KR pair Jez Litten and Tyrone May, and Daryl Clark of St Helens.