THIS year’s Man of Steel will be chosen by five greats of the game in a significant revamp of the selection process for Super League’s top individual prize.
For the past seven seasons, the winner has been determined by a 25-strong pool of experts, but they awarded points for the top performances in every Super League match in similar fashion to the Dally M Medal in the NRL, and voting for the Albert Goldthorpe Medal in League Express.
The award, which began in 1977, was initially determined by members of the media and, between 2008 and 2019, by a vote of Super League players themselves.
The Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel – so named since 2014 in honour of the former St Helens and Hull FC player turned charity fundraiser who died the previous year, aged 39, from cancer – will now return to being an end-of-season assessment, but will be chosen by a quintet of former winners.
They are Ellery Hanley (the only three-time winner, in 1985, 1987 and 1989), Joe Lydon (1984 winner), Paul Sculthorpe (2001 and 2002), James Roby (2007) and Sam Tomkins (2012 and 2021).
To maintain interest throughout the season, the five will meet after rounds nine, 18 and 27 and a shortlist of the leading performers from that block of games will be publicly announced.
Their discussion after the end of the regular season will then result in a choice for Man of Steel.
According to the RFL: “The panel will have scope to adopt a holistic approach to ascertaining who is the best player of the Super League season, taking into account not just individual performance data such as assists, tries scored and metres made but leadership, consistency and game-defining moments in both defence and attack.”
Rugby League Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones said: “I would like to put on record my personal thanks to the long list of ex-players who have provided their expertise and time over the last six seasons to determine the sport’s most prestigious individual award.
“A refreshed approach to determine the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel award demonstrates the need to refine our processes from time to time.
“I am looking forward to hearing the five panellists discuss their thoughts on the outstanding performers throughout the season.”