Dream Team 2023

[sam4731]

As the curtain comes down at the end of a thrilling Betfred Super League regular season, the 2023 Dream Team, as voted for by the Man of Steel panellists, is today unveiled.

 

This year’s line-up includes six debutants, alongside seven players who have already featured in previous Dream Team selections.

 

Four of those new faces come from one of the teams of the year: Leigh Leopards. Tom Amone, John Asiata, Edwin Ipape and Lachlan Lam have all earned places after playing their part in a historic season which has seen the Leopards surprise the pundits by lifting the Challenge Cup trophy for the first time in 52 years and reaching the Betfred Super League play-offs for the first time. 

 

Warrington Wolves prop Paul Vaughan and Wigan Warriors centre Jake Wardle are this year’s other debutants, the pair consistently catching the eye regardless of team form.  

 

Wardle is included alongside teammates Liam Farrell and Bevan French – the trio having spearheaded the Warriors’ quest for a seventh League Leaders’ trophy. England backrower Farrell is included for the sixth time, equalling Sam Tomkins’ record of five consecutive Dream Team selections from 2009-2013. Bevan French is Wigan’s other representative, chosen this year at stand-off having previously been selected at full-back (2020) and wing (2022).

 

Leigh Leopards winger Josh Charnley returns to the Dream Team for the first time in 10 years, having previously been included in 2013 and 2012, with another of this year’s leading try scorers, Tom Johnstone of Catalans Dragons, named on the other wing for the second time.

 

Named for the third time – and, like Bevan French, in a third different position – is St Helens’ Jack Welsby, whose last line of defence now matches the attacking prowess that earned him selection at stand-off last year. 22-years old Welsby is the youngest player included this year, with Hull KR’s Shaun Kenny-Dowall the oldest at 34.

 

Finally, there is a third Dream Team selection for Salford Red Devils’ Kallum Watkins – this time in the back row having previously been chosen at centre whilst with Leeds Rhinos in 2014 and 2015.  

 

Three-times Man of Steel and chair of the Dream Team selection panel, Ellery Hanley MBE, says:“Every year the Dream Team selection asks as many questions as it answers – and this year is no different. Just as the battle for the League Leaders trophy went down to the wire, so too did the Dream Team selection process. We could have picked a second Dream Team to rival this one!

 

“Ultimately, every one of these 13 players deserves recognition for what they’ve delivered on the field during 2023. These are the players who have entertained us, eaten up the metres, provided the assists, defended like trojans and scored some unbelievable tries.

 

“The selection of five Leigh players is a measure of what that club has achieved in 2023. Liam Farrell’s selection reflects what he has delivered week in and week out for the past five seasons. He’s the kind of Mr Consistent who would grace any Dream Team in any era.

 

“The Dream Team announcement gets people talking about the players – and that’s how it should be. Who’s in, who’s not…the arguments will continue until the early hours, but supporters talking about how good players are can only be a good thing, even if we can’t all agree on the final 13.”             

 

Betfred Super League Dream Team 2023 (including heritage number)

 

Jack Welsby (195)

Josh Charnley (122)

Jake Wardle (211)

Shaun Kenny-Dowall (201)

Tom Johnstone (171)

Bevan French (186)

Lachlan Lam (209)

Paul Vaughan (210)

Edwin Ipape (208)

Tom Amone (206)

Kallum Watkins (140)

Liam Farrell (150)

John Asiata (207)

[graveyard johnny]

only 6 English players and half of them are the wrong side of 30 - oh dear!

[Damien]

Some absolutely bizarre selections there. Even just going off my own team I wouldn't have picked French or Farrell. Then 5 players from a team that finished 5th seems odd when you have Catalans and Saints, who finished joint top, with only 1 each.

Edited September 24, 2023 by Damien

[sam4731]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

Some absolutely bizarre selections there. Even just going off my own team I wouldn't have picked French or Farrell. Then 5 players from a team that finished 5th seems odd when you have Catalans and Saints, who finished joint top, with only 1 each.

Let's not forget, the Challenge Cup is meant to have no bearing whatsoever on the dream team. If Leigh weren't the promoted team, how many of those players would be in there. There is also an argument to be made that not having as many Wire players isn't right either, let's not forget that they absolutely dominated the first half of the season which seems to be forgotten when it comes to end of season awards.

[LeytherRob]

8 minutes ago, Damien said:

Some absolutely bizarre selections there. Even just going off my own team I wouldn't have picked French or Farrell. Then 5 players from a team that finished 5th seems odd when you have Catalans and Saints, who finished joint top, with only 1 each.

There's potentially an argument for Miski over Charnley after his form in the last half of the season, although Charnley being 4th highest meter maker probably swung it. I can't see any arguments on the other 4 from Leigh. They've all been standout players this year and they've elevated a squad containing quite a few average players into trophy contenders. 

You say you wouldn't have picked French, but he's top of the assists table on 30 which would have been taken into consideration. 

 

[phiggins]

Of the 5 Leigh players, the one I probably wouldn’t pick would be Lam, who has benefited a lot from Asiata’s play.

Of the others, I think Charnley just about deserves it over the whole season, over Miski. But if it was team of the second half of the season, Miski would walk into the team.

The only prop I would even consider above Amone is Mulhern, and if there’s a been a better loose forward than Asiata this season then he must be an outstanding player. I think Asiata just shades Garcia and Minchella.

While Ipape hasn’t been as explosive as some would’ve expected, am not sure who I’d pick over him at hooker. 

The fact we finished 5th is probably a reflection on the rest of the squad, though if it wasn’t for his ban after the cup quarter final, I’d be putting O’Donnell into that second row. Though I imagine other teams could also say that about their back rowers 

 

[bratman]

51 minutes ago, Damien said:

Some absolutely bizarre selections there. Even just going off my own team I wouldn't have picked French or Farrell. Then 5 players from a team that finished 5th seems odd when you have Catalans and Saints, who finished joint top, with only 1 each.

Same thing I was thinking, 5 from top 3 teams and 5 from Leigh

[phiggins]

14 minutes ago, bratman said:

Same thing I was thinking, 5 from top 3 teams and 5 from Leigh

Who would you pick over those 5?

Almost as if it’s subjective…

[Dunbar]

11 minutes ago, phiggins said:

Who would you pick over those 5?

Almost as if it’s subjective…

Wigan, Catalans and St Helens have been comfortably the best teams in Super League this year.  It is hard to come up with a logical argument to why they should collectively have the same number of players in the dream team as the side who finished 5th.

[LeytherRob]

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Wigan, Catalans and St Helens have been comfortably the best teams in Super League this year.  It is hard to come up with a logical argument to why they should collectively have the same number of players in the dream team as the side who finished 5th.

So which players should be in, who do they replace and why then? 

[Jinking Jimmy]

Would have had Mulhearn in there.

 

[bobbruce]

2 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Wigan, Catalans and St Helens have been comfortably the best teams in Super League this year.  It is hard to come up with a logical argument to why they should collectively have the same number of players in the dream team as the side who finished 5th.

The argument could be those three teams are very good right across the 13 players. Whereas Leigh have a few players maybe at the lower end quality wise but 5/6 players who have been outstanding to make up for it. I can see the argument for Miski over Charnley and I’d probably go Mulhern over Amone. I think I’d back Asiata,Lam and Ipape to be in though. 

[bratman]

1 hour ago, graveyard johnny said:

only 6 English players and half of them are the wrong side of 30 - oh dear!

And only one French!

[phiggins]

24 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Wigan, Catalans and St Helens have been comfortably the best teams in Super League this year.  It is hard to come up with a logical argument to why they should collectively have the same number of players in the dream team as the side who finished 5th.

Not sure what question you’re answering there, but it’s not the one in the post you quoted 

 

[bratman]

37 minutes ago, phiggins said:

Who would you pick over those 5?

Almost as if it’s subjective…

My point is that I would expect more from the top 3 teams in the league than the team finishing 5th

[phiggins]

14 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

The argument could be those three teams are very good right across the 13 players. Whereas Leigh have a few players maybe at the lower end quality wise but 5/6 players who have been outstanding to make up for it. I can see the argument for Miski over Charnley and I’d probably go Mulhern over Amone. I think I’d back Asiata,Lam and Ipape to be in though. 

That was exactly my thinking about the balance of the squad. While I think Miski was unlucky not to be in there, I’d also think Charnley would be if he wasn’t in. And for all that, if I were to pick a team to play tomorrow, I’d pick Makinson over both of them.

Persobally, I’d have either Pearce or May in the halves over Lam

[WN83]

5 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

The argument could be those three teams are very good right across the 13 players. Whereas Leigh have a few players maybe at the lower end quality wise but 5/6 players who have been outstanding to make up for it. I can see the argument for Miski over Charnley and I’d probably go Mulhern over Amone. I think I’d back Asiata,Lam and Ipape to be in though. 

Is exactly as I see it. Leigh have a number of players, who with all due respect, wouldn’t get in a Wigan, Saints or Catalans side and that means that to have a season as good as this, they’ve needed their better players to really play out of their skins. I think Amone, Lam and Asiata in particular have been absolutely fantastic and everyone has gone with them.
 

Saints have one player in but it’s been a really disjointed season with players coming in and out and others moving positions to accommodate that. Catalans I thought were unlucky not to get Whitley in over Watkins and Keighran over SKD but it’s a matter of opinions. As for Wigan, Wardle had to be an absolute cert, with 25 try contributions and being defensively very good. French another cert wherever you put him and Farrell still statistically out performing any other second rower, via pretty much every metric, although granted he’s not been quite at his own best very often. Miski missed too many games at the start IMO because they do seem to pick on players longevity over a full year. I do agree with the wing picks tbh. 

[phiggins]

1 minute ago, bratman said:

My point is that I would expect more from the top 3 teams in the league than the team finishing 5th

But if the top 3 are consistently strong across the pitch, while another has a few stand out performers, the stand outs will generally get picked in these sorts of teams. 

[Dunbar]

20 minutes ago, bobbruce said:

The argument could be those three teams are very good right across the 13 players. Whereas Leigh have a few players maybe at the lower end quality wise but 5/6 players who have been outstanding to make up for it. I can see the argument for Miski over Charnley and I’d probably go Mulhern over Amone. I think I’d back Asiata,Lam and Ipape to be in though. 

I think that's fair.

[LeytherRob]

2 minutes ago, Jinking Jimmy said:

Would have had Mulhearn in there.

 

Mulhern has been great, but Amone(3467m/8.27 av gain) and Vaughan(3301m/7.99 av gain) are 1st and 3rd in the meters made for the season, Mulhern is 17th on 2778m/8.05 av gain. Those 3 are the only prop forwards in the top 20 meters made.

 

When you dig into the stats, it's very easy to see why a lot of the decisions have been made..

Welsby - 2nd in assists(27), 3rd in carries(514), 1st in tackle busts(514), 2nd in offloads(44)

Johnstone - joint 1st in tries(27), 2nd in meters(3375)

Charnley - 3rd in tries(26), 4th in meters( 3262)

Wardle - 10th in tries(highest ranked centre) on 15

French - most assists(30), highest number of direct try involvements(tries plus assists) of 47

Amone/Vaughan - as above, both far in front of every other prop statistically

Asiata - most carries(528)

 

SKD, Watkins, Farrell and Lam don't have any massively stand out stats but are mostly solid across the board and there will also be a subjective element to the judging with regards to what they add to their teams success. SKD is a good example of that as when you look through the stats his aren't that great, but there's no doubting he's been one of the top centres this year and has been KR's best player in my opinion.

 

 

[bratman]

5 minutes ago, phiggins said:

But if the top 3 are consistently strong across the pitch, while another has a few stand out performers, the stand outs will generally get picked in these sorts of teams. 

I think Miski, Pearce, May, Bell, Batchelor could all have easily been included

[PEANUT HEAD]

4 minutes ago, bratman said:

I think Miski, Pearce, May, Bell, Batchelor could all have easily been included

They could have but you don't get picked on who you play for.

[sam4731]

The problem with the MoS and Dream Team awards is that they both reward the better players in the more average teams as they are more likely to pick up points week after week, whereas the top teams will have a wider spread of players getting the points.

[PEANUT HEAD]

9 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

The problem with the MoS and Dream Team awards is that they both reward the better players in the more average teams as they are more likely to pick up points week after week, whereas the top teams will have a wider spread of players getting the points.

So the top team players should get priority over the average teams players even if they are gaining more yards, scoring more trys, making more tackles and doing more minutes than the top teams, even though they are playing against the top teams and sometimes turning them over.

[Dunbar]

19 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

The problem with the MoS and Dream Team awards is that they both reward the better players in the more average teams as they are more likely to pick up points week after week, whereas the top teams will have a wider spread of players getting the points.

Not sure I agree fully with that.

The MoS in particular will be far more likely to award points to players from the winning side so that would favour players from the better teams.