Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 2:57 pm  

3 nominees been confirmed.

Bevan French
Jack Welsby
Tom Johnstone

Bevan has to win it for me but can see them giving it to Welsby.

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 3:02 pm  

I couldn't complain too much if French won it, he's an outstanding player with stats to back it up. However he is one of a star studded backline this season in that Field is electric and even Miski has scored nearly 30 tries I think. Wardle has been great too.

Naturally I'm biased but I think Welsby just deserves it as he has single handledy carried our attack (clunky) this season and I dread to think where we would've been had he been injured for any length of time.

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 3:04 pm  

French clearly the best player in the comp this season. The most assists to back that up on top of playing at stand off, a position where he has never really played. Think its pretty obvious really, but we said that last year with Field.

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 3:10 pm  

This will be another Barrett situation

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:02 pm  

Welsby was 9 points behind French when the voting went behind closed doors. French will have picked up plenty of 3 pointers since then and unless they go against the actual points system (which I believe they can do and Hanley can just pick who he wants), there can be no way French doesn’t win it.

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:34 pm  

Stu M wrote:

I couldn't complain too much if French won it, he's an outstanding player with stats to back it up. However he is one of a star studded backline this season in that Field is electric and even Miski has scored nearly 30 tries I think. Wardle has been great too.

Naturally I'm biased but I think Welsby just deserves it as he has single handledy carried our attack (clunky) this season and I dread to think where we would've been had he been injured for any length of time.

Think I am probably one of the only ones on here that will agree with you a bit on this (certainly won’t be a Barrett/Tomkins robbery if French doesn’t win it), I think Welsby maybe just deserves it ahead of French for the reasons stated but there isn’t much in it, although I do think French playing 3 positions and the majority of the season in a new position at stand off is very impressive, although maybe not relevant.

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:48 pm  

CobraCraig wrote:

Think I am probably one of the only ones on here that will agree with you a bit on this (certainly won’t be a Barrett/Tomkins robbery if French doesn’t win it), I think Welsby maybe just deserves it ahead of French for the reasons stated but there isn’t much in it, although I do think French playing 3 positions and the majority of the season in a new position at stand off is very impressive, although maybe not relevant.

I disagree. The award is for the best player in Superleague and that's been French. I don't care if Paul McShane has stood out in an otherwise average Cas side, to use a recent example or if Brodie Croft was excellent for half a season last time out. I don't care if James Roby was excellent making an impact from off the bench. Those are not the criteria we should be using. Unfortunately, more often than not, that is exactly what happens.

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:53 pm  

Got to be French-
Better player all round this season
Then Welsby then Johnstone

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Thu Oct 05, 2023 12:40 pm  

1872_WiganRLFC wrote:

French clearly the best player in the comp this season. The most assists to back that up on top of playing at stand off, a position where he has never really played. Think its pretty obvious really, but we said that last year with Field.

The points system doesn't necessarily find the best player in the competition, it just finds the person who has been the best the most times for their club.

Re: Man Of Steel 2023 : Thu Oct 05, 2023 12:55 pm  

Well as an FC supporter I'm obviously unbiased in this regard. However, good though French has been I would personally go for Welsby who I think has been outstanding. Sorry if you don't agree but its just an opinion. Good luck on Saturday, you're carrying the hopes of West Hull on your shoulders.