Super League stars pick their Man of Steel with HUGE favourite in players’ eyes including Bevan French
Some of Super League’s biggest stars are backing Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis to be crowned Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel on Tuesday evening: including the man who currently holds the trophy.
Lewis is the overwhelming favourite to win the highest individual accolade in Super League, with the Rovers star on a shortlist of three alongside Salford half-back Marc Sneyd and Warrington fullback Matt Dufty.
And Lewis has been backed by two of Super League’s highest-profile players to finish top of the leaderboard and become the first Hull KR player to win the award since Gavin Miller in 1986.
That includes Bevan French, the reigning Man of Steel, who has endorsed Lewis ahead of a thrilling personal battle between the two most exciting half-backs in Super League at the Grand Final this weekend.
When asked who he thought would win the award, French told Love Rugby League: “I think Mikey, he has lit it up hasn’t he? He puts bums on seats, that’s what he does.
“I do think he’s not only been the X-factor, but he’s been very consistent as well I feel. They’ve had a lot of success and finished second on the ladder and things like that so I can’t see it going past Mikey, I’d be quite surprised if it wasn’t.”
Lewis has also had a ringing endorsement from his captain at Hull KR, Elliot Minchella.
Minchella, perhaps less surprisingly, also backed Lewis to win the award. He said: “Mikey, obviously. All three who’ve been nominated are quality but I get to see him first-hand. He’s really matured over the last 12 months and he’s grown into the role. His kicking game has been awesome and for me, it’s got to be Mikey Lewis.”
Minchella also admitted that Lewis’ emergence as a mature half-back in Super League coinciding with Rovers’ rise as a force in the competition is not by chance.
“Mikey has worked hard on that (his temperament),” he said. “He knew he needed that area of his game to improve and he’s done it. He’s consistent and if he wasn’t consistent, he wouldn’t be up for this award.”
The winner will be crowned at a ceremony in Leeds on Tuesday evening.
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