Five Players who could be crowned 2024 Super League’s Man of Steel

The Man of Steel award is handed out at the end of the season to the best player in the sport, 2023 being the year of Wigan Warriors’ Bevan French but can the Australian repeat the feat and win again in 2024?

Only one man has ever retained the Man of Steel crown and that was Paul Sculthorpe over twenty years ago in 2001 and 2002 which highlights the incredible difficulty to complete such a feat. In fact only four men have ever lifted the award on more than one occasion.

Those four men are of course Sculthorpe, the recently retired Sam Tomkins, Andy Farrell and then the only man to ever win three times – Ellery Hanley.

Bevan French is the most recent recipient with the Wigan man having an incredible season that saw him convert from winger to half-back, transforming the way Matt Peet’s side play and helping guide them to a Grand Final victory.

French beat out fellow Grand Finalist Tom Johnstone, the England winger having a huge debut season in France for Catalans Dragons in which he scored a whopping 27 tries. The other man to make the final three was St Helens’ Jack Welsby, the England full-back having yet another stellar season.

Who are the main contenders for the upcoming season though? Here are Serious About Rugby League’s five picks for who will become 2024 Man of Steel.

Brodie Croft – Leeds Rhinos

Starting the list off is a former winner with 2022’s Man of Steel Brodie Croft being a clear front runner for the award next season. Croft has made the switch from Salford Red Devils to Leeds Rhinos this off-season and he will be the focal point of a new-look Rhinos attack. It should be an exciting season for Rhinos fans and if Croft can recreate the form of 2022 then he’s a strong candidate to become a two-time Man of Steel.

Edwin Ipape – Leigh Leopards

There are a number of Leigh players who could well find themselves in contention for this award at the end of the season, should they be able to replicate their incredible form of 2023. Leigh were one of the standout teams and hooker Edwin Ipape was key to that, the PNG international earning Dream Team honours and becoming one of Super League’s best. Across the past ten years number nines have won the award three times, and Ipape could well become the fourth in eleven years.

Tyrone May – Hull KR

Another new signing to feature on this list is Tyrone May the new Hull KR playmaker. The Samoan international went under the radar at times last year behind the limelight of Catalans’ English stars such as Sam Tomkins and Tom Johnstone. However he was integral to the French side making the Grand Final and was one of the league’s most consistent performers when he returned from his World Cup injury. If May can slot in at Hull KR alongside the likes of Mikey Lewis then he could well become one of Super League’s most dominant players.

Harry Smith – Wigan Warriors

He was perhaps the player of the tournament for England in their series win over Tonga, Harry Smith is an incredible talent. The in play kicking that Smith brings to a team is an invaluable asset, the ability to flip the field or put up the high ball for a winger to contest, whatever is required of Smith’s left boot he executes brilliantly. With Adam Keighran likely taking the pressure of goal-kicking off him expect Smith to flourish in 2024.

Jack Welsby – St Helens

The St Helens full-back looks to be a generational talent and 2024 could finally be the year he is crowned Man of Steel. The past two seasons have seen him crack the final three and with another year of improvement then surely he can become the first Saint since 2018 to lift the prestigious award. Welsby has highlighted his development this off-season by captaining England on two occasions and the full-back has also garnered huge NRL attention. It could finally be time for one of Super League’s most electric players to win the sport’s coveted individual award.