Predicting five players who could win Man of Steel in 2023

With the vast majority of off season recruitment now complete and Super League squads back in preseason training, its time we start looking ahead to the 2023 season.

The Man of Steel award is given to the best player in Super League over the course of the season, decided by a points base system across each fixture.

Last season Salford Red Devils Brodie Croft won the award in his first season at the club as he took them within 80 minutes of the Grand Final.

In this article we are going to make our earlier predictions on who could be in with a shout of winning the award in 2023.

1. Brodie Croft

The reigning Man of Steel will once again be in with a shout to win the award in 2023 and become the first player to go back to back since Paul Sculthorpe. Croft and his Salford Red Devils team started the 2022 season slow but gained momentum in the second half of the season and ended red hot, narrowly missing out on a Grand Final appearance. With solid additions to an already exciting squad, there is no reason Croft can’t be in the running for the award again in the Red Devils start the season strong.

2. Jai Field

Field had an electric 2022 and firmly cemented himself as one of the best players in Super League. Last season he was unlucky not to win Man of Steel but could well be the favourite to win the award in 2023 in a Wigan Warriors side who look primed to challenge for silverware once again. With Bevan French also staying at the Warriors, Field has a legitimate chance of emulating his performances from last season as a lighting fast ball runner and continually improving playmaker.

3. Jonny Lomax

Jonny Lomax is arguably the best player in Super League and is the orchestrator for this current Saints side who are the most dominant team Super League has ever seen. Despite all this, Lomax is continually overlooked for the big award and has never even made the final list of players with Saints players such as Lachlan Coote and Jack Welsby coming closer to winning the award. Lomax is a victim of the new scoring method, with the star stand off having to share the Man of Steel points between his Saints team mates and although he is an 8/10 every week for the champions, that isn’t always reflected through the Man of Steel points. Often a victim of his own high standards, if Lomax starts getting the credit he deserves then he may be in with a shout for his Man of Steel in 2023.

4. Jake Clifford

With Brodie Croft winning Man of Steel in 2022, Clifford looks a strong bet to be in the running for the award next season. As a good half back in the NRL, Clifford showed moments of quality at North Queensland Cowboys and Newcastle Knights but never cemented a permeant starting role. With Hull he has an opportunity to show his qualities as a half back and lead his team into a new era, alongside fellow Australian recruit Tex Hoy. If the Airlie Birds are successful in 2023, the chances are Clifford has played a big role in their success and could lead to a debut season Man of Steel.

5. Jake Connor

If Jake Connor can stay fit and out of trouble, then he should be considered as one of the front runners for next seasons Man of Steel award. Connor provided the most assists in Super League last season and is now part of a Huddersfield Giants side who could be a dark horse for the Grand Final, if they live up to that tag then Connor will play a big role. Although he is surrounded by talent in the Giants squad and may suffer from shared points throughout the season, He still looks a good shout for a first Man of Steel award.