Leeds Rhinos flyer Maika Sivo has missed out on the initial Man of Steel shortlist, despite being the competition’s top try scorer.
Sivo has racked up an incredible 17 tries in the league season so far, and has done so in just nine appearances after missing the opening round game against Leigh Leopards.
However, his points scoring has not been enough to warrant a place in the top five, and he has missed out on the shortlist but fellow teammates Lachie Miller have made the cut.
The shortlist has been decided by a panel of five legends – Ellery Hanley, Paul Sculthorpe, James Roby, Sam Tomkins and Joe Lydon – who will meet after each third of the season has passed, so rounds nine 18 and 27.
Three of the quintet all explained why the Fijian internationlal hasn’t made the cut, after revealing that different parts of his game need to improve, with the job of a winger much more than scoring tries.
Lydon kicked off the debate by saying: “If all pitches were 20 metres long, he’d be Man of Steel now, because you just can’t stop him. It’s like trying to catch a safe out of a fourth floor window.
“He’s doing everything he needs to do. He’s getting good ball on that left edge and smashing it.”
Hanley, a former Leeds player and three-time Man of Steel winner, believes that centre partner Ash Handley deserves more credit, and he has been a big reason as to why Sivo has scored so many tries.
“I think he’s a big provider for Maika Sivo, and he’s benefitting,” Hanley said on Handley. “For me, anyway, Ash Handley is playing great footy.
“I think that we shouldn’t not recognise that, and I think Ash Handley is only just out of the top 10. I think he’s extraordinary.”
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Leeds Rhinos star snubbed in initial Man of Steel shortlist
Rhinos boss Brad Arthur has said through the early parts of the season that Sivo is still not playing at 100%, with plenty more expected from a winger of his quality.
Sculthorpe alluded to that, saying: “There’s far more to a winger’s game [than scoring tries]. Back-field carries are far more important than scoring tries.
On the back of that comment, Tomkins added: “That’s why Sivo doesn’t get near my top five. He’s scoring a lot of tries, but that’s his job.
“He’s a giant on the wing. But, I look at what he’s doing at the other end of the field, and I don’t think he’s doing enough that end.
“For me, he doesn’t get near my top five because, outside of that try-scoring ability, I don’t think he gives enough to Leeds in back-field.”
