Odds

[urlhttp://www.oddschecker.com/rugby-league/super-league/super-league-xxi/man-of-steel[/url

Between Ellis, Houghton and Sandow for me. Can't believe Sneyd is so close in the betting.

Can't see any further than Houghton now, would;t suprise me to see 3 Hull players on the final short list.

I know statistics don't always tell the whole story, but how Gale is not considered to be a candidate is bizzare.
As a half, he has made 15 more try assists thanks Sneyd and has been instrumental in just about all the good things Cas have done this season. He is the one that sets up and executes almost all the plays that lead to Solomona's tries. Again, I may be biased but I wouldn't swap Gale for Sneyd!
I think Houghton deserves to win it but Gale has surely been better than most others.

Top goal kicker
Top points scorer
Lance Todd winner
90+% goal kicking record
Been a key factor in turning narrow losses to wins for the team currently and the top of the league and Challenge Cup holders
Match winner

Sinfield held all those for most seasons of his career yet never got a look in for MOS so those stats clearly mean relatively little in selecting who should get it. Not saying Sneyd hasn't had a decent year but Whenever i have watched Hull play this season Ellis and Houghton are the two who have stood out.

Yet Sneyds had a better season than Sandow.

Really? I don't think that is clear cut and is certainly debatable. I don't follow either team so am giving a true neutral perspective and imo Sandow has shown plenty of touches of class right throughout the season where Sneyd has gone about his buisness in a steady manner behind a forward pack that has generally dominated.

Whatever. like i say, Hopefully its Houghton or Ellis both would be worthy winners and i prefer to see a forward who has run his blood to water all year win this award rather than a fancy Dan half back or try machine winger.

2nd or 3rd man in, are you on halluciagens, he's the best technical tackler in the league by a country mile and is rarely the 2nd man in and never 3rd man, he's being on the end of kicks for tries, makes telling scoots every single game, his passing has gone up a notch, he kicks 40/20s, the guy is a machine and no-one else in the league can play to his level week in week out. I can't remember the last bad game he had.
If DH doesn't get MoS it'll be a travesty, he epitomises what the Man of Steel trophy used to stand for.

As an individual player I don,t think that is the case, he has had a very strong pack all season to give him the advantage of a very good kicking game. Sandow and Gale, stats wise seem to have the better all round game and make things happen with there better strengths of a running game, I don't recall Sneyd having all that many line breaks in the middle of the park. For me Gale, Sandow and Sneeeeeeeyd in that order.

Sneyd is a fantastic kicker, but ball in hand and running he strives to be average.

Thing is, his running game is pretty good.....when he does it! Away to Wigan in the league rings a bell when he attacked the line.

I think because we dont have a consistent 6 next to him he is conscious of running with the ball and not being involved in the next play

When Hull are playing well Danny Houghton is the engine room of the team, he gets the forwards working and the team rolling forward. Sneyd sits behind the play directing traffic and dictating the pace of the game, and he does this job better than anyone in the league. He can run at the line, and he can put people through gaps, he has done both plenty of times this year, but that's not really his game. He is just a perfect fit for Hull with the players around him. If he went back to Cas I don't think he would be as effective as Gale in that set up, but equally I don't think Gale would be able to do what Sneyd does for Hull, so its horses for courses.

If Hull had a really top class 6 to compliment Sneyd they would be damn near unbeatable when on form. I have high hopes for Abdull (we'll get another look at him tonight) but he has a long way to go yet.

just can't see past Houghton for this now

not on drugs thanks.i gave my opinion you gave yours.if Houghton does get MoS then I wouldn't begrudge him it.would say it's him ellis or Solomona. Ellis for me without any hesitation

This is now Luke Gale.
Gale now on 40 try assists too (compared to 20 from Sneyd).

Solomona now has a record of 37 tries in a season. With such a massive number of tries, many of them spectacular, has any player made a bigger impact on the league this season?

Luke Gale now has 44 try assists (the next best is Sandow on 25) and is still the leading goal-kicker.

eh? What did the man of steel trophy used to stand for? Its always been for the standout player of the year hasn't it?

The RFL simply describe it as the award for "player of the year".
Due to the name of the award, I think some have the impression it goes to the toughest player of the year. However, that's not the case. It goes to the best player of the year.

I've always thought the Man of Steel award should go to a forward. Backs get plenty of chances for glory the rest of the year. Also I'll admit I am massively biased.

Danny Houghton would be my choice if I had one.

Does anyone know how the MOS is selected now? I think a shortlist is drawn up and then the players vote but that may have changed.

I'd like to see each club have an internal vote to determine their player of the year then that list of 12 players is then voted upon by all clubs with the restriction that you can't vote for the club from your player. MOS would then truly be chosen by the players themselves.

Kept their team out of the middle 8's I guess

Quite possibly.
Though it is interesting to note that in the three games Solomona missed our replacement left-wingers scored 9 tries.
The combination between Gale and Dorn this year has been the main reason our left edge has been so prolific (though Solomona has scored some fantastic individual efforts too).
It also has to be pointed out that our halves and backs can only perform if they are at the right end of the field. The likes of Springer, Millington, Holmes, Moors, McMeekan, Patrick and Lynch have been instrumental in this too.

Can anyone remember the last time Chris Hill had a bad game? For that matter, anyone remember when he last had an ordinary game? Without Hill the current Wire side wouldn't be top of the league, they probably wouldn't even be top four. Loads of very valid arguments for several players, but surprised that the best prop in Super League is barely getting a mention.