Ellis for me. On a totally different level and as has been well documented in the past, his mere presence raises the performance of those around him. Plus he goes round dishing out bangs like they're going out of business! Inspirational guy and a pleasure to see lead us into battle!

If he stays fit and continues the way he's been playing then he's definitely a contender. Like you say it's a pleasure to watch him play.

IMO still one of the best second row forwards in sl

I wouldn't swap Ellis for any other second rower in the league. Can't help but admire the guy. For me he's the linchpin to our current form, a bit like the any form we've had in the past couple of years except now there's quality around him too! He demands that his team match his level and he leads by example too. Can you imagine him playing for us in his pomp?!? Jesus!!

Actually he's inspiring me so much at the moment I nearly got his name on the back of my shirt earlier (until I found out it was £15 a go and there was a Snapback cap I quite liked)

He's literally the difference between us being 5th and languishing where Leeds are. He is a 22 year old that has single handedly won us about 5 or 6 games this year.

Bateman is an outstanding player and will only get better. I think you'll have a job keeping him as NRL clubs will be keen to sign him.

Probably so but he's not MOS contender if wigan stay in 5th place. maybe if you win the comp and he's instrumental in it

going back quite a few years but adrian vowles won man of steel and Cas finished in 5th that year (1999)

and daryl clark won it when cas finished in 4th, but generally yes the man of steel is given to a player whose team finishes in the top 2

the main exception features cas again - rangi chase in 2011 when cas finished 9th

been through the MOS awards since the superleague began in 1996. of the 20 awards given out only 6 have been given to players whose team finished outside of the top 2. the breakdown is (positions in regular season)
1st 11 awards
2nd 3 awards
3rd 1 award
4th 3 awards
5th 1 award
9th 1 award

so it helps to finish in the top 2, preferrably 1. i know this excludes the playoffs where a lower placed team can have a good run but the regular season provides the bulk of the games and is a fair barometer of player of the season

as a slight aside, we have provided the young player of the year of 4 occasions. only wigan with 6 beat this, and for today's quiz without looking it up can you name the 4?

Richard Whiting
Richard Horne?
Ben Crooks?
Danny Houghton?

3 out of 4. houghton is incorrect

Danny Brough?

I've cheated and looked this up. Was quite surprised, thought it might have been Tommy Lee, who was nominated but lost out.

Was Washy wasnt it? In 06.

nope none of the names are correct yet. i never got it, and to be honest its a player you might not associate with being a young player. big clue - he didn't come through our academy

Peter Lupton?

Probably too old for the award whilst at us. But it's the first name that came to my head once you said didn't come through our academy.

I gave in and looked, I was wrong with Lupton.

Completely forgot about said player as an obvious choice to win it

Shaun Briscoe?

It's funny, when I suggested on a seperate DH thread from 2 weeks ago that he would only seriously be considered for MoS if we were at top side I was lambasted despite all the evidence.
Can't see any of the usual suspects back on to slay your logic/stats.

Of course not, they respond to the poster, not the content. The same few have pretty much killed these boards in recent years. So many good honest posters have gone by the wayside.

No, Standee, that's because of posters like you and Bumpy who resort to abuse when you've lost the argument. It's why you were banned and why he should've been.

Westy? Or is that too recent?

Tom Briscoe?

You've been given the answer - Shaun Briscoe, year before Whiting I think. 2004?

Just to bring the topic back to the initial post, I think Houghton has a great opportunity to be up there as a main contender for Man of Steel. A top 4 place plus a good run in the cup, and hopefully a strong showing in the Super 8s, will only strengthen his case. The fact that Sky Sports presenters/commentators/pundits are noticing, and lauding, his efforts more and more in recent weeks is testament to the way he, and the club as a whole, is playing right now.