Westwood and Hardaker

Think Hardaker looks a class act at FB for Leeds

Westwood and Hardaker for me also.

Know what you are gonna get from Ben and he rarely lets you down. Englands Paul Gallen?
Hardaker has that look of class about him, although im not sure about him playing full back at a higher level. With him, Tomkins, Watkins, Hall, Lomax etc maybe, just maybe we have the makings of a back line that could ask questions of the Aussies in the coming years.

Thought Dixon would have been on the list for young player. Outstanding 1st season in a mainly struggling Broncos side.

As a Wire fan I'll admit that Westwood does the stuff that isn't necessarily as eye catching as Tomkins or Roby, but he gets through a huge amount of work, and he makes some hits and breaks that can swing the momentum in Warrington's favour (if not always being the end product in scoring a try). He was giving away silly penalties in the middle part of the season, but seems to have got control of that part of his game at the back end of the season.
I do fear what Tomkins will do with a ball in broken field play (but I honestly think that Zac Hardaker has been more effective at that towards the end of the season) and that Roby makes an annoying amount of yardage from dummy half (but so does Danny Haughton at Hull FC). But both of these other nominees can he tactically nullified with a good game plan, which is something that Westwood doesn't seem to suffer from. So, all-in-all Westwood for me (though I still think Chris Hill has been the best player at Warrington this season!).

Bradford lads for me - Westwood & Bateman

Westwood because he is a machine and fits the bill perfectly, he literally is a man of steel

Bateman, whilst not having a full year, due to injury, suspension and captaining his Country, for 18 years old and playing in the forwards he has been nothing short of a revelation. He has stood toe to toe with the "men" and not looked out of place, he can tackle, evade defence and has super ball handling skills.

How Finch never made the shortlist I do not know, he would of been my MOS, he has made Wigan tick this year and going to be a big loss.

Bumped for added Poll.

I hope Robes gets it, as he puts his body on the line each week, 100% in both attack and defence. Westwood would also be a worthy winner.

Tomkins has got something special, there is no doubt about that, he is so slippery and he has a great side step. But for me Man Of Steel should be based on power, work rate, tackling etc. Tomkins does very little in defence in comparison to the other two.

Man of Steel basically means "Best Player". I don't know why people get so hung-up on the title. It's the same award that has been won by Sean Long, Iestyn Harris and Jamie Lyon, because they were the best player that year, not the hardest or tackled the best.

It's funny that it's only in the last couple of years people have tried re-defining the award.

Man of Steel is (or rather was) a totally different award to the player of the year.

The players' player of the year? That is essentially the Man of Steel now.

No, clearly it doesn't when you consider that the likes of James Lowes, Adrian Vowles, Andy Farrell, Paul Wellens, Brett Hodgson and Pat Richards have won it in the past and were never the best player in Super League. The likes of Keiron Cunningham and Sam Tomkins have never won it. Man of Steel is the player who has had the biggest individual impact on his team. A player from a lower ranked side could win it if he performed brilliantly all season, even if those performances were still way below that of a 'better' player. Hence the reason the likes of Lowes, Vowles and Hodgson won it.

This. Man of Steel should not mean "best forward". What's the point in that? Don't think it's just been the last couple of years though, people always say it - it is just a name.

I somewhat agree, the form player of the year is not always the same as the best player, full stop.

Tomkins is a good player - no argument there.

But the lad is out the game so much and comes in with bits of show piece magic (sometimes)

The likes of Roby or Westwood play a totally different game, solid and in it 100% of the time.

Roby and Westwood both put as many tackles in 3 games as Tomkins DOES all season. End of Chat.

One attribute i look for in a fullback is the ability to put in 30-40 tackles a game. That's really what a fullback should be doing.

Perhaps this is why i loiter on RL forums and have never been offered a coaching job.

hey ho


By the way, Tomkins probably has about 3 times more tackle busts that those two combined.