Ultimately it is a player of the year award and the title is just a gimmick. Saying that to say Tomkins isn't a tough nut would be totally wrong. I'm not saying he's hard in a fighting sense but my god he's tough. He cops more rough treatment then any other player and comes back for more. He's had players like David Howell, Carl Ablett and our own Hame Lauaki try to take his head off over the years but he never shys away.

Guys like Tomkins, Hodgson and Burrow show as much 'Steel' as anybody because they constantly get battered and play at a huge size disadvantage but keep coming back.

I'm not saying Tomkins is the only candidate to win it but the title would be fair.

Tomkins' form is shocking. Man of Steel is Scott Dureau. Anyone else getting it would be farcical.

Someone mentioned Burrow, I reckon he might be in with a shot, he's been so influential at Leeds for years and takes plenty of crunching tackles from men nearly twice his size.

chris hill for sure! the step up from championship to super league and to be one of the best props in super league this year and win a challenge cup he has been immense this year

If it's supposed to go to the man who's performed over and above what is expected, and best influenced his team's performances, I'd say Hill ..... and can't disagree that Finch, not Tomkins has made Wigan tick this year ......

But, it's a popularity contest, so it wont be Tomkins ...... good player (boy, did that hurt to type that!) but he even winds up his own team-mates ..... and the way he reacted when Hughes made a mess was disgraceful!

Basing it on my first thought above, I'd like to see a shortlist of Hill, Raleigh, Dureau, Burrows (just, from Delaney), Houghton, and, here's one that's been missed by most ..... Ben Cross ..... written off as 'past his sell-by', he's held (or at least given 100% trying) the Smellies together through a really difficult first season.

Depends on next couple of games, any of those mentioned can nick it last furlong. I assume it's decided after Semis?

Ben Cross for MoS! Crikey.

Roby
Tomkins
Westwood

One of the above. End of.

Dureau would be one of the contenders, and Hill a shoe-in for 'rookie of the year' if there was such an award.

I'm sure you're having a laugh with Raleigh, Delaney and Cross though. Any more average forwards you want to mention?

I don't care what the award is called, there's nothing steely about Rangi Chase. If the award is meant to honour the outstanding individual in the British game, then it's between Tomkins and Roby IMO.

As I said, if it was for players who have performed above what is expected .... everyone sees those 3 as 'journeymen, yet on many occasions they have put in 80 minutes at near full tilt to stop their team-mates from being over-run, whilst the usual suspects being touted for MoS (the headline grabbers) all too often disappear from games until it's time to pop up with a walk-in try for the cameras. When Wigan have been under the cosh (against us twice, Leeds in Cup etc) Tomkins may as well have been Man of Custard for all the use he was. In the two games against Trinity, Raleigh was at times a one man defence ...... they almost held on at our place and it took over 50 minutes for a decent Wire team to take control at their dump, yet those performances get overlooked when it comes to the Twinkle Toes of the Year award.

I would agree with this fair and unbiased comment, all of it.

brett finch or james roby

I agree but I would add Brett Hodgson and even Steve Menzies to that list and considering the age of the latter two especially SM their performances have been quite remarkable

sam tomkins , ben westwood , steve menzies

Tomkins main problems are his arrogance, the fact he plays the game with a scowl instead of a smile and the colour of the shirt he wears. In terms of ability he's a stand-out candidate but so are Westwood & Dureau but I think Tomkins will get it.

Roby always gets mentioned because he's so consistent - I don't think he's actually had that great a year, but has probably been eye catching in a very average saints team.