He also seems to forget they would have have either been told he had won and so said he deserved to win (hardly going to say “how the f*** has he won” are they) or will have recorded a message for all eventualities.

As I said in a text message- good player but easy to stand out in a e side.
See Denis Moran.

Oh, and I dont think Barrett should have won in 07 either.

Some stats that sum it up rather nicely IMO

Paul McShane

2020

2 try’s and 8 assists

2019

1 try and 19 assists

2018

8 try’s and 27 assists

2017

3 try’s and 19 assists

Now I know he’s played fewer games but he’s clearly had a less effective season that some of his others. If there was an award for having a consistently good 4 or 5 seasons, the lad deserves that but sadly this is an award for 2020’s best player.

just shows he was robbed in previous years

Looking at 2018 he probably was, what a season that was. What it does highlight though is how tough it is to get points in a better performing team. He’s won an award for finding points easier to come by because his side have been so poor.

That can’t be the right way of it being judged but fair play to McShane. As I say the lad has been consistently very good for a few seasons now, I’d have him in my England side, I’d pick him in the dream team but I wouldn’t say he should be the man of steel.

Would this be the same early season when French and Farrell were also outstanding for the team that entered lockdown in first position? You over emphasise the fact that he was good for you and not necessarily better than French or Farrell. He was leading the points race for exactly the same reasons pointed out elsewhere.

Since lockdown, when twice the number of games have been played than pre lockdown, he hasn't come close to French or Farrell (or the other nominees for that matter). I like McShane but MOS? Come on! Not even a died in the wool Cas fan such as yourself can believe he deserves it for being as good as the others for half a dozen games but not quite as good for almost two thirds of the season, surely?

Over who?

Roby, Hodgson and Powell are all far superior to him imo.

Roby is past his best and whilst still a good player, I do think McShane is now the better player. Josh Hodgson the less said about the better, the lad is the most overrated player I’ve ever seen and wouldn’t get anywhere near my England team and Powell isn’t as good as McShane IMO. He’s much improved, I’d pick him as my next Wigan captain and he brings different qualities to a side than McShane but I think McShane is the more rounded player (and not just physically).

If I picked an England team tomorrow, McShane would start and Daryl Clark would be on the bench (if you ran with a bench hooker).

I guess we all see different things in players. I agree that Hodgson is hyped, but he's still far superior to McShane. Let's not talk the guy up more than he already is - he's a 3rd/4th rate Piggy Riddell, or as someone described him earlier, a Moran mrk.2.

Mate you don’t rack up those numbers I quoted without being a damn good player. That isn’t the point in question though. We both agree he’s never a man of steel on this seasons form but I think he is a really good player. Big fish, small pond may be the case but he’s had 4 or 5 really good seasons now. He’s certainly been the consistent hooker in superleague over that period for me. I know Shaun Wane rates him very highly and I think he may well pick him next season.

I'm not a fan of the points system, I don't understand what it's supposed to achieve. More interest from week to week?

However it seems like this wasn't even because of the system, Hanley or a panel chose McShane, which is difficult to understand.

For me the stand out players this season have been French and Walmsley, both in the grand final but offer different things to their teams that help set them apart. Couldn't have complained if either had won.

But hey ho.

I genuinely don't know. Hodgson bagged 12 assists and 2 tries in 2019 which puts him in the current bracket of McShane, but we both agree he's overrated. .

What's the difference?

For england its still clarke and roby for me