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

McShane has done that in 16 games in fairness. On an average basis he’d be around 4 try’s and 14 assists played over a 27 game regular season (if he kept that sort of average per game going).

I just think Hodgson has had his chance for England and GB and he’s been dire. He’s cut a great career in Oz but I’m genuinely stumped as to how. When playing for England, he still looks like the pretty average superleague hooker I used to watch at HKR.

You only needed to look at the shortlist to see the approach was flawed. Not quite as flawed as the backs in the Dream Team . . . .

But fair play to McShane - nobody can dispute he's not been great for Cas over the last couple of years and it's a really proud night for the lad. I hope he enjoys it despite the hassle he's getting.

Every year we have the same debate and outcry regardless of the system.

McShane has been great over the last 5 years, consistently outstanding his game has changed so much in relation to his he plays.

When he joined Cas he was basically a scooting hooker, now he is much more of a playmaking 9. He is the heartbeat of everything good Cas do in attack and defence.

Has he been the best player in the league maybe, maybe not he has been up there though without doubt so it’s hardly a massive shock especially given he has been near the top of the points table all year.

Fair play to the lad, in my opinion you can make a case for all of them winning it that were named on the shortlist and a couple of others too he didn’t make the list.

and missed most of the season with an acl

I agree I would have thought his best year was 2017 he was outstanding this year been ok in a poor Castleford side.

Id go as far as to say the man of steel shouldn't have run this year, mainly because it became apparent early on that not all games were going to go ahead and it lead to this rather award tonight.