Barrie McDermott picks his ‘best front-rower of 2023’ with Mr Consistent label given
Legend Barrie McDermott believes Leigh Leopards forward Robbie Mulhern has been the best prop of the 2023 Super League season.
Ireland international Mulhern, 28, has enjoyed a new lease of life since the move to the Leigh Sports Village from Warrington Wolves, missing just one Super League game to date under Adrian Lam.
The Challenge Cup winner played a huge part in the Wembley success earlier in August and was named Love Rugby League’s unsung hero in the triumph. His barging effort helped lay the platform for his side’s first try, scored by Lachlan Lam, before his 20 metre charge in extra time allowed the Papua New Guinea international half-back to sink the golden point winner for a 17-16 result against Hull KR.
His average gain in 2023 of 8.05 comes as Leigh’s second-best behind Tom Amone (8.34), with four tries in the current campaign, 2521 metres and 56 tackle busts.
Only three other fellow starting Super League front-rowers beat his average gain – current injured St Helens star Alex Walmsley at 8.18, Leeds’ Mikołaj Olędzki (8.1) and Catalans-bound Chris Satae (8.28)
Mulhern’s efforts in 2023 slightly beats the likes of Paul Vaughan (8.03), Chris Hill (7.78) and Romain Navarrete (8).
He was most recently a try-scorer in the 22-12 defeat to four-peat champions St Helens at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Barrie McDermott hails Super League’s ‘best front-rower of 2023’
Speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage of Friday’s clash, Leeds hero McDermott said of Mulhern: “He has consistently been one of the best players in the team and for me that’s the best front-rower of 2023.
“He puts big minutes in and big efforts in.”
Four-time Grand Final winner and current pundit Kyle Amor previously stated that Mulhern is enjoying his finest season to date, having made his professional career with Leeds Rhinos in 2014.
Leigh marks his fourth full-time club, including stints at Hull KR and Warrington, having failed to reach an agreement to extend his stay at the Halliwell Jones Stadium and making the short move to Leigh upon their promotion to Super League.
“Robbie Mulhern is having his best season, I believe, with his fourth club in Super League,” Amor previously said on Channel 4.
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