How this year’s Man of Steel will be picked as surprise method for crowning winner revealed

This year’s Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel has already effectively been decided – with the points system that has determined the final three used to crown the winner.

Wigan Warriors star Jai Field, Hull KR half-back and reigning champion Mikey Lewis as well as Leeds Rhinos star Jake Connor are the three men that sat at the top of the leaderboard following the culmination of the regular season.

The leaderboard went dark after Round 15, as is now traditional, meaning that nobody knows whether it is Lewis, Field or Connor that are currently in first place. Connor was top at the time the leaderboard became secret, but both Field and Lewis have been exceptional in the second half of the season.

Previously, it has been the case where a panel would meet to discuss the final three and crown who they felt were the best winner.

But Love Rugby League has been told that will not be the case this year. Instead, it will be the leaderboard that determines who wins Super League’s highest individual accolade.

Crucially, play-off games are not involved in the Man of Steel points system too – which means that in reality, the winner is actually already determined and whatever happens between now and the award being handed out in Grand Final week is immaterial.

Instead, the award will go to the player that the system determines has been the best over the 27 rounds of the regular season.

Lewis is bidding to become only the second man after Paul Sculthorpe to win the award in consecutive years, though he faces stiff competition from two men aiming for their first Man of Steel in Field and Connor.

All three will likely have a decisive say in their teams’ push to make the Super League Grand Final: but the truth is that the Man of Steel winner has already privately been decided.