Leeds duo TIED at top of Man of Steel leaderboard as top five ranked

Leeds Rhinos duo Ash Handley and Jake Connor are tied at the top of the Man of Steel leaderboard following the latest panel meeting to determine Super League’s best player.

Reigning champion Connor is sat at the top for Rounds 10 to 18 alongside his team-mate Handley, who is arguably in the form of his career after a brilliant 2026 season.

And the panel, which includes former winners of the award including Sam Tomkins and James Roby, have decided they cannot split the exploits of both Connor and Handley in recent weeks.

Connor and Handley ‘deserve’ to be top

Tomkins spoke with great praise of the Rhinos duo, who are sitting at the summit for the second window of consideration over the course of the 2026 campaign.

The panel will meet again at the end of the regular season to release another shortlist – before then determining a final shortlist ahead of the play-offs.

“As always, it was really difficult whittling down to the final five,” Tomkins admitted. “But I think the two guys that top it – Jake Connor and Ash Handley – fully deserve it.

“That’s given Leeds are the form team in the competition with some great results over this nine-round period. They have really cemented themselves as frontrunners to make Old Trafford and I think Jake and Ash combined have been pivotal in that. 

“We’re seeing the best of Jake again. His kicking has been outstanding, his try assists and his influence – the way he runs that side of the pitch – is clear for everyone to see. And Ash Handley is certainly in the best form of his career. That’s without doubt, in my opinion. 

“For so long he was really close, and you could have argued he was slightly inconsistent at times in previous years.  But in this last block of nine games Ash has been a stand-out player in Super League.”

The rest of the top five

Leeds fullback Lachie Miller rounds off an all-Rhinos top three by sitting third. Miller was the man at the top of the leaderboard following the first 10 rounds of the season, suggesting he will be in the mix at the end of the year for the big prize.

Conversely, Connor and Handley weren’t even included in the top ten in the first block of votes.

Wigan Warriors hooker Brad O’Neill is fourth, while Leigh centre Umyla Hanley was placed in fifth by the panel.

The rest of the top ten this time around is made up of Daryl Clark, Maika Sivo, Tyrone May, Mikey Lewis and Olly Ashall-Bott.

Four players have been named in the top 10 in both panel meetings thus far: Miller, May, Clark and Sivo – perhaps hinting they have a strong chance of wider recognition at the end of the year.

But for now, it is Connor and Handley who sit at the latest summit.