Awarded every year since 1977, the Man of Steel is given to Super League's best player.
Only four players have ever won the award more than once: Sam Tomkins, Andy Farrell, Paul Sculthorpe and Ellery Hanley, with Hanley the only player to have won the award on three occasions.
Wigan Warriors players boast the most wins with 12, Bevan French the most recent in 2023, ending a 10-year wait for a Cherry and White to take the prize.
St Helens players took seven of the nine Man of Steel awards between 2000 and 2008 via Sean Long, Sculthorpe (twice), Jamie Lyon, Paul Wellens, James Roby and James Graham
Jake Connor is the holder after a superb 2025 season with Leeds Rhinos, though will be passing the torch on in 2026 having failed to be nominated this time around.
In 2008, voting changed so that Super League players decided the winner, though the system changed again in 2019 and once more in 2026, with a five-man panel of former rugby league players now determining the winner.
Man of Steel previous winners
Year | Nation | Winner | Club | Position |
1977 | England | David Ward | Leeds | Hooker |
1978 | England | George Nicholls | St. Helens | Prop |
1979 | England | Doug Laughton | Widnes | Loose forward |
1980 | Scotland | George Fairbairn | Wigan | Full-back |
1981 | England | Ken Kelly | Warrington | Scrum-half |
1982 | England | Mick Morgan | Carlisle | Second-row |
1983 | England | Allan Agar | Featherstone Rovers | Coach |
1984 | England | Joe Lydon | Widnes | Wing, Full-back |
1985 | England | Ellery Hanley | Bradford Northern | Stand-off |
1986 | Australia | Gavin Miller | Hull Kingston Rovers | Loose forward |
1987 | England | Ellery Hanley | Wigan | Stand-off |
1988 | England | Martin Offiah | Widnes | Wing |
1989 | England | Ellery Hanley | Wigan | Loose forward |
1990 | England | Shaun Edwards | Wigan | Stand-off |
1991 | England | Garry Schofield | Leeds | Stand-off |
1992 | New Zealand | Dean Bell | Wigan | Centre |
1993 | England | Andy Platt | Wigan | Prop |
1994 | Wales | Jonathan Davies | Warrington | Centre |
1995 | England | Denis Betts | Wigan | Second-row |
1996 | England | Andy Farrell | Wigan | Loose forward |
1997 | England | James Lowes | Bradford | Hooker |
1998 | Wales | Iestyn Harris | Leeds | Full-back |
1999 | Australia | Adrian Vowles | Castleford | Loose forward |
2000 | England | Sean Long | St. Helens | Scrum-half |
2001 | England | Paul Sculthorpe | St. Helens | Stand-off |
2002 | England | Paul Sculthorpe | St. Helens | Loose forward |
2003 | England | Jamie Peacock | Bradford | Second-row |
2004 | England | Andy Farrell | Wigan | Prop, Second-row |
2005 | Australia | Jamie Lyon | St. Helens | Centre |
2006 | England | Paul Wellens | St. Helens | Fullback |
2007 | England | James Roby | St. Helens | Hooker |
2008 | England | James Graham | St. Helens | Prop |
2009 | Australia | Brett Hodgson | Huddersfield | Full-back |
2010 | Ireland | Pat Richards | Wigan | Wing |
2011 | New Zealand | Rangi Chase | Castleford | Stand-off |
2012 | England | Sam Tomkins | Wigan | Full-back |
2013 | Scotland | Danny Brough | Huddersfield | Scrum-half |
2014 | England | Daryl Clark | Castleford | Hooker |
2015 | England | Zak Hardaker | Leeds | Full-back |
2016 | England | Danny Houghton | Hull | Hooker |
2017 | England | Luke Gale | Castleford | Scrum-half |
2018 | Australia | Ben Barba | St. Helens | Full-back |
2019 | Australia | Jackson Hastings | Salford | Scrum-half, stand-off |
2020 | England | Paul McShane | Castleford | Scrum-half, hooker |
2021 | England | Sam Tomkins | Catalans | Full-back |
2022 | Australia | Brodie Croft | Salford | Scrum-half |
2023 | Australia | Bevan French | Wigan | Stand-off |
2024 | England | Mikey Lewis | Hull KR | Scrum-half |
2025 | England | Jake Connor | Leeds | Scrum-half |
