The Steve Prescott Man of Steel award is the most prestigious individual award available in UK rugby league, handed to the competition’s player of the year.
Renamed in honour of the late Steve Prescott in 2014, it’s an award that predates Super League with Leeds’ David Ward being the first ever winner, way back in 1977.
Andy Farrell was the first winner of the Super League Man of Steel, claiming that in the competition’s inaugural season back in 1996.
Despite the Man of Steel award being handed out in 30 seasons, only 27 men have landed the accolade as Andy Farrell, Paul Sculthorpe and Sam Tomkins are all two-time winners.
Sculthorpe is the only man to ever retain the award and the only three-time winner, Ellery Hanley, predates Super League.
Of the 30 winners in Super League history, we’ve looked at which teams those players represented when they lifted the award with five of the current 14 Super League teams not boasting a winner.
How many Man of Steel winners does each Super League club have?
St Helens – 8
It’s Saints who top the list for with eight Man of Steel winners, though Paul Sculthorpe has won the award twice as previously mentioned. He was the second St Helens player to win it after Sean Long did so in 2001.
A spate of four straight Man of Steel wins came from 2005 to 2008, all for different players, with Jamie Lyon, Paul Wellens, James Roby and James Graham winning it. Graham’s 2008 win marks the last year a prop won the award.
Since 2008, just one St Helens player has claimed the award with Ben Barba doing so in 2018.
Castleford Tigers – 5
Surprisingly, it’s Castleford Tigers who have the joint-second most winners in the Super League era with four of those winners coming between 2011 and 2020, including Luke Gale in 2017 when the Tigers won the League Leaders Shield.
Adrian Vowles became the first Cas winner back in 1999 with Rangi Chase the second in 2011. Hookers Daryl Clark (2014) and Paul McShane (2020) are the other two winners who hail from Wheldon Road.
Wigan Warriors – 5
A far less surprising side also have five winners and that’s Wigan Warriors with Andy Farrell counting for two of those wins, in 1996 and 2004. Pat Richards was next up, winning it in 2010 as he scored 29 tries.
Sam Tomkins won the first of his two awards, but the only one with Wigan, in 2012 whilst Bevan French scooped the prize in 2024.
Leeds Rhinos – 3
Despite their years of dominance, Leeds have just three winners and none of them hail from the golden generation. Iestyn Harris won one before that era, whilst Zak Hardaker won in 2015 at the end of the era as the Rhinos won the treble. Jake Connor’s win last year marked the club’s third and most recent win.
Bradford Bulls – 2
James Lowes won the second-ever Man of Steel award in the Super League era, claiming that in 1997 with Jamie Peacock landing the award in 2003 in his final year with the Bulls.
Huddersfield Giants – 2
Brett Hodgson won the Giants’ first award back in 2008 before Danny Brough claimed it during the club’s League Leaders Shield winning campaign in 2013.
Salford Red Devils – 2
It might be some time before Salford have another Man of Steel winner given the club’s relegation and current rebuild but their Australian playmakers gave them plenty of memories in 2019 and 2022 as Jackson Hastings and Brodie Croft both claimed the award.
Catalans Dragons – 1
Sam Tomkins’ second Man of Steel crown came nine years after his first with the England full-back winning it during the 2021 season when Catalans won the League Leaders Shield.
Hull FC – 1
The Black and Whites’ sole winner is club legend Danny Houghton with the hooker winning that in 2016, the year they won the Challenge Cup and topped the regular season table before falling away in the Super 8s.
Hull KR – 1
The Robins’ sole winner came in 2024 when Mikey Lewis won after a season that saw him score 19 tries and assist 24, ranking third and first in each metric.
Leigh Leopards, Toulouse Olympique, Wakefield Trinity, Warrington Wolves, York Knights – 0
The Olympians have only spent one year in Super League whilst York are about to embark on a maiden season so there’s no surprise that they don’t have a winner.
What is far more surprising is that Warrington Wolves don’t with Wire being a consistently strong team and making multiple Grand Finals over the years.
Leigh Leopards’ best chance so far was Lachlan Lam last year as he bagged 41 assists, whilst Wakefield Trinity are the fifth side yet to have a Man of Steel winner.
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