Is it just me, or are there no really stand-out contenders for the Man of Steel award this season?

I suppose the contenders for last year are doing well - at least Roby and Tomkins... Can't see lightning striking twice for Rangi Chase anyway.

Anyone obvious I've missed? With Huddersfield going great guns so far they must have a contender - Brough?

To avoid the usual biases could posters replying only suggest players who don't play for the clubs they support? Cue lots of recommendations for the likes of Dureau and Menzies

for other teams just from what i have seen

bradford - not seen enough
catalan- dureau
castleford - griffin???
hudds - brough/grix
hull- tickle/manu
kr- dobson
leeds - sinfield
salford - pattern
st helens - roby
warrington - hill/atkins
wigan - tomkins/finch
wakey - smith?
widnes - ah van??

out of them who stands a chance maybe tomkins, roby, sinfield, dureau

Briers

No chance for Manu. His form do far this season has been poor.
Houghton has been Hull's best player for me.

Dureau is a decent shout, as is Broughy - both in electric form and both players that win matches for their sides.

I don't think Chase will even be on the radar this season - he's looked average thus far.

Hock must be a nightmare to play against and unless other SL players feel the same way about him that I do, he could be a candidate.

If WTW have a contender, it'd be Danny Kirmond - he's playing out of his skin.

Hock and Brough for me. It's in the last ten rounds that win you MOS, rather than the first ten though.

Finch & Hock are the 2 outstanding players at Wigan so far, McIlorum & Tomkins aren't too far behind.

If it was to be anybody at Saints it would be Roby or Soliola I'd imagine.

I honestly do not think there has been anyone from HKR worthy of being called MOS this season. Withers has been in great form but compared to say Roby he's not got a chance. As someone said though it is the back end of the season that leaves a lasting impression!

At Leeds I think most would go with Ablett and Delaney but I can't see neither get anywhere close to it. The best shot we have is Hardaker and IF Watkins manages to stay injury free upon his return in 2 weeks, them 2 are decent shouts for Young Player of the Season.

Briers.

Just about everyone in the game knows he's been a special talent and continues to be. As he comes to the twilight go his career it's about time he was recognised a such, whatever the colour of your particular team.

Lots of other players with arguably just as much talent as Briers (if not more so) have finished their careers without picking up MoS, such as Cunningham and Senior. Sinfield is probably not going to win one as well. Aren't these players just as 'deserving' as Briers? Briers deserves some recognition but IMO the MoS shouldn't be viewed as a career achievement award.

What about Danny Tickle at Hull, he seemed to be getting the plaudits early doors?

Tickle and Lynch have been immense for most of the season. Danny Houghton ahead of them for me though, and he's not exactly James Roby just yet.

briers hasnt been as good as he was last season i think last season was briers best shot for it.

Danny Brough he's been outstanding this year

Brough & Dureau have been outstanding.
Hocks been good but he'll never win it as he has a bit of a do with just about every team he plays against.

This is the only thing that could stop him playing for England, he goes looking for trouble. Even when Wigan are comfortably winning i've seen him lose his cool over nothing and then put his team under pressure.

But Dureau & Brough for me

Brough, Finch and Dereau have been outstanding for their teams and should be in with a shout. Roby and Tomkins are always going to be up there, Burrows has been a revelation at hooker before getting injured.

Hock has been immense but as mentioned above, does seem to get into it with someone from every team, so player votes will be hard to come by, unless they man up and admit he has been unplayable for most!

At halfway, I agree that there are no obvious standouts. 2 or 3 big performances in CC SF/Final and other high profile games late in the season will clinch it for someone

Tomkins or Roby will probably get it

Rangi Chase would have something to say about that.

Some laughable suggestions on here - Danny Kirkmond? Carl Ablett? Lee Briers?

Sam Tomkins is cut and above the rest of Super League & fully deserves the accolade, just like he did last year. He regular leaves defenders on their backsides and leaves bitter Stains and Weeds fans frothing at the mouth whenever he plays them.

He's untouchable. He's already made 73 tackle busts, 30 more than second place Willie Manu - that's outstanding. He demonstrates remarkable feats of athleticism every time he takes the field, but it is so common place now that people just expect it & are used to it.

Sadly though fans and players alike are so bitter and frustrated at not being able to lay a finger on him that he will not win the award that has become more of a popularity contest than any real prestigious prize so someone old and boring like Jamie Peacock or Adrian Morley will win it.

Which just demonstrates how this is just a popularity contest and nothing more. Jamie Foster will probably win it because his mum does his hair.

Don't think anyone from my team deserves a mention yet, but from who Bradford have played so far mthe contenders for me are Andy Lynch & Sam Tomkins

Roby and Tomkins are the best players in SL, but surely MoS shouldn't be purely on this basis; it should be based on their impact and influence that they have had on their team through the season.

On that basis for me: Brough and Dureau have to be the early contenders.

The best player I've seen this season is Sam Tomkins, ripped us to pieces. Can't really argue with the earlier comment.

Ryan Hall was class against us, he was very good versus the Aussies too. A bit too early really for this thread imo.

At Wire...probably...errr...

Hmmmm

Atkins is showing Banana the big middle finger right now, brilliant.