Jake Connor and Ash Handley of Leeds Rhinos have moved to the top of the Steve Prescott Man of Steel rankings in the latest standings covering rounds 10 through 18 of the Betfred Super League season. Both players had been absent from the previous shortlist but have now emerged as joint leaders in the competition.
Lachie Miller, Connor and Handley’s Leeds teammate, holds third place after leading the overall standings following the opening nine rounds. Brad O’Neill of Wigan Warriors secured fourth position, while Umyla Hanley of Leigh completed the top five. Four of the five leading positions represent new entries compared to the previous rankings, with Miller being the sole player to maintain his placement from the earlier list.
A panel of five former Man of Steel winners—Ellery Hanley, Paul Sculthorpe, Sam Tomkins, James Roby, and Joe Lydon—determine the rankings by selecting a top five from a 10-person shortlist at each season stage. Sam Tomkins, a former England captain, praised the Leeds duo’s performances, describing Handley as being in the finest form of his career and highlighting Connor’s exceptional kicking, try assists, and influence on the field.
Mikey Lewis of Hull KR, the 2024 Man of Steel winner currently serving a four-match suspension, and Olly Ashall-Bott of Toulouse Olympique received consideration but fell short of the top five. The complete 10-person shortlist also included Tyrone May, Daryl Clark, and Leeds winger Maika Sivo, the league’s leading try scorer, while second and fourth-place finishers from the first edition—Jez Litten and Brodie Croft—did not appear on this list.
The panel will convene again following Round 27 for further deliberations before determining a final three-person shortlist. The Man of Steel winner will be announced at the Rugby League Awards Night in Manchester on 29 September.