Dave Craven: There is case to be made for all three Man of Steel candidates

Rarely can there have been three more worthy contenders for the sport’s most prestigious individual award than Huddersfield Giants captain Danny Brough, Leeds Rhinos talismanic prop Jamie Peacock and Wigan’s irreplaceable leader Sean O’Loughlin.

Each has left an indelible mark on 2013 and, while delivering consistently excellent personal form, their importance to each of their clubs can not be under-estimated either.

Indeed, until Wigan’s stellar win over Leeds last week, it looked like their recent inability to cope without the injured O’Loughlin’s presence might leave their Grand Final hopes wrecked. It remains to be seen whether Shaun Wane’s side can push on and win the title without the commanding England loose forward, but I think the fact he has endured an injury-blighted run-in may see him miss out on Man of Steel.

Who wins, though, remains uncertain and, for once, you can see why those who argue it should be delayed until after the Grand Final have a point.

It is, after all, meant to illustrate who has had the biggest impact on the Super League season and the 80 minutes at Old Trafford are the defining moments of the whole campaign.

However, the award is announced on the Monday before Grand Final, proving a fitting highlight of the sport’s annual awards dinner in Manchester as the build-up begins for that showpiece.

Prior to 2011, it was decided exclusively by a media panel but in recent years it has been determined by a poll of every Super League player.

That has had its problems though. Many onlookers were stunned that, for all his excellence, Castleford’s Rangi Chase claimed the award two years ago given Sam Tomkins had been such a stand-out figure.

The Wigan superstar, mind, did rub some people up the wrong way that year and it is widely believed many of his peers simply refused to vote for him, causing the imbalance.

Similarly, there is a feeling many of the game’s younger generation do not fully comprehend how prominent the award is and might not take their vote as seriously as perhaps they should.

Let us not forget, since David Ward, the uncompromising Leeds hooker, picked up the inaugural award in 1977 it has been received by some of the game’s true greats.

From Ellery Hanley (three times, no less), Joe Lydon and Allan Agar to Shaun Edwards, Garry Schofield and Gavin Miller, it is a highly-coveted title.

Players’ votes now are still considered but by a specially convened Man of Steel selection panel which comprises two current Super League players – this time Jon Wilkin and Jon Clarke – nominated by the players’ association 1eagu3, representatives of the broadcast and print media, and a retired former Man of Steel winner, in this case Paul Sculthorpe.

From the votes cast by the Super League players, a longlist of five names is considered by the panel who narrow the list down to three and then select a winner.

I have to admit, at first, having some concerns about the legitimacy of this as surely there is scope for this system to come up short. The panel itself could feasibly decide one candidate is better when perhaps the majority of votes have gone to another.

However, organisers insist it is merely a safety net and, if the panel is veering massively away from the expected choice, its chairman – who knows how many votes each contender has – will nudge them back on track.

Furthermore, the players involved on the selection panel have no club affiliation with any of the players on the long list.

None of which makes it any easier actually arriving at a winner. I imagine the battle this year will be as close as it has been since the award’s inception.

The only difference is there will be no complaints whatever the outcome.