Dave Craven: What a nightmare selecting this season’s ‘Dream Team’

Yes, it’s Dream Team time again which means I’ve had to think back through more than 100 Super League games witnessed this term in readiness to cast my votes for the elite.

The internal debate has been raging, weighing up the pros and cons of so many possibles when asked to name the top three players in every position.

Look, for instance, at the full-back contenders.

Zak Hardaker has been a revelation since switching there with Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield Giants’ exciting youngster Greg Eden emerged as one of the signings of the season while Saints veteran Paul Wellens has been revitalised at times this season. Yet none of this trio get in my top three.

Sam Tomkins has to be first choice with baffled defences still showing little signs of being able to contain his wizardry.

I thought Brett Hodgson was past it when Huddersfield let him go two years ago. He’s proved me wrong ever since at Warrington.

Any youngsters wanting to cut their teeth as a full-back just study the supreme 34-year-old while you still can. Which will probably be until 2020 the way he defies the ageing process.

Another master of the art is fellow Australian Luke Patten, who has brought so much enjoyment for Salford fans.

There is plenty to go at with wingers, too, where Josh Charnley has come of age at Wigan reaching 30 tries, while Ryan Hall maintained his remarkably prolific form with Leeds.

Chris Riley has finally made a spot his own at Warrington, but it is his colleague Joel Monaghan who narrowly gets my nod as third wideman.

Part of Riley’s success has been down to a rich supply from centre Ryan Atkins, who has improved that aspect of his game no end this term. Wigan’s Darrell Goulding – who, like Atkins, has bounced back after a poor 2010 Four Nations with England – has repaid the faith shown in him by Shaun Wane as Joel Tomkins’s replacement. He wins my approval ahead of George Carmont, who has been his usual model of consistency in a year where he initially envisaged being retired. Kallum Watkins has shown flashes of brilliance with Leeds, while Leroy Cudjoe is one player who maintained his form amid the crisis engulfing Giants.

Lee Briers can do no wrong in my eyes but stand-off sees Brett Finch just pip him, with a mention in dispatches for Salford’s Daniel Holdsworth, while you cannot look any further than Thomas Leuluai as his partner – despite suffering a broken leg – ahead of Richie Myler, Scott Dureau, Danny McGuire and Wakefield’s late-surger Tim Smith.

Warrington prop Chris Hill has been outstanding in his first year in a full-time environment following his move from Leigh.

Wigan’s Lee Mossop has, similarly, been a driving power while Hull FC captain Andy Lynch gets a vote as third best front-row for the way he has, at times, carried his team this term.

In the middle, Saints hooker James Roby is a fixture though Michael Monaghan, Michael McIlorum and another Trinity player – Paul Aiton – all have their merits. The second-row picks itself; Warrington’s Ben Westwood would be my tip for Man of Steel in every sense of the title. When a raw centre at Wakefield 10 years ago you could scarcely imagine Westwood developing into one of the toughest, most durable and talented back-rows in the game.

However, his consistency has been immense, illustrated again with a typically robust display in the Challenge Cup final.

Wigan’s Gareth Hock is back to his world-class best so Hull’s Willie Manu and Danny Tickle plus Wakefield’s Danny Kirmond and Catalan’s Steve Menzies miss out. Finally, Sean O’Loughlin is the complete loose forward.

Craven’s SL Dream Team 2012: Tomkins; Charnley, Goulding, Atkins, Hall; Finch, Leuluai; Hill, Roby, Mossop, Westwood, Hock, O’Loughlin.