Hull KR half-back Mikey Lewis bullish about Man of Steel chances after Dream Team selection

The England playmaker was in the running for the prestigious award before the leaderboard went dark in July and has taken his game to new heights since.

Lewis finished the regular season with the most direct try involvements in the competition after scoring 19 and laying on 24 more.

The three-player Man of Steel shortlist is set to be revealed next week.

"If I do get nominated, it'd be a massive honour," said Lewis.

"I feel like I've played consistently well enough to be part of that but it's out of my hands now. I've done my work so we'll see what happens."

Lewis was one of 11 debutants in the Dream Team alongside KR team-mate Elliot Minchella.

The 23-year-old has expressed his joy after following in the footsteps of greats such as Rob Burrow and Paul Sculthorpe, who presented the shirts to the 2024 all-star team at an event in Worsley on Monday.

"I'm proud and grateful to be part of this team," said Lewis. "It's a reflection of how you've gone all year.

"I was looking at the list of past half-backs in this team and it's an honour to be on it myself now. Hopefully it's not the last one."

Lewis announced himself as one of the hottest prospects in the English game in 2021 but it has not all been plain sailing for the Hull native at the top level.

The youngster struggled with the physicality of Super League after breaking into the KR team, leading to stints in the Championship with York Knights to work on his defence.

Lewis has transformed himself into a strong defender who takes the fight to the opposition.

"I had to go away from the club on loan to mature as a player and improve the things I need to get better at," he said.

"I never questioned myself. I was a young lad when I first came into Super League playing against men. It was very tough but I never questioned whether I could do it.

"Those tough times have shaped me into the player I am now."

Lewis has been on Hull KR's journey from the bottom to the top after making his Super League debut in 2019.

Rovers fell agonisingly short of winning the League Leaders' Shield but Lewis views a top-two finish as a big achievement for the club.

"It is for the whole squad," said Lewis, who is preparing for next week's semi-final at Craven Park.

"We can't enjoy it too much because these next couple of weeks are a whole new beast.

"It was massive to get home advantage. We've had to play away the last couple of times and it's not gone to plan.

"We'll let it build nicely but I can't wait to be out there. Playing in front of our fans will be huge for us."

Lewis is no stranger to play-off semi-finals after featuring in KR's defeats to Catalans Dragons and Wigan Warriors in 2021 and 2023 respectively.

Asked if this year felt different, Lewis replied: "One hundred per cent it does.

"We've put more performances together this year. It feels different. We feel ready."