2026 Super League Man of Steel odds with Wigan Warriors duo among top 10 favourites
The odds for the 2026 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel award have been revealed, with Wigan Warriors stars Bevan French and Jai Field among the favourites.
The Man of Steel system has gone under somewhat of a revamp heading into the new season, with a five-strong panel of former winners set to highlight the competition’s best player.
This week, organisers confirmed that changes have been made to how the winner will be selected, moving away from the points-based system that has been utilised over the last six years.
The panel will consist of Ellery Hanley MBE, Joe Lyon, Sam Tomkins, James Roby and Paul Sculthorpe MBE. All five are former Man of Steel winners and will take part in a more detailed review process to identify the league’s top performer come the end of the season, with the winner being announced during Grand Final week at the Rugby League Awards Night.
The new system is designed to ensure the Man of Steel continues to recognise the player who has made the biggest impact on Super League each year, rewarding consistent excellence across the campaign rather than just standout individual matches.
With the revised Man of Steel system in mind, Wigan Today has taken a look at the favourites – according to Super League’s main competition sponsor Betfred – for the league’s most prestigious individual award, with the opening round of the campaign getting underway this weekend.
Wigan superstar French, who was crowned Man of Steel in 2023, is the outright favourite at 15/2, with 2024 winner Mikey Lewis, who helped Hull KR win the treble last season, at 17/2. The reigning Man of Steel – Jake Connor of Leeds Rhinos – is the seventh favourite for this year’s title at 16/1.
French’s Warriors teammate Jai Field is the third favourite for this year’s gong at 10/1, coming off the back of a strong 2025 campaign, scoring 26 tries in 29 appearances for the Warriors, as well as taking the fullback spot in the Super League Dream Team.
2026 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel odds (courtesy of Super League sponsors Betfred): Bevan French (15/2), Mikey Lewis (17/2), Jai Field (10/1), Lachlan Lam (12/1), Lachie Miller (12/1), Jez Litten, (14/1), Jake Connor (16/1), Jack Welsby (18/1), Will Pryce (18/1), George Williams (20/1).