Man of Steel: Bevan French, Tom Johnstone & Jack Welsby nominated for 2023 award
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Bevan French, Tom Johnstone and Jack Welsby have helped their sides reach the Super League play-off semis
Wigan's Bevan French, Catalans' Tom Johnstone and St Helens' Jack Welsby are the three nominees for the 2023 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel award.
French, 27, had a big influence on Wigan finishing top of Super League, with 19 tries and 30 assists in 30 games from a revamped half-back role.
Winger Johnstone, 28, impressed at Catalans after joining from Wakefield, scoring 27 regular-season league tries.
Full-back Welsby, 22, dazzled for Saints with 27 assists and 15 tries.
All three players were named in the 2023 Super League Dream Team, having enjoyed impressive personal seasons, while also helping their clubs finish in the play-off places - with all three being involved in this weekend's semi-finals.
Australian French has been nominated on one other occasion - as has England international Welsby - losing to Catalans full-back Sam Tomkins in 2021 and Salford half-back Brodie Croft in 2022 respectively.
Johnstone has never been nominated previously, and would join an elite band of wingers to get the nod along with Pat Richards [Wigan, 2010], Martin Offiah [Widnes, 1988] and full-back or winger Joe Lydon [Widnes, 1984].
He did win the Young Player of the Year award in 2016, while at former club Wakefield.
Welsby has been named Young Player of the Year for the past two seasons, having helped St Helens to four consecutive Grand Final victories in that time.
Players receive points per game on a voting system, selected by a panel of former players, in order to select the shortlist.
The award has been running since 1977, when Leeds hooker David Ward received the inaugural trophy.
In addition, the prize was named after the late Steve Prescott MBE in 2014 as a tribute to the character and fight he showed during a seven-year battle against a rare form of stomach cancer, before he passed away aged 39.
This award, the Woman of Steel and Wheels of Steel prizes, plus Young Player, 'Hitman' and Top Tryscorer will all be presented to the winners at next Tuesday's awards in Manchester.
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