'He's shouting pick me' - has Lewis played way into England's Ashes team?

Mikey Lewis made his England debut in 2023 but could he be at the core of his national side against Australia?

If there was any lingering doubt Mikey Lewis would be in contention to start for England in the first Test of the Ashes series against Australia in two weeks' time then his performance for Hull KR on Saturday surely put paid to that.

The talismanic 24-year-old scored the Robins' first try as his side beat Wigan Warriors to win the Super League Grand Final for the first time.

That try, which came off the back of a stunning dummy, put the wheels in motion for Hull KR to register a stunning domestic treble and to write their name in the history books as they became only the fifth team to win in a Grand Final since its inception almost 30 years ago.

He may not have been named this season's Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel, narrowly missing out on the honour he won in 2024 to Leeds' Jake Connor, but he won the Rob Burrow Award for man of the match in the Grand Final.

It leaves England boss Shaun Wane - who is set to name his squad on Monday - with a selection headache for his first starting line-up to face Australia when they meet at Wembley in 14 days' time.

Warrington's George Williams is England's captain, while Harry Smith - who himself scored on Saturday as Wigan threatened a second-half comeback - is also in contention alongside Lewis for a starting place.

Meanwhile, Connor will feel as if he has earned the right for a call-up himself off the back of a mature and impressive season in which he helped the Rhinos to their first top-four finish since 2017.

Lewis shouting 'don't pick me if you dare' to Wane

A first Ashes series for almost 20 years is a big occasion and Hull KR head coach Willie Peters - who will be part of the Kangaroos' backroom team for the series - believes Lewis' performance on the Grand Final stage was a pivotal moment in his career.

"I said out there that Mikey Lewis has arrived and what I meant was, that was a big moment," Peters told BBC Radio Humberside.

"It doesn't get bigger than a Grand Final and he owned that first half.

"He cops a lot but it just shows the type of player we've got, who he is and what he's about.

"He's had massive games this year but in terms of Grand Finals he was ready for that and he stood up and I'm so proud given what he has to cop.

"But he's grown so much and he was a difference."

Salford Red Devils boss Paul Rowley thinks that despite a crowded line-up of players bidding to start, Lewis has convincingly made his case.

"Mikey Lewis is shouting from the rooftops 'pick me', or 'don't pick me if you dare'," Rowley told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He's saying he can do it, he's a big player and he's doing it on the big stage.

"He was deservedly man of the match, he was fantastic.

"Mikey Lewis has got to be in there somewhere, but it's hard to squeeze all these good players in - there are only a few positions for quite a few players."

Hull KR playmaker Mikey Lewis left Old Trafford after winning both the Super League Grand Final and the Rob Burrow Award for man of the match