Banished Broncos halfback Brodie Croft and former NRL speedster Jai Field have been shortlisted to win the Super League’s Man Of Steel.
Salford five-eighth Croft and Wigan fullback Field are gunning to become the eighth Australian to win the award after they were named alongside St Helens’ Jack Welsby.
Croft was one of the most scrutinised players in the NRL during his ill-fated stint at the Broncos, which included a wooden spoon in 2020.
*Odds are current as of 9th September 2022, 5:17pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 9th September 2022, 5:17pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 9th September 2022, 5:17pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 9th September 2022, 5:17pm AEST
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The 25-year-old made his NRL debut at the Storm in 2016 and joined Brisbane in 2020 but left last year after two tough seasons.
Croft, who played 65 NRL games, has turned his career around in the UK and has been linked with a return to the Australia at the Knights.
Jackson Hastings won the 2019 Man of Steel in 2019 after leaving the NRL in similar circumstances to Croft to play for Salford.
Hastings returned to the NRL this season and was one of the Wests Tigers best players despite the club finishing last.
“In 2018, we had another young Aussie (Hastings) come over here who had all sorts kicked out of him by their system and media,” Salford’s executive director Paul King told Rugby League Live.
“He fell out of love with the game but he rediscovered it here at Salford, and we felt the same could be true for Brodie.”
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Field made his NRL debut at the Dragons in 2017 and made 11 appearances in three seasons before joining the Eels.
The 24-year-old played just six games at Parramatta in 2020 before departing for the Wigan and injured his hamstring on debut which sidelined him for five months.
Field is the fasted player in the Super League after being clocked at 36.kph in a game this season.
In March, he scored his first hat-trick for the club and has 20 tries to his name this season to complement his 24 try assists.
The Man of Steel will be announced on September 19.
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Australian winners:
1986 Gavin Miller (Hull KR)
1999 Adrian Vowles (Castleford)
2005 Jamie Lyon (St Helens)
2009 Brett Hodgson (Huddersfield)
2010 Pat Richards (Wigan)
2018 Ben Barba (St Helens)
2019 Jackson Hastings (Salford)
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