It's time to kick off my annual countdown of the best 60 Super League players of the season. Last year it was Jonny Lomax of St Helens who was crowned the winner, but who will take top spot in 2020?
All of the top 60 have been ranked solely on their performances and contributions in 2020. The first in a three-part series, this article will count down players in positions 60-31. Part Two will go from 30-6, and Part Three will reveal the top five. So, let's get going...
60) MATTY LEES
With Luke Thompson leaving mid-season and both James Graham and Alex Walmsley suffering injuries at times, St Helens have been in need of a forward to step up this season, and Matty Lees has done that every time. The 22-year-old has appeared 16 times and has been integral in Saints keeping the pressure on the opposition when he has replaced Walmsley or Graham.
59) WILLIE ISA
2019 Placing: 47th
Isa has missed just two games for Wigan this year and has been as important as ever. It is Liam Farrell who gets plenty of attention in the Wigan second row, but Isa does a lot of hard work and his line speed is outstanding, exemplified brilliantly in the Grand Final.
58) RATU NAULAGO
2019 Placing: 19th
I think it's such a shame that Naulago is leaving rugby league this year. The 31-year-old is exactly the type of winger I love to see - ridiculously quick, confident and takes a chance. Seven tries in eight appearances this season for Naulago, and a real firecracker of a player who will be missed.
57) BLAKE AUSTIN
2019 Placing: 8th
It is a surprise to see Austin so low down when he was in the running for Man of Steel last year, but he has not been able to match the level of consistency he produced in the majority of his first season in England. At times he has been sparkling, but at too many others he has failed to show up.
56) KONRAD HURRELL
2019 Placing: 29th
Leeds centre Konrad Hurrell has once again made the Super League Dream Team this year, which I find baffling. I think Hurrell is a decent centre, but I really don't get what the fascination is with this guy. He's very poor defensively and doesn't score anywhere near as many tries as he should with his size and power.
55) JAKE TRUEMAN
2019 Placing: 23rd
It has been an injury-hit campaign for Castleford's star half-back, making just eleven appearances in 2020. He has, at times, shown his star quality and at just 21, is a player that I still believe has the potential to dominate Super League in years to come.
54) JAKE WARDLE
Someone who impressed me when I saw them against Warrington this season was Jake Wardle, who has had a good season for Huddersfield. He has contributed to seven tries for the Giants, but more notable about Wardle is his ball-carrying - an average gain of nearly 9.5m with every carry - big numbers.
53) HARRY SMITH
Fifteen appearances for the 20-year-old Harry Smith this season, who has been a great option for Wigan. He is one that clearly has a very bright future and may well be the long-term replacement for Thomas Leuluai. He was exceptional in Wigan's playoff semi-final victory over Hull FC.
52) GARETH O'BRIEN
He swapped the Wolfpack for the Tigers following Toronto's withdrawal from Super League, and had an instant impact on Castleford upon joining them. The vastly experienced pivot player scored in his first four appearances for Daryl Powell's team and it is no surprise that they have signed him up for 2021.
51) TINIRAU ARONA
Wakefield have struggled this season, but I have been impressed with forward Tinirau Arona, who returned to action in March after nearly a year out with an ACL injury. To his credit, he hasn't looked any different than he was before the injury, consistently making hard yards and doing the dirty work in the tackling department.
50) TOM LINEHAM
Warrington's number two had made an excellent start to the season, scoring seven tries. The winger had dramatically improved his defensive work and was looking like a golden-boot chaser until a moment of madness against Castleford saw him receive an eight-match ban, which ultimately ruled him out for the rest of the season.
49) BRAD SINGLETON
Eyebrows were raised when Wigan took the decision to sign Brad Singleton from Toronto in what seemed like a very surprising move, but it has turned out to be a very good piece of business. He has been an excellent addition to the Wigan pack and started in the Grand Final for the Warriors.
48) FOUAD YAHA
Catalans' 24-year-old winger has had another successful season, scoring nine tries in just eleven appearances for the Dragons. He crossed in Catalans' first four matches of the season and has been very good with yardage too, regularly making over 100 metres in matches.
47) JACK WELSBY
This young man delivered the moment of the season when he touched down the ball after it hit the post from Tommy Makinson's drop-goal attempt, winning the Grand Final for St Helens. With injuries to Mark Percival and Lachlan Coote this season, Welsby has had a lot of gametime. He has errors to iron out, but looks a real prospect at 19.
46) ALBERT KELLY
2019 Placing: 55th
Albert Kelly has been one of my favourite players to watch in Super League in the last few years. He has such attacking flair and instinct and for a half-back, is of a size that makes him difficult to stop with the ball in hand. He only appeared in seven matches in 2020, yet scored three tries and got seven assists. Hull FC have a big task replacing him now as he heads back to Australia. Whether that is putting Jake Connor permanently in the halves or recruiting a replacement, Kelly will be a hard player to follow.
45) GIL DUDSON
2019 Placing: 35th
Salford weren't able to replicate the heroics of 2019, but they still had a respectable season and were a tough team to play against. Much of that was because of the hard-working nature of their forward pack - of which Gil Dudson is the leader. His yardage has continued to impress - 153 metres against Leeds. Despite announcing mid-season that he will be joining Catalans in 2021, his performances have not suffered.
44) MORGAN KNOWLES
2019 Placing: 17th
Despite being named in Super League's Dream Team, I don't think Morgan Knowles has managed to replicate his level of performance from last season. He has again been St Helens' first-choice at loose forward and been a regular tackler, making 533 of them, though surprisingly has also missed 60. Still, an important part of the Super League champions.
43) RICHIE MYLER
Well, here's someone I never thought I'd include. Richie Myler had a very poor time at Warrington and was one of many half-backs who didn't cut it for Wire. However, he has had an excellent year for Leeds, playing in both the halves and, more often, at full-back, where he has been consistently an attacking threat. Six tries and ten assists is a very good return for a player who has turned his career around.
42) BEN CURRIE
Another man who has really turned things around this year is Ben Currie. The second rower looked a shadow of his former self in 2019 but has returned to somewhere near his best in 2020. He has been solid in defence and though he doesn't quite have the pace he once did, has also been a major contributor in attack, being one of the influential players in Wire's ability to score tries from deep.
42) DAN SARGINSON
I've been really surprised by how good Dan Sarginson has been for Salford in 2020. He looked pretty washed up by the end of his time for Wigan but has been a useful signing for the Red Devils this campaign, playing at both centre and full-back and being a major contributor for them, with a try and five assists. It's also worth mentioning how much he gets his hands on the ball - 216 carries in ten appearances.
40) HARRY NEWMAN
2019 placing: 43rd
A player who without doubt would've been much higher in this list had it not been for his injury sustained in September. Newman was playing at a really high level at centre, getting two tries and four assists, and making up over eight metres per match. He busted tackles 53 times and it was a real shame for the 20-year-old's season to be ended prematurely.
39) REGAN GRACE
2019 Placing: 24th
Regan Grace is a hell of an exciting player to watch, and one of the quickest in Super League. The 23-year-old Welsh winger has ten tries, and his pace has proven to be too much for opposition defences to handle at times, with him making twenty clean breaks. Defensively though, I think Grace is very average and this is why he doesn't quite rank as high as some may have expected.
38) MARC SNEYD
A player who I consider to be extremely reliable and one of the best goal-kickers, and drop-goal getters, in the competition's history. Sneyd is still as influential as ever for Hull FC and when it comes down to the big moments, the half-back has ice running through his veins - four drop-goals is the most of any player this season. FC need him to replicate his performance from the Hull derby in February - where he got a try and three assists - more often.
37) TOMMY MAKINSON
The best winger in Super League for me, Tommy Makinson has had one of his quieter years, registering six tries, a low figure for him. This number is affected by the fact that he was banned for six games mid-season, and also has been playing under a coach that has looked to change Saints' style and have them move the ball wide a lot less often. Still, he's been outstanding with yardage, making over 2000 metres and constantly carrying the ball forward early in sets and making up ground.
36) JOE CATOR
A young player who has really impressed me in 2020 is Joe Cator. Hull FC's loose forward has been a beneficiary of the six again rule and the increased pace of matches. He has good handling skills and despite only being 22, has had a big impact in some important matches, including a try in the playoff win at Warrington.
35) TOM JOHNSTONE
Nine tries in thirteen games for this wonderful winger at Wakefield Trinity. Johnstone's finishing ability is just ridiculous and he is becoming more and more like Makinson with his penchant for acrobatic scores in the corner. 54 tackle busts too show just how pacy and difficult to stop he is. I really hope that he has an injury-free season in 2021 because I really want to see him play for England on the wing at the World Cup next year.
34) OLIVER PARTINGTON
22-year-old Oliver Partington is a classic Wigan player. He gets under the skin of the opposition, he works his heart out, and by the end of the game you really don't like him, but you secretly wish you had a player like him. He's played quite a bit at loose forward this season, where he has been impressive, and one of the various important components to a rock-solid Wigan defence. Another star for the future promoted from within.
33) MATTY ASHTON
One of the main bright points of Warrington's 2020 was the emergence of young Matty Ashton, who has hugely impressed in his debut season after signing from Swinton Lions. He has looked adept at full-back and on the wing, scoring nine tries in Super League. His pace is searing and he has chimed into the line right at the correct moment on a number of occasions. Definitely a player to keep an eye on.
32) TUI LOLOHEA
2019 Placing: 49th
Salford's star half-back is next after a good season for the Red Devils. Eight tries and ten assists for Lolohea is a great return, and he has been one of the key contributors to Salford this season. However, he has been poor defensively, missing more tackles than any other player in Super League.
31) ZEB TAIA
2019 Placing: 22nd
It will be a fond farewell to Zeb Taia for St Helens fans, who has represented them so well in his four seasons at the club. He has consistently made over 100 metres in matches this season and is one of Super League's most regular handlers of the ball, with 244 carries. He may be 36 now, but he has still been one of the standout second rowers in the competition this season.
Join me for Parts Two and Three in the coming days.
@ALooseWire
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