Man of Steel contenders: Paul McShane
23 Nov 2020
Paul McShane was at a standstill in 2015. Playing for Wakefield Trinity, he admits he was "nowhere near the standard required".
A move to Castleford Tigers that year helped resurrect his career, and he has since become one of Super League's best hookers.
He played a major role in Tigers' League Leaders' Shield success in 2017, but it is 2020 where he has put together his best individual season to earn nomination for the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel award.
It comes after a 2019 campaign that McShane, by his own admission, didn't perform to the levels he expects of himself.
A pre-season conversation with head coach Daryl Powell helped him re-assess his game.
“I lost it last year; I was trying to organise the backline too much, instead of working on what I could do to improve my own game," McShane said.
"Daryl [Powell] wanted me to improve my running game in pre-season and offer more of a threat from dummy half."
The advice of Powell clearly worked.
McShane has been a nightmare for opposition defenders to handle around the play-the-ball and was one of only two Super League players - alongside Daryl Clark - to make over 1000 metres from dummy-half scoots.
Compare that to just 752 metres in 2019 - a sign of his vast improvement.
The 31-year-old has been at the heart of everything Tigers have done well throughout the season.
Inspired by their talismanic hooker, Tigers raced out of the blocks with victories over Wigan Warriors, Wakefield Trinity, Hull KR and, most impressively, St Helens on that strange day before Super League came to a halt.
McShane played an instrumental role in all of those wins and was the Man of Steel runaway leader early on.
McShane moves five clear at the top ???
The best of Paul McShane's performance for @CTRLFC against @SalfordDevils as he extends his lead at the top of the @StevePrescott1 #ManOfSteel rankings ??#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/p9MJA8c0ie
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 8, 2020
Tigers' form ground to a halt following the restart. They won just two games out of a possible 11 to see their play-off hopes diminish.
Despite his sides' struggles, McShane still put in some fantastic performances. He scored twice in a 37-30 triumph over Salford Red Devils and shone in defeats to Hull FC and Leeds Rhinos.
His versatility was on show during that period - stepping up to play in the halves towards the back end of the season when both Danny Richardson and Jake Trueman were out injured.
It's not just when he's making a break or powering his way over the line that McShane has made an impact; he has the ability to nudge a clever kick behind the onrushing opposition defenders.
And his defensive work has been crucial as well - he is one of only seven men to make over 600 tackles.
His efforts haven't gone unnoticed.
Jackson Hastings, the reigning Man of Steel, has tipped him to win the award.
"Whenever you watch Castleford, if they win, it's often because of him," Hastings said.
"He's been such an integral part of their team for a few years now and would be a fully deserving winner."
If the hooker does emerge victorious, he'll become the fifth Tiger to do so, following in the footsteps of Adrian Vowles, Rangi Chase, Daryl Clark and Luke Gale.
In a season of collective disappointment at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle, they may yet have a cause for a celebration.
