Midway through the 2024 Super League Season, Several Standout Individual Performances
As we reach the quarter-mark of the 2024 Super League campaign, several players have already delivered standout individual displays. Sky Sports pundit Barrie McDermott, who will be the latest guest on the “My Ultimate Team” podcast next week, shared his thoughts on the six players who have caught his eye in the opening seven rounds.
Marc Sneyd of Salford Red Devils tops the list for McDermott. The experienced half-back has been in career-best form, controlling games and posing a constant threat to opposition defenses. “Week in, week out, Sneyd is the determining factor for his team,” McDermott noted, praising the playmaker’s ability to both think the game and run the ball.
Another player who has impressed the former Great Britain and Ireland international is Hull KR’s Mikey Lewis. McDermott highlighted the youngster’s ability to lift the crowd and the team with his fearless and instinctive style of play. “He’s a player that I think lifts the crowd and the ground, everybody at Craven Park when he gets the ball is wishing him and willing him to take the line on,” he said.
While Daryl Clark’s impact at St Helens has “stalled a little bit” in the early going, McDermott expects the experienced hooker to be “talked about by most people as being in the top three and being a nominee for Man of Steel” by the end of the season.
Defensively, McDermott singled out Catalans Dragons’ Benjamin Garcia as the glue that holds the team together, praising the hard-working forward’s unsung contributions. “Every good team needs a player who is the glue that holds everything together and I think Garcia is that one for Catalans,” he commented.
Leeds Rhinos winger Ash Handley has also caught the eye of the pundit, who marveled at the try-scoring ability of the quietly-professional wide man. “He is a player that is quite quiet in terms of his presence in the media, but his presence in the environment at the Rhinos is huge,” McDermott said.
Rounding out the list is Warrington Wolves’ Leon Hayes, who McDermott believes has the fearless nature and intelligence to thrive in the top flight. “He is no weak link in a defensive line, and the performances he has put in under pressure and under stress have been impressive,” the former prop concluded.
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