Brad O'Neill named 2026 Man of Steel as Wigan scoop double

Wigan Warriors hooker Brad O’Neill has been named the 2026 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel, the highest individual honour in men’s Super League rugby league.

The 24-year-old was announced as the winner at Tuesday night’s Rugby League Awards Night in Manchester, seeing off teammate Adam Keighran and Leeds Rhinos full-back Lachie Miller on the final three-man shortlist. The award was decided by a five-man panel of former Man of Steel winners: Ellery Hanley, Sam Tomkins, James Roby, Joe Lydon and Paul Sculthorpe.

O’Neill becomes the 13th Wigan player to lift the trophy and the first since Bevan French in 2023. He is the fourth hooker in 13 years to win the award, following Daryl Clark, Danny Houghton and Paul McShane. It is his second individual trophy of the year, after he already claimed the Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association Player of the Year award.

It was a double triumph for Wigan, with Jenna Foubister named the Woman of Steel, completing a clean sweep of rugby league’s two biggest individual prizes for the Warriors.

Sources

• BBC Sport: “Wigan hooker Brad O’Neill wins 2026 Man of Steel award” (29 September 2026)
• Sky Sports: “Brad O’Neill named 2026’s Man of Steel, Jenna Foubister is Woman of Steel in Wigan double scoop” (29 September 2026)
• Serious About Rugby League: “Wigan Warriors hooker Brad O’Neill named 2026 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel” (29 September 2026) — https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/wigan-warriors-hooker-brad-oneill-named-2026-steve-prescott-mbe-man-of-steel-118925/
• Capital: “Man of Steel 2026: Brad O’Neill, Adam Keighran and Lachie Miller named on shortlist” (23 September 2026) — https://WWW.CAPITALFM.COM/radio/news/sport/man-of-steel-2026-brad-oneill-adam-keighran-a/
• All Out Rugby League: “Two Wigan Warriors stars named in final three for Super League Man of Steel award” (23 September 2026) — https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/super-league-man-of-steel-2036356
• Love Rugby League: “Man of Steel shortlist revealed with Jake Connor snubbed by panel” (22 September 2026) — https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/man-of-steel-shortlist-revealed-with-jake-connor-snubbed-by-panel