Problem Cup winners Leigh Leopards have been rewarded for a memorable season on their return to the highest flight by having 5 gamers chosen within the 2023 Tremendous League Dream Group.
Winger Josh Charnley, half-back Lachlan Lam – son of boss Adrian Lam – and forwards Tom Amone, John Asiata and Edwin Ipape had been all picked.
Wigan had three males chosen in Jake Wardle, Liam Farrell and Bevan French.
Warrington Wolves prop Paul Vaughan was chosen for the primary time.
The opposite 4 locations went to Catalans Dragons winger Tom Johnstone, that includes for the second time, St Helens full-back Jack Welsby, in for the third time, skilled Salford unfastened ahead Kallum Watkins and Hull KR centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall.
Watkins, 32, was at centre when he beforehand earned inclusion with Leeds Rhinos in 2014 and 2015, whereas Kenny-Dowall, the oldest on the workforce at 35 and set to retire after the play-offs, retains his place from final yr.
Having captained Wigan to a seventh League Leaders’ Defend on Friday, England back-row ahead Farrell is included for a sixth time, the final 5 of them in a row to equal former Warriors team-mate Sam Tomkins’ document of 5 straight picks from 2009 to 2013.
Wigan stand-off French is included for a 3rd time, with every of his picks having come in numerous positions having beforehand been at full-back (2020) and wing (2022).
Of the six picked for the primary time, 4 had been from Leigh: scrum-half Lam and half of their pack in Amone, Asiata, Ipape. These decisions got here in recognition of the membership’s first Wembley win in 52 years and their first time within the Tremendous League play-offs.
Panel chairman Ellery Hanley mentioned: “Yearly the Dream Group asks as many questions because it solutions. We might have picked a second Dream Group to rival this one.
“Finally, each one in every of these 13 gamers deserves recognition. These are the gamers who’ve entertained us, eaten up the metres, supplied the assists, defended like Trojans and scored some unbelievable tries.
“The Dream Group announcement will get folks speaking concerning the gamers – and that is the way it ought to be. Who’s in, who’s not. The arguments will proceed till the early hours, however supporters speaking about how good gamers are can solely be a great factor, even when we will not all agree on the ultimate 13.”
Betfred Tremendous League Dream Group 2023
Full-back: Jack Welsby (St Helens)
Backs: Josh Charnley (Leigh), Jake Wardle (Wigan), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Hull KR), Tom Johnstone (Catalans)
Half-backs: Bevan French (Wigan), Lachlan Lam (Leigh)
Pack: Paul Vaughan (Warrington), Edwin Ipape (Leigh), Tom Amone (Leigh), Kallum Watkins (Salford), Liam Farrell (Wigan), John Asiata (Leigh)
Charnley & Watkins’ highway to Tremendous League redemption
Evaluation – BBC Rugby League correspondent Dave Woods
Two tales of redemption catch the attention on this yr’s Dream Group picks.
Josh Charnley and Kallum Watkins have each had their careers written off.
Charnley admits he even got here near retiring in 2022. So, for the Leigh winger to get again amongst the elected elite for the primary time in 10 years and Watkins, reinvented as a back-rower, chosen for the primary time in eight years, reveals that doubts are non permanent, class is everlasting.
A well-known 5 Dream Group picks for Leigh underlines the astonishing yr they’ve had and the way effectively they had been ready forward of promotion.
All 5 Leigh nominees – Charnley, Amone, Ipape, Asiata and Lam – had been already on the membership earlier than that they had confirmed their Tremendous League place.
There are some notable absentees. There all the time can be. Solely 5 of the 13 come from the highest three golf equipment within the Tremendous League desk. However this can be a honest illustration of the influence these people have had all year long.