Barrett misses out on Man of Steel

Former St George Illawarra star Trent Barrett has missed out on the English Super League's player of the year award.

The Wigan five-eighth was favoured to become the fourth Australian to win the Super League Man of Steel title after Gavin Miller in 1986, Adrian Vowles in 1999 and Jamie Lyon in 2005.

But he was surprisingly overlooked for 21-year-old St Helens hooker James Roby at the awards ceremony in Manchester. Barrett's outstanding season did not go completely unrewarded however, as he was named the players' player of the year.

Barrett, who won the Dally M Medal in 2000, inspired Wigan to a remarkable resurgence this season which almost took the Warriors to the grand final from a sixth-placed finish in the regular season.