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If there was any lingering doubt Mikey Lewis would be in contention to start for England in the first Test of the Ashes series against Australia in two weeks' time then his performance for Hull KR on Saturday surely put paid to that.

The influential 24-year-old playmaker opened the scoring for the Robins during their historic Super League Grand Final victory against Wigan Warriors.

Following an exceptional dummy move that led to his try, Hull KR gained momentum to achieve a remarkable domestic treble, entering the record books as just the fifth Grand Final champion in nearly three decades.

Selection Dilemma for England Coach

Although he fell just short of retaining the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel award, which went to Leeds' Jake Connor, he secured the Rob Burrow Award as Grand Final man of the match.

It leaves England boss Shaun Wane - who is set to name his squad on Monday - with a selection headache for his first starting line-up to face Australia when they meet at Wembley in 14 days' time.

Warrington's George Williams is England's captain, while Harry Smith - who himself scored on Saturday as Wigan threatened a second-half comeback - is also in contention alongside Lewis for a starting place.

Additionally, Connor has compelling claims for selection following a sophisticated season where he guided the Rhinos to their initial top-four placement since 2017.

Professional Assessment of Lewis' National Team Prospects

The upcoming Ashes series, the first in nearly two decades, represents a monumental event, with Hull KR coach Willie Peters (joining Australia's coaching staff) viewing Lewis' Grand Final display as career-defining.

“My comment about Mikey Lewis arriving specifically addressed that pivotal occasion,” Peters clarified.

“Grand Finals represent the ultimate stage and he completely dominated the opening period.

“He cops a lot but it just shows the type of player we've got, who he is and what he's about.

According to Salford Red Devils' Paul Rowley, Lewis has powerfully presented his credentials despite numerous contenders.

“Mikey Lewis is shouting from the rooftops 'pick me', or 'don't pick me if you dare',” Rowley commented.

“He's saying he can do it, he's a big player and he's doing it on the big stage.

“Mikey Lewis has got to be in there somewhere, but it's hard to squeeze all these good players in - there are only a few positions for quite a few players.”