Is Lewis demanding selection for England's Ashes squad?

Could Mikey Lewis become England's key player against Australia following his 2023 debut?

Any remaining uncertainty about Mikey Lewis' Ashes selection was definitively erased by his outstanding Hull KR performance this past weekend.

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.

England Boss Faces Tough Choices

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.

Meanwhile, Connor will feel as if he has earned the right for a call-up himself off the back of a mature and impressive season in which he helped the Rhinos to their first top-four finish since 2017.

Professional Assessment of Lewis' National Team Prospects

Having appeared five times for England and crossed twice, Lewis possesses international pedigree

A first Ashes series for almost 20 years is a big occasion and Hull KR head coach Willie Peters - who will be part of the Kangaroos' backroom team for the series - believes Lewis' performance on the Grand Final stage was a pivotal moment in his career.

“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.

Salford Red Devils manager Paul Rowley believes Lewis has emphatically stated his selection argument amid intense competition.

“Lewis is virtually proclaiming 'select me' while daring anyone to exclude him,” Rowley noted.

“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.”

Following his Super League championship win and Rob Burrow Award recognition, Mikey Lewis exited Old Trafford triumphant