After another phenomenal season with the Salford Red Devils Rob Lui was named as the Club’s Player of the Season for 2017 and here is his season review.
The Salford half-back missed just two games all season with his first unfortunately being the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-final defeat against Wigan Warriors. The Australian started 20 of the Red Devils opening 21 games of the season.
Lui was instrumental in Salford’s run of 12 wins from 13 games between March and May with only loss in this spell coming against Catalans away – a game in which Lui started on the bench. The half-back crossed for three tries in this spell against Widnes, Hull FC and the Dragons at home.
However, it was the 27-year-old’s creative spark which saw the Red Devils remain in touching distance with league leaders Castleford for almost three months of the 2017 season. Lui racked up a staggering 23 Super League try-assists in 2017; the third most in the league behind George Williams and Danny McGuire. The Australian’s kicking game was pivotal to Salford’s attacking threat as well as his lethal partnership with Ben Murdoch-Masila.
Lui scored back-to-back tries against St Helens and Huddersfield in the closing weeks of Super League but struggled with an injury in games against Castleford and Leigh which meant Lui was ruled out of the Challenge Cup semi-final. However, he did make a try-scoring return in Salford’s first ever Super League Super 8s game against Hull FC at the KCOM Stadium before featuring in five of the Red Devils final six games of the season.
Rob’s performances were that impressive throughout 2017 that Head Coach Ian Watson selected him as his Player of the Season and the Red Devils will certainly be hoping he can display his attacking excellence again in 2018.
Robert Lui was sponsored by Resin Surfaces Limited throughout the 2017 season.
Rob Lui’s 2017 Stats (All competitions)
Appearances: 32
Tries: 6
Fact: Rob Lui trailed only George Williams and Danny McGuire in terms of Super League try-assists leading the likes of Danny Brough, Marc Sneyd and Man of Steel Luke Gale.
Rob Lui’s 2017 in pictures
