Headline-making Jordan Rhodes has created a win-win situation for Sheffield Wednesday

Rhodes walked away with the match ball after his first league hat-trick in five years.

Having become only the fourth player in the Owls’ history to bag a first half away league treble, it means Rhodes is now their joint second highest scorer this season with three goals.

Few people saw this incredible turn around in Rhodes’ fortunes coming.

Six weeks ago Rhodes played and scored in Wednesday’s Under-23s draw with Burnley. He was out-of-favour and not considered for first-team selection by manager Garry Monk. He appeared surplus to requirements. But Rhodes, who was a prolific finisher with Huddersfield Town and Blackburn Rovers, continued to work hard behind the scenes and forced his way into Monk’s plans.

His ‘perfect hat-trick’ in the Forest rout was vintage Rhodes.

Monk said: “He goes about his business really professionally but the key thing is when you come onto the pitch — that’s your personality. You don’t have to be loud about the place, you need different types in the changing room but on the pitch is where you have to show your personality and he has done that really well. Now the challenge for him is to maintain that.”

Monk has encouraged Rhodes, a quiet figure in the dressing room, to express himself.

"Everyone interacts differently, some respond to that and some don’t," he said.