Before you read this you should know that this list was put together with very little in depth research and a lot of opinion-based decisions.
I am very much an armchair coach who thinks he knows it all, and I’m going to share some of that knowledge with you today, as we count down the top 26 players from the regular 2016 season.
Get it. 26, as in 2016. Clever right?
26. Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters)
25. Josh Dugan (St George Illawarra Dragons)
24. David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers)
23. Dane Gagai (Newcastle Knights)
22. Jesse Bromwich
21. James Graham (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)
20. Tom Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
19. Mitchell Moses (Wests Tigers)
18. Joey Leilua (Canberra Raiders)
17. Anthony Milford (Brisbane Broncos)
16. Shaun Johnson (New Zealand Warriors)
15. Tyson Frizzell (St George Illawarra Dragons)
14. Matt Gillett (Brisbane Broncos)
13. Corey Norman (Parramatta Eels)
12. Michael Morgan (North Queensland Cowboys)
11. Sam Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
10. Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers)
9. Josh Mansour (Penrith Panthers)
8. Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
7. Ryan James (Gold Coast Titans)
6. James Tedesco (Wests Tigers)
5. Jarrod Crocker (Canberra Raiders)
4. Ben Barba (Cronulla Sharks)
3. Bryce Cartwright (Penrith Panthers)
2. Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
1. Josh Hodgson (Canberra Raiders)
A list of 26 means that plenty missed out. Therefore, I want to make a few honourable mentions.
Josh Papali (Canberra Raiders), Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks), Josh Reynolds (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs), Solomone Kata (New Zealand Warriors), Matthew Moylan (Penrith Panthers) – and the hundreds of other great players – deserved to be on this list but were unlucky to miss out.
I now understand why Fox Sports do a top 50, because there’s so much quality in the NRL. But that’s what makes this game great.
What do you think Roarers, have I got the list right? Is Cameron Smith now the second-best hooker in the game?
Will Hodgson become the first non-Australian to win the award in the NRL era?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
The lawyer representing former Manly prop Lloyd Perrett in proposed legal action against the Sea Eagles has predicted a spate of more civil suits…
All the team list information for Round 9.
The latest Paul Kent fracas has livened up things for rugby league fans this week, and looks like providing plenty of storylines over the…
Recent retirement announcements from Dale Finucane and Luke Keary have put the topic of CTE and concussion back on the radar. We have also…
The current NRL product is as good as it’s ever been. All the athletes in the NRL with their skills, speed, strength and fitness…
Souths CEO Blake Solly has confirmed that Wayne Bennett is on the shortlist to take over from Jason Demetriou, telling media that the club…
