Rugby League Week publish an annual (anonymous) poll asking players to name the most overrated player in the competition. I’m going the opposite way – I want to know who you think is the most underrated player.
There are some players in the NRL who just do their job week in and week out, without getting many awards. They also rarely get picked or have their names bandied about as contenders for rep teams.
But every team needs them. Blokes that shoulder the defensive load, take the hit-ups even when they’re gassed, or who can easily slot into different positions when a teammate gets injured.
I’ll kick it off with a list of underrated players that spring to mind, in no particular order.
Mitch Aubusson (Roosters)
Over 200 games for the Roosters without any fuss or fanfare, he’s always been surrounded by big names who get most of the plaudits. He deserves more of them himself.
Zeb Taia (Titans)
Made a huge difference to the Titans’ forward pack last year in both attack and defence.
Shaun Fensom (Raiders)
Anyone who has this bloke in Supercoach or NRL Fantasy competitions knows his worth, but he finished last season in NSW Cup. He’s a workhorse, but too good for that.
Dale Finucane (Storm)
Craig Bellamy has made ‘role players’ like Finucane one of the cornerstones of Melbourne’s success for many years.
Andrew McCullough (Broncos)
You often don’t notice him when he’s on the field, because he goes about his business without any fuss, and more high-profile players usually get all the headlines the next day. But he does his job well.
Aiden Tolman (Canterbury)
Another bloke who always puts in, often going under the radar.
There must be plenty more. Who do you rate that others may not?
The spectator
Guest
Its a sin A F didnt recieve the medal, no doubt about best on ground.
The Barry
Roar Guru
He also spent some time keeping wicket for the English cricket side...
The Barry
Roar Guru
Definitely a small minority. Prior was good in the GF - but Fifita was brilliant. He outranked Prior in every meaningful stat and scored the match winning try.
The Barry
Roar Guru
He had some ordinary seasons between 2010 and now. He was in an emerging blues squad in 2011 and played for country that year.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Owen Craigie's situation was a lot more complicated than just chowing down on too many Big Macs .
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
Glasby. Great call. Very underrated. Yeo. Dud call. He has never passed the ball. Never. Ever.
Dexter The Hamster
Guest
Flash in the pan. I predict he wont even be in the NRL in three years time.
Ben
Roar Guru
I don't know how Prior hasn't played for NSW yet.
Ben
Roar Guru
Paul Carrige could've been some special, but had the worst first grade game of football I've ever seen in the 98' preliminary final. Then just disappeared. Craigie, who i believe is the only player in history to represent the Australian Schoolboys in 3 different years, was sadly lost to us because of bad dieting discipline. Bulgarelli, very good player. Unfortunately, didn't mind the odd toke... Leon Bott, fast runner... Overrated if anything. The rest got their fair credit i reckon.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Matt Prior!! I might be in a very small (or large? How does this work?) minority, but I thought he was best on ground in the GF last year... better than Fifita.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Spot on about Shaun Fensom. He can't even get a game with the Raiders. If anything he is overated. Tries hard, racks up the tackles but doesn't dent the line and gives away stupid penalties. I'm surprised Ricky hasn't let him go to be honest. Back up forward depth only this season. Also agree with comments about Jarod Croker. The bloke has been killing it for years. Coaches like Wayne Bennett sing his praises but rep selectors continue to ignor him. Not sure if they are underated but blokes like Lachlan Coote, Jake Granville, Jake Friend, and Jarod Croker put in for their clubs week in week out, have great skills and wouldn't look out of place in a rep jersey.
Aem
Guest
I did say high volume (quantity output) didn't I? He only got that high a metre count because he averaged nearly 60 minutes a game (high for a middle forward), didn't miss game and averaged more than 16 runs in each game. Quantity is not the same as quality. Shall I tell you where he lands in the NRL on metres gained per run? 345th. When considering just players in his position, he's in the bottom 10% - and most of the guys below him are not NRL regulars (or are the increasingly-rare-in-NRL old style locks). That said, he's fine (particularly at that club)... does a job for good minutes, quality defender, doesn't give away much in errors or penalties, rarely misses games and allows the Dogs to use high impact low-minute players off the bench without sucking up James Graham or David Klemmer-type money. But if anything he's overrated, I think. Not near rep quality.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Jason Crocker Matt Prior Jason Bukuya Aiden Sezer
Squidward
Roar Rookie
He should've been in the kangaroo tour over Shannon boyd
Stanley Campbell
Roar Rookie
I would actually say Jarrod Croker with the raiders back line he gets overlooked alot yeah he stands up and leads by example when need be
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Tolman was in the top 20 for metres gained in the NRL last year, and only 11 of the top 20 were forwards, see link below. http://www.nrl.com/stats/telstrapremiership/statsleaders/tabid/11564/stat/allrunmetres/default.aspx
Aem
Guest
Had a giggle at Fensom & Tolman. High quantity output players, but if you're a middle forward who struggles to even get to the advantage line consistently (let alone get over it) then you just aren't anything more than average... and yet both of those guys I've heard people talk about as potential Origin picks (lol!). I'd agree with the others, though I'm not really enamored with Finucane. Does well in a role that loads of guys would do well in. He's fine, but I think people probably give him enough credit. As for others, maybe... Siosaia Vave didn't get nearly enough love in 2016 (and to be quite frank he looked good before his 2015 black hole year). Darcy Lussick went from years of being overrated to this weird place where I felt people stopped talking about him as good at the same time he actually started playing well. Manu Ma'u (he's rated, but not as highly as he should be) & Brad Takairangi. David Fusitua (purely in terms of his ability to finish). Agnatius Paasi & Ray Faitala-Mariner (though I want to see them repeat in 2017). Oh, and Leeson Ah Mau for sure.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
SST
andrew
Guest
I was going to put him in my list, but I didn't know how to spell it...
kk
Roar Pro
Agreed 110%. Incredible talent. Hope he has fully recovered from broken leg.