James Tedesco has sprung a surprise by outpolling Cameron Smith to be named the Rugby League Players’ Association player of the year.
The Wests Tigers fullback was named the best player by his peers in a shock result, beating finalists Smith, 2016 winner North Queensland’s James Taumalolo, Sam Burgess, Nathan Cleary, Tom Trbojevic and Gareth Widdop on Tuesday night.
Despite his side failing to make the finals, Tedesco was announced as the winner of the game’s second most prestigious individual award at the awards night at The Star in Sydney.
Smith, who last weekend passed Darren Lockyer’s all-time most games record when he ran out for his 356th match, was considered a shoo-in.
Smith is an unbackable $1.08 favourite with some bookies for the Dally M which will be announced in grand final week
The award voting system involves all players selecting their top three players from the opposition after each match.
Tedesco joins an illustrious winners’ list which includes Johnathan Thurston, Darius Boyd, Jarryd Hayne, Braith Anasta, Petero Civoniceva, Matt Bowen and Danny Buderus.
During the regular season Tedesco topped the league for tackle busts (153) and was seventh for run metres (163m per game).
Tedesco in May announced he would be moving to the Roosters in 2018, joining star players Aaron Woods and Mitchell Moses in exiting the Tigers.
Smith was named Australian representative player of the year and included in the RLPA team of the year while Canberra’s Nick Cotric was awarded rookie of the year.
RLPA team of the year
1. James Tedesco (Wests Tigers), 2. Jordan Rapana (Canberra), 3. Konrad Hurrell (Gold Coast), 4. Dane Gagai (Newcastle), 5. David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers), 6. Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra), 7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith), 8. Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers), 9. Cameron Smith (Melbourne), 10. David Klemmer (Canterbury), 11. Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland), 12. Wade Graham (Cronulla), 13. Sam Burgess (South Sydney).
steveng
Roar Rookie
What is Woods doing there? And where is Latrell Mitchell?
TigerMike
Guest
he's good in attack, sometimes Can't tackle though worst defensive team Except knights but still
catcat
Roar Rookie
"Weaker teams with one or two good players will always get a good representation in this format." Looking at this list that is certainly true.... James Tedesco (Wests Tigers), 2. Jordan Rapana (Canberra), 3. Konrad Hurrell (Gold Coast), 4. Dane Gagai (Newcastle), 5. David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers), 6. Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra), 7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith), 8. Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers), 9. Cameron Smith (Melbourne), 10. David Klemmer (Canterbury), 11. Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland), 12. Wade Graham (Cronulla), 13. Sam Burgess (South Sydney).
TigerMike
Guest
Yes you got it spot on, a team like Melb has soo many players getting nominated each week.. The people commenting don't understand what they're posting about Against the tigers there were only three picked each week. Duh PS sucked in Cam haha
TigerMike
Guest
Yes, it begs belief Doesn't it
chivasdude
Guest
I just read this. Wow. That is not a team that comes close to comprising the "best" players in their positions this year. I love Teddy. But no Slater or Tommy T? I love David Nofoaluma, but no Ado-Carr or Vunipola? Konrad Hurrel instead of Will Chambers? Wade Graham instead of Boyd Cordner? And undoubtedly the player of the year was Cameron Smith. Looks like a little envy going around form the other players?
JohnB
Guest
Brendon, sorry, I wasn't disagreeing with you at all but can see it might have come across that way. None of the players in the team of the year are other than very good players - but how many of the (I think) 8 eligible would get in an Australian 17 picked now? 4 at the outside? That has to say something about the format.
Albo
Guest
Spot on EJ ! It would be hard to be the regular standout player in a team like the Storm , whilst say, the Tigers stars are the same each week. Hence the Teddy triumph this year I would suggest. I'm not sure too many consider this award in the same regard as the Dally M or Clive Churchill medal ?
Brendon
Guest
True, I more meant that it didn't indicate they thought he was bad in any way. But it does say a lot for him if he can be voted up in a team like the Storm.
P Air
Guest
Read the list of past winners - it's packed with Queenslanders. Paranoid much
casper
Guest
which is really more impressive that Smith made the team considering, Slater, Cronk, Bromwich, Munster etc...
JohnB
Guest
Given he has to compete for votes with the likes of Cronk, Slater, Munster, Chambers, Addo-Carr and Vunivalu, and given he still got enough votes to get in the team of the year in one of the playmaker positions (where the hooker in every other team is likely to attract votes ahead of players in other positions), it might suggest they think he's pretty good.
Dave_S
Roar Rookie
It might depend on the respective bar tabs I suspect
Matt P
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure if it was funnier than it was embarrassing, but cringe is always pretty entertaining. Secret master-plan from the broadcasters, perhaps?
R N
Roar Rookie
Said it on a previous tread how embarrassing that press conference was for him and Gallen. I thought I wouldn't see anything to match it for a while until the musical act last night... "everyone put your arms in the air etc.." and was totally ignored! Diabolically entertaining TV!
Fish
Guest
I think you will find that you are unable to vote for someone in your own side. Players in generally weaker sides stand out as they are usually the predominant player. Better sides like Melbourne have the votes dispersed between several dominant players. It is really not a good indication of who actually is the best player for the year.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Is anyone going to point out when Flanagan said the touchie shouted Coote was offside during the Maloney sinbinning that he was at least 6 metres onside?
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I don't think it's a qld vs nsw bias people are complaining about. It's a bottom vs top team bias. How does Konrad Hurrell get the nod over say Walker and Roberts. It's a flawed system that gives good players in mediocre teams an edge over the better players because they're in better teams.
R N
Roar Rookie
The coverage was a car accident! Someone should have shut it down... I was almost going to write down a list of complaints, but that's been done this week!
Brendon
Guest
Absoluetly nothing. It shows that the scoring system is faulty, rewarding a good player in a crap team, as opposed to rewarding good players in great teams.