Best fullback
Turbo 32, Teddy 23, Roger 15
2020 votes: James Tedesco (51%), Tom Trbojevic (21%), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (10%) Kalyn Ponga (6%), Dylan Edwards (3%)
2019 votes: James Tedesco (55%), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (23%), Kalyn Ponga (9%), Clint Gutherson (5%), Tom Trbojevic (3%)
2018 votes: Billy Slater (60%), Kalyn Ponga (11%), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (10%), Tom Trbojevic (6%), James Tedesco (5%)
The verdict: There has been a changing of the guard when it comes to the No.1’s, with State of Origin I hero Trbojevic knocking off Tedesco as the game’s best fullback. Tedesco won this category the last two years, however Trbojevic’s blistering two months has seen him leapfrog the NSW and Australian No.1 to claim top spot. It was the fourth consecutive year Roger Tuivasa-Sheck finished in the top three.
The surprise: Latrell Mitchell missing out on a spot in the top five.
The verdict: Brian To’o’s dynamic start to 2021, picking up where he left off last year, hasn’t been lost on his peers. The Panthers winger received almost half the votes, comfortably accounting for his NSW wing partner Josh Addo-Carr. Despite votes opening after he suffered a season-ending injury, veteran winger Brett Morris still polled enough votes to finish in third.
The surprise: Sydney Roosters winger Daniel Tupou dropped from first to fourth.
Best winger
To'o 49, Fox 27, BMoz 11
2020 votes: Daniel Tupou (22%), Brett Morris (17%), David Nofoaluma (11%), Blake Ferguson (10%), Kyle Feldt/Maika Sivo (7%)
2019 votes: Blake Ferguson (33%), Josh Addo-Carr (24%), Corey Oates (10%), Ken Maumalo (8%), Jordan Rapana (7%)
2018 votes: Josh Addo-Carr (27%), David Fusitu’a (21%), Jordan Rapana (12%), Valentine Holmes (10%), Corey Oates/Blake Ferguson (8%)
The verdict: The Sydney Roosters’ Joseph Manu holds on to the best centre tag for the second year in a row, however his grip of top spot has loosened thanks to the emergence of Penrith young gun Stephen Crichton. Crichton rose from 4 per cent in 2020 to 21 per cent this year. Justin Olam hasn’t previously polled in the top five centres. He is one of the most underrated players in the game.
The surprise: How well Matt Burton polled after just a handful of games in the centres. Zac Lomax appears to have suffered from being out of sight, out of mind.
Best centre
Manu 29, Crichton 21, Olam 10
2020 votes: Joseph Manu (44%), Josh Morris (13%), Michael Jennings (9%), Bradman Best (5%), Kotoni Stagg/Waqa Blake/Stephen Crichton (4%)
2019 votes: Latrell Mitchell (80%), Jarrod Croker (4%), Joseph Manu (3%), Michael Jennings (3%), Dane Gagai (2%)
2018 votes: Will Chambers (31%), Greg Inglis (21%), Euan Aitken (13%), Latrell Mitchell (11%), Josh Dugan (4%)
The verdict: Jarome Luai finished in fifth spot with just three per cent of votes last year. His meteoric rise saw him rewarded with his maiden NSW jersey in Origin I this year. Cameron Munster has never been voted the best No.6 in the game since the Player Poll’s inception in 2018. He finished second to Luke Keary the past two years and was beaten this year by a single vote.
The surprise: Despite limited football to start the year, Shaun Johnson’s feats of 2020 are still fresh in the minds of those who voted for the off-contract Kiwi playmaker, picking him ahead of Luke Keary and Cody Walker.
Best five-eighth
Luai 34, Munster 33, Johnson 10
2020 votes: Luke Keary (43%), Cameron Munster (34%), Dylan Brown (5%), Jack Wighton (4%) Jarome Luai (3%)
2019 votes: Luke Keary (41%), Cameron Munster (32%), Cody Walker (18%), Shaun Johnson (3%), Anthony Milford/James Maloney (2%)
2018 votes: James Maloney (36%), Gareth Widdop (20%), Cameron Munster (13%), Blake Green (11%), Anthony Milford (9%)
The verdict: No surprise to see Nathan Cleary voted the best halfback in the game. He finished second behind Mitchell Pearce last year, but there’s no denying his status as the game’s premier No.7. Hughes is regarded as one of the most improved players in the NRL after leading Melbourne to a premiership in 2020. It’s the first time Hughes has finished in the top five of voting. Reynolds missed out on the top five last year but knocked off the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans and Mitchell Moses to finish in the top three.
The surprise: Daly Cherry-Evans only received two votes.
Best halfback
Cleary 74, Hughes 8, Reynolds 7
2020 votes: Mitchell Pearce (27%), Nathan Cleary (22%), Daly Cherry-Evans (22%), Mitchell Moses (13%), Ben Hunt (3%)
2019 votes: Cooper Cronk (39%), Mitchell Pearce (14%), Daly Cherry-Evans (11%), Adam Reynolds (7%), Chad Townsend (6%)
2018 votes: Johnathan Thurston (35%), Ben Hunt (19%), Nathan Cleary (11%), Shaun Johnson (11%), Cooper Cronk (9%)
The verdict: There’s no denying James Fisher-Harris’ emergence as the best prop in the game. He has leapfrogged Warriors recruit Addin Fonua-Blake with half of the votes in 2021. He finished fifth last year with just nine per cent of votes. Brisbane’s Payne Haas secured his first top three finish in his young career.
The surprise: Canberra enforcer Josh Papalii dropped out of the top five.
Best prop
JFH 50, Haas 13, AFB 13
2020 votes: Addin Fonua-Blake (18%), Josh Papalii (13%), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (12%), Payne Haas (11%), James Fisher-Harris (9%)
2019 votes: Siosiua Taukeiaho (26%), Jesse Bromwich (18%), Andrew Fifita (7%), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (6%), David Klemmer (5%)
2018 votes for best middle forward: Jason Taumalolo (34%), Sam Burgess (23%), Jake Trbojevic (10%), Reagan Campbell-Gillard (5%), Jesse Bromwich and Andrew Fifita (4%)
The verdict: It’s only fitting that after three years of Cameron Smith dominance, his Melbourne Storm successor Harry Grant takes over as the best hooker in the game. Grant finished with 43 per cent of votes, well ahead of Australian hooker Damien Cook with just 12 per cent.
The surprise: Penrith hooker and Blues 18th man Api Koroisau finished well ahead of Damien Cook, who narrowly held on to his NSW No.9 jersey for game one.
Best hooker
Harry 43, Api 29, Cook 12
2020 votes: Cameron Smith (35%), Api Koroisau (23%), Harry Grant (12%), Damien Cook (8%), Josh Hodgson (7%)
2019 votes: Cameron Smith (44%), Damien Cook (36%), Josh Hodgson (5%), Reed Mahoney (3%), Jayden Brailey/Robbie Farah (2%)
2018 votes: Cameron Smith (66%), Issac Luke (11%), Damien Cook (8%), Apisai Koroisau (4%), Cameron McInnes (3%)
The verdict: The Penrith dominance in the players’ team of the year continued in the backrow with Villiame Kikau winning the category for the second year in a row. Last year he received 28 per cent of votes, but that increased to 39 per cent this year. Gold coast marquee man David Fifita moved from third to second, increasing his votes from 10 per cent to 24 per cent in 12 months.
The surprise: Eels recruit Isaiah Papali’i has been sensational in 2021, but very few at the start of the year would have imagined he would keep Angus Crichton out of the top three backrowers. No room for Felise Kaufusi.
Best back-rower
Kikau 39, fifita 24, Papali'i 12
2020 vote: Villiame Kikau (28%), Boyd Cordner (17%), David Fifita (10%), Wade Graham (9%), Tyson Frizell (6%)
2019 votes: Sam Burgess (54%), Viliame Kikau (10%), Boyd Cordner (9%), John Bateman (7%), Tohu Harris (7%)
2018 votes: Tyson Frizell (22%), Matt Gillett (21%), Boyd Cordner (15%), Tohu Harris (13%), Wade Graham (9%)
The verdict: Penrith No.13 Isaah Yeo has ended Jason Taumalolo’s three-year supremacy, knocking off the Cowboys captain to win the best lock in the game. It caps off an incredible 12 months, which has included a grand final and his State of Origin debut. Manly’s Jake Trbojevic finished in the top three for the fourth consecutive year.
The surprise: Jason Taumalolo’s standing in the game dropping so quickly. He received half the votes just last year. Also, no Cameron Murray in top five.
Best lock
Yeo 30, JT 20, Jake 16
2020 votes: Jason Taumalolo (49%), Jake Trbojevic (21%), Victor Radley (10%), Isaah Yeo (7%), Cameron Murray/Brandon Smith (3%)
2019 votes: Jason Taumalolo (45%), Jake Trbojevic (20%), Cameron Murray (15%), Dale Finucane (8%), Jai Arrow (5%)
2018 votes for best middle forward: Jason Taumalolo (34%), Sam Burgess (23%), Jake Trbojevic (10%), Reagan Campbell-Gillard (5%), Jesse Bromwich and Andrew Fifita (4%)
