NRL’s top 50 players (SMH)

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

NRL’s top 50 players: Counting down rugby league’s best of the best​

February 17, 2025 — 6.00am

The NRL is home to the world’s best rugby league players.

But narrowing the list down to determine the best of the best is no easy task. So to mark the start of the 2025 NRL season, experts from The Sydney Morning Herald and Nine’s Wide World of Sports have come together to give their views – and a collective verdict – on who are the best 50 players in the game right now.

A panel of judges was put together: Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler, Darren Lockyer, Allana Ferguson, Roy Masters, Robert Dillon, Billie Eder, Dan Walsh, Adrian Proszenko, Michael Chammas, Christian Nicolussi and Marlee Silva. Together, they have many decades’ experience of playing, coaching, covering and analysing rugby league at the highest level. The players chosen as the top 50 current NRL players can be sure that they’ve earned their selection.

Each judge was asked to compile a list of their own top 30 current NRL players. They were to order the list from 1-30, with the player they considered their No.1 allocated 30 points, their No.2 allocated 29 points, and so on, with the 30th player allocated one point.

We then added up all the points awarded to each player and listed them from most to least. Where there was a tie, we sorted it by alphabetical order. The player with the most points was crowned our pick for the NRL’s No.1-ranked player.

That player will be unveiled on Friday, when the Herald and Wide World of Sports publishes the final article in our 50-1 series. We kick it off today with the players ranked 50-41.

48. Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles, 7)
The heart and soul of Manly and one of the best defenders in the game today, as well as one of its most beloved figures off the field. Brings passion like few others and led the NSW Blues back from a game down to clinch last year’s State of Origin series. While his speed and impact with the ball isn’t what it once was, Trbojevic is a genuine leader who busts his backside for every second he is out in the middle.

Jake Trbojevic is Manly’s spiritual leader.Credit:Getty Images

31. Haumole Olakau’atu (Sea Eagles, 46)​

A force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball, Olakau’atu has gone from strength to strength for Manly in recent years to establish himself as perhaps the best edge forward in the competition. Possessing a hulking frame and unbelievable athleticism, the Tongan international has proved unstoppable for opposition defenders, while also producing his own fair share of genuine highlight reel big hits. Earned a spot in the NSW Blues squad last year and there’s reason to believe he will be a long-term State of Origin player given that he is only now entering the prime of his career.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

No doubt Tom and DCE will figure somewhere in the judges’ calculations.

Assuming we wind up with four players in the top fifty, that’s a pretty good return in a 17 team competition.

 

[Harmless27]

Also makes me think that maybe they paid DCE, Jake and Tom the right amount of $$$

We have the talent at our disposal right now - need to make the most of it in 2025

 

[madmax]

I could not imagine that Trbo, DCE, Olakau’atu & Jrbo would not make the top 50!!! If any do then it’s a total geeup! I’d go as far as to say a couple more could be up for selection.

 

[Bulli Eagle]

I thought haumole would be higher. Interesting to see what backrowers are in front of him

 

[BOZO]

I thought haumole would be higher. Interesting to see what backrowers are in front of him

Haumole is The most destructive backrower in the game feathered friend
If any one is In front of him . The Judges are byast

 

[mosto]

I thought haumole would be higher. Interesting to see what backrowers are in front of him

Article states he is 'perhaps the best edge forward in the competition'. To me that implies there should be no backrowers listed in the the top 30. Be interesting to see if that's the case.

 

[nightster]

I thought haumole would be higher. Interesting to see what backrowers are in front of him

Yes especially when stated ... "Olakau’atu has gone from strength to strength for Manly in recent years to establish himself as perhaps the best edge forward in the competition."

 

[nightster]

Article states he is 'perhaps the best edge forward in the competition'. To me that implies there should be no backrowers listed in the the top 30. Be interesting to see if that's the case.

Beat me to it Mosto

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

21. Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles, 121)​

The Queensland captain at 35, Cherry-Evans is one of the NRL’s finest advertisements for longevity. The Manly playmaker is super consistent and routinely appears among the elite for game-breaking stats like try assists and 40/20s. He turns 36 before the Sea Eagles kick off their 2025 season but has vowed to continue to play at Origin level unless selectors intervene due to a loss of form. It would be brave to back against him.

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

30-21 all backs except for Tino & P Carrigan.

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

I thought haumole would be higher. Interesting to see what backrowers are in front of him

Presumably some of the ones that consistently perform at SOO level, rather than get caught in the headlights.🙂

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

19. Cameron Murray
17. Liam Martin
13. Angus Crichton

 

[Waz13]

19. Cameron Murray
17. Liam Martin
13. Angus Crichton

If I had to pick one player out of these three and Guac for an edge backrow position. Guac my first pick.

 

[Rocky]

Jake is the 48th-best player in the game, yet some on here can't even fit him in their best 17 for Manly.

FMD.

 

[madmax]

19. Cameron Murray
17. Liam Martin
13. Angus Crichton

Wouldn’t swap Olakau’atu for any of them. In fact I’ll go as far as to say daylight between him & the other 3!!!

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

8. Tom Trbojevic (Manly, 233 points)​

Which storyline will it be for “Tommy Turbo” this year? The champion in rude health, back to his brilliant best and lifting Manly into premiership contention? Or the forlorn hero limping from one physio appointment to the next? There is no more influential player in the NRL than Trbojevic at his best. The form he showed in 2021 – when he scored 28 tries in 18 games to win the Dally M medal – was simply mind-boggling, and if he can return to that phenomenal level, anything appears possible for the Sea Eagles. With a good squad around him, this shapes as potentially Turbo’s best shot at a title. If, that is, he can stay on the park.

 

[Dion Johnson]

I thought Turbo would have been in the top five, I don’t know if there has been a player in the game that has done what he did in 2021.

That try against the Cowboys where he beat 11 or so players to score was phenomenal at that level.

 

[LeonardCohen]

I thought Turbo would have been in the top five, I don’t know if there has been a player in the game that has done what he did in 2021.

That try against the Cowboys where he beat 11 or so players to score was phenomenal at that level.

he’s dropped down on a lot of these lists over the last couple of years because of form and injury. If the same list came out in 2021, he’d be number 1. Sadly, he hasn’t been at that level since, hence the drop. At his best, he is probably grappling for that top spot with Nathan Cleary. If he can get close to his best, he’ll start climbing the ladder on these sorts of lists again.

 

[Dion Johnson]

he’s dropped down on a lot of these lists over the last couple of years because of form and injury. If the same list came out in 2021, he’d be number 1. Sadly, he hasn’t been at that level since, hence the drop. At his best, he is probably grappling for that top spot with Nathan Cleary. If he can get close to his best, he’ll start climbing the ladder on these sorts of lists again.

Yeh fingers crossed he has an injury free season, that latest hamstring to Latrelll brought back bad memories.

I agree with Cleary though Isaiah Yeo I would have him up there also, he was very good from Origin through to playing for the Kangaroos last season.