#16 Alex Glenn/Tevita Pangai Jr
Glenn:Was named skipper before the season started, and that was probably the highlight. Played just 8 games due to injury. Always remained upfront and honest despite his side's struggles. Hoepfully things go better in 2021 for him.
Pangai:Lucky to even still have a contract. Played 9 games before being stood down over a string of COVID breaches. Still made 39 tackle breaks and had 29 offloads, as well as averaging 133m. If he can pull his head in on and off the field, the world is his oyster.
#15 Tariq Sims/Tyrell Fuimaono
Sims:A disrupted season. Played just 9 games, averaging 29 tackles and 101 metres per game. Didn't have a massive impact when he was on the field. Will need to step up and find his 2018 form next season following some big-name departures.
Fuimaono:Only listed here due to Tyson Frizell's departure. Played 17 games - 7 of which he started on the edge - but didn't set the world on fire. Has talent but will need to step up next year.
#14 Lachlan Fitzgibbon/Brodie Jones
Fitzgibbon:Not as much impact as previous seasons. Just the 1 try in 17 games, but did have 5 linebreaks to his name. Averaged 108m and 29 tackles per game.
Jones:Only here due to some exits at the club. Played 7 games - all of the bench - and didn't make a massive impact.\
#13 Coen Hess/Mitchell Dunn
Hess:Still nowhere near his dominant best. Scored 3 tries in 15 games, but averaged just 92m per game. Defensively still remains reasonably strong, averaging 31 tackles per game at 90% efficiency. A new coach may do him the world of good.
Dunn:Looks a player with real upside. Stats don't paint a pretty picture however - just 55m per game and 3 offloads for the year. Will be better for the run.
#12 Sironen/Jack Gosiewski
Sironen:Solid year in an underperforming side. Averaged 106m and 29 tackles per game, as well as scoring 3 tries in 18 games. Always dangerous with ball in hand, evidenced by his 26 offloads for the year.
Gosiewski:Only here due to Joel Thompson's departure. Looked solid in his limited time on the field. Scored 6 tries in 13 games, and averaged 72m per game. Will need to stand up next year.
Dunn:Looks a player with real upside. Stats don't paint a pretty picture however - just 55m per game and 3 offloads for the year. Will be better for the run.
#11 Kevin Proctor/Sam Stone
Proctor:Played his best footy since moving to the Titans. Missed time due to a controversial biting charge, but still scored 4 tries in 12 games. Averaged 82m and 31 tackles per game. Led from the front and will be an important part of their rebuild next year.
Stone:Looked promising in limited opportunies in the starting side. Averaged 70m and 38 tackles per game, as well as finishing with 3 tries. Will be a good bench option next year with the additions of David Fifita and company.
#10 Briton Nikora/Wade Graham
Nikora:Bit of a drop-off from his debut season. Still managed 6 tries and 5 linebreaks in 16 games, but was dropped for a few games by John Morris which isn't a great sign. Averaged just 73m per game - 20 less per game than last season - and had some issues defensively. Still young and a big future, but needs to recapture his rookie form.
Graham:Not his best year, and ultimately paid the price by being dropped from the NSW Origin side. Averaged 91m and 29 tackles per game, but was below his best. Still dangerous with ball in hand, but needs to find his best footy again in 2021
#9 Raymond Faitala-Mariner/Josh Jackson
Faitala-Mariner:A really strong year in a struggling side - was one of their best over the course of the season. Played all 20 games for the Bulldogs, scoring 6 tries and made 6 linebreaks. Work-rate also improved on previous years, averaging 107m and 31 tackles per game at 92% efficiency.
Jackson:Remains the ultimate leader of men - but his numbers weren't as good as previous years. Averaged just 97m per game, and failed to make much impact in attack. Defensively remains one of the best in his position, averaging 35 tackles per game.
#8 Luciano Leilua/Luke Garner
Leilua:Went from a player who struggled to play 20 minutes per game, to becoming a quality 80-minute edge forward. Scored 7 tries and made 5 linebreaks in 20 games, as well as finishing the year with 22 offloads. Averaged 102m per game and looked dangerous with every carry, and improved massively in defence with 33 tackles per game. A really good year for the former Dragon.
Garner:Still offered quite a bit in attack, but probably didn't match the form he showed in 2019. Scored 6 tries and made 7 linebreaks in 17 games. Defensively had his issues, tackling at just 88% efficiency over the course of the season and coming up with some poor reads at times. Was in and out of the Tigers lineup at different stages, and had been rumoured to be unwanted for next year.
#7 Elliott Whitehead/Hudson Young
Whitehead:Remains a severely underrated player, often overshadowed by some of the bigger names in the Raiders side. While his numbers are not massive, he is such a smart footballer and always looks likely with ball in hand. Finished the year with 5 tries, 7 linebreaks and 5 linebreak assists. Will need to go to another level in 2021 with the departure of John Bateman.
Young:Only here due to the aforementioned exit of Bateman - but he did have a really solid year. Averaged 95m and 32 tackles per game, and showed his versatility by playing both on the edge and in the middle. Scored 4 tries and made 6 linebreaks in his 18 appearances. With his disciplinary issues seemingly sorted, the sky is the limit for Young
#6 Tohu Harris/Eliesa Katoa
Harris:Had his best year since leaving Melbourne, and perhaps a career-best year. Averaged 173m and 42 tackles per game, operating at 95% efficiency. Was named Dally M Second-Rower of the Year and led the Warriors through a tough year.
Katoa:Was an unknown before the year started, but has emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Struggled with injury during parts of the year, but still 6 tries and produced 16 offloads in just 13 games. Averaged 99m and 27 tackles per game, and looks a real star of the future at just 20 years of age.
#5 Angus Crichton/Boyd Cordner
Crichton:Had a good year at club level - but excelled in the Origin arena with a brilliant series for NSW. Finished the NRL season with 5 tries, 6 linebreaks and 23 offloads. Averaged 124m and 38 tackles per game as well - pretty handy numbers. Arguably the best all-round edge forward in the game today.
Cordner:Tough year for the veteran, playingjust 13 games due to concussion issues. Still got through his work with 128m and 28 tackles per game, but didn't have too great an impact. Huge question marks remain over his playing future heading into 2021.
#4 Jaydn Su'a/Cameron Murray
Su'a:Had a real breakout year for the Rabbitohs. Established himself as one of the game's hardest-hitters, and averaged 28 tackles per game. Also dangerous in attack, running for 101m per game and producing 21 offloads for the season. Earned himself a QLD Origin debut.
Murray:While he did play most the year at lock, some departures from the club means he fits our criteria here - and the likelihood is, he will be back on the edge in 2021.The 22-year old finished the year averaging 104m and 39 tackles per game. He also scored 5 tries and produced 30 offloads over the course of the year.
#3 Felise Kaufusi/Kenny Bromwich
Kaufusi:Completed the NRL/Origin double with the Storm and Maroons. Had another solid year, finishing with 4 linebreaks and 4 linebreak assists. Averaged 85m and 31 tackles per game. Never a standout performer, but always does his job and has the accolades to prove his worth.
Bromwich:Continues to improve and is always a threat with the ball. Finished the year with 5 linebreaks, 4 linebreak assists and 16 tackle breaks. Another premiership to add to his tally.
#2 Ryan Matterson/Shaun Lane
Matterson:Another good year, and pretty unlucky not to play Origin for NSW. Averaged 124m and 39 tackles per game, as well as scoring 3 tries for the year. Always dangerous with the ball, finishing with 35 offloads - equal-third in the NRL
#1 Viliame Kikau/Liam Martin
Kikau:Cemented himself as one of the game's best. The Fijian wrecking ball was brilliant for the minor premiers this year, scoring 7 tries and making 68 tackle breaks for the year. Also produced 24 offloads and averaged 98m per game. Was named Dally M Second-Rower of the Year alongside Tohu Harris.
Martin:While Kikau gets all the attention, it was Martin who had a real breakout year. Scored 5 tries and made 7 linebreaks for the year, and averaged 87m per game. Also averaged an impressive 38 tackles per game, and was unlucky to miss out on NSW Origin selection.
Lane:Started the season really well, but had a quiet second-half in comparison. His size and offloading ability continues to make him a handful for opposition defences, averaging 123m per game and finishing the year with 28 offloads and 8 linebreak assists.
Replies
Apologies for the large spacing, could not close them up any more than how it comes out. Also for some reason Lane is shown under the top two and how that happened is beyond me and there is no way I can edit the post. This corresponds with the lack of being able to receive email notification of replies that I am shown as following, which is a falesy as its not happening, have notified the administrators of 1 eeyed with nothing back from them
Happy with the gradings, and the 2nd spot of our two 2nd rowers,
Considering this is a write up for this year, why wouldn't the players from this year be in the write up for the team they played for. Makes no sense.
Got that right CB. Makes no sense at all.
I think Wade Graham & Briton Nikora have a right to feel a bit slighted. I have them in the top 5.