The 2023 NRL season is in the books, and the dramatic grand final will live long in the memory of Penrith Panthers fans throughout the off-season.
It was a season of thrilling highs and, for some clubs, the lowest of lows, capped off by a finals series that promised plenty and delivered very little until the final game of the season.
In what was one of the closer top eight races in recent times, and that has left plenty of questions over who the best players in the competition really were after a somewhat controversial Dally M result.
ยป Part 5 (10-1)
ยป Part 4 (20-11)
ยป Part 3 (30-21)
ยป Part 2 (40-31)
Over the next five days, Zero Tackle will reveal its Top 50 players for the 2023 season, beginning today with players 50 through to 41.
50. Tyson Frizell (Newcastle Knights)
Frizell has been a little quiet in recent seasons, but returned to his best during 2023, particularly the second half to sneak into our Top 50.
His form was good enough to see him recalled to the New South Wales State of Origin set-up, while at club level he made 22 appearances for the Knight, defending strongly with a 96 per cent tackle efficiency and adding 110 metres per game.
49. Jacob Preston (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Preston was an undoubted contender for rookie of the year up until his suspension which ruled him out of the running for any awards at the Dally M Medal ceremony.
The second-rower was far and away the best for a struggling Bulldogs' outfit, scoring 6 tries in his 20 games, adding 10 line breaks and almost hitting the 100-metre per game average.
48. Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)
Collins' 2023 season will forever be remembered for his effort to outjump club teammate James Tedesco in the State of Origin series.
It's that single play which showcases the style of player Collins is though. A hard-working, no-nonsense style prop who simply gets the job done time and time again. He is firey, but seems to be in control of that far more than he used to be.
47. Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
Young continues to be one of the best for the Raiders. It was a topsy-turvy season for the green machine to say the least, and while they wound up qualifying for the finals, they may have struggled to claim enough victories without Young.
The second-rower is a game breaker. He knows how to find the tryline and put pressure on opposition defensive line, and it's a trait Canberra will need in spades next year following his long-term contract extension.
46. Valentine Holmes (North Queensland Cowboys)
The 2023 season certainly wasn't on the same level as 2022 for Holmes, but he still does enough to battle his way onto this list with 8 tries and another 6 assists in his 18 appearances at a battling Cowboys outfit.
His shift into the centres over the last two years has been excellent on the whole given the doubt before he first did it, and his Origin appearances speak volumes of the way he has settled there. To go with his 8 tries, he had 83 tackle breaks and 169 metres per game in 2023.
45. Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)
Despite the fact Parramatta fell short of the finals this season, Paulo was still one of the club's best, churning out big numbers every week and making himself a constant danger for opposition defensive lines.
He made a staggering 40 offloads and 42 tackle breaks throughout the season as part of his 147 metres per game, and while he is constantly overlooked when it comes to discussing the top props in the game, he isn't far away from the conversation that currently features Payne Haas and Addin Fonua-Blake.
44. Joseph Manu (Sydney Roosters)
Manu suffers a dramatic fall down this list this year. Still one of the Roosters' best, it was a somewhat inconsistent season for the centre who fills in all over the backline.
His time in the halves saw him struggle though, and without a couple of excellent games, it's not certain he would have snuck into the 50 for this year.
43. Tohu Harris (New Zealand Warriors)
There really isn't much that can be said about Tohu Harris that hasn't been said a hundred times before. He is simply rock solid, and for a club like the Warriors, exactly what they need.
That said, Harris would walk into just about any side in the competition, such is his unbelievable consistency and ability to churn out numbers on both attack and defence week in and week out.
42. Briton Nikora (Cronulla Sharks)
I'm not sure it'd be a stretch to say this was Nikora's best season in the NRL to date. He has been a picture of consistency for the Sharks since his debut, but seemed to go to another level this year in his 25 games.
Defensively he was rock solid on the edge, but averaged over 100 metres per game with the ball in hand for the first time in his career, was more reserved in the offloading game yet still made 22, and made a career-high for line breaks with 18.
41. Jahream Bula (Wests Tigers)
Bula had a phenomenal rookie season for the Tigers. While he didn't come into the side until a number of weeks had passed, he was far and away the best in a battling outfit who will now prepare for life under a new coach in the shape of Benji Marshall next year.
The fullback was excellent with the ball in hand, but just as importantly, his rugby league IQ and defensive awareness was on display time and time again. An exceptional season, and, as long as he doesn't suffer second year syndrome blues, he will again be the Tigers' most important player heading into a 2024 season where it's tough to know what to expect for the joint-venture.
Be sure to check back tomorrow for Part 2 of our countdown as we reveal players 40 to 31.
