Latest Rugby League News

A winner confirmed as battle for minor places intensifies: Zero Tackle’s NRL MVP, Round 25

There are two weeks to go, but a winner has been confirmed.

Published by
Scott Pryde

There might be two rounds to play in the 2023 NRL season, but Zero Tackle's MVP race is over, with Payne Haas crowned the champion.

In what has been a fantastic season for the Broncos' prop, Haas has barely been challenged at the top of the leaderboard after he secured at least 14 votes in each of the opening eight rounds.

The lead he built up has simply been too much to close down, and with a maximum of 40 votes left in play for any player at 20 per week, Haas holds a 47-vote lead at the conclusion of Round 25, despite not actually playing this past weekend with Brisbane off on the bye.

Shaun Johnson and Scott Drinkwater sat equal second at the end of Round 24, but only Johnson could poll votes during Round 25, and even that was only a seven-vote haul, despite the fact the Warriors' star had registered 70 votes in his previous four games.

It means that he is now no longer able to catch Haas, who takes out the win.

It also means the race is on for the minor placings. Johnson leads Drinkwater by just seven votes, with Addin Fonua-Blake, Nicho Hynes and Kalyn Ponga all in the race for a podium finish.

The top ten is rounded out by Reece Walsh, Clint Gutherson, James Tedesco and Cameron Munster, but David Fifita, Dylan Edwards, Isaah Yeo and Latrell Mitchell are all within a handful of votes.

Outside of the votes secured by Johnson, Kalyn Ponga and James Tedesco were the best of the contenders with 20 votes a piece. The other unanimous 20-vote games in Round 25 were Connor Tracey, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Apisai Koroisau and Jahrome Hughes.

Here are all the votes from Round 25.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Cronulla Sharks

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 Connor Tracey Connor Tracey Connor Tracey Connor Tracey
4 Nicho Hynes Nicho Hynes Braydon Trindall Braydon Trindall
3 Braydon Trindall Braydon Trindall Nicho Hynes Nicho Hynes
2 Thomas Hazelton Royce Hunt Thomas Hazelton Royce Hunt
1 Toby Rudolf Toby Rudolf Royce Hunt Thomas Hazelton

New Zealand Warriors vs Manly Sea Eagles

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak Dallin Watene-Zelezniak Dallin Watene-Zelezniak Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
4 Tohu Harris Jason Saab Jason Saab Jason Saab
3 Jason Saab Tohu Harris Shaun Johnson Addin Fonua-Blake
2 Addin Fonua-Blake Addin Fonua-Blake Addin Fonua-Blake Shaun Johnson
1 Shaun Johnson Shaun Johnson Daly Cherry-Evans Daly Cherry-Evans

Parramatta Eels vs Sydney Roosters

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 James Tedesco James Tedesco James Tedesco James Tedesco
4 Luke Keary Luke Keary Luke Keary Luke Keary
3 Nat Butcher Daniel Tupou Daniel Tupou Nat Butcher
2 Joseph Suaalii Nat Butcher Nat Butcher Joseph Suaalii
1 Lindsay Collins Joseph Suaalii Joseph Manu Lindsay Collins

Wests Tigers vs The Dolphins

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 Apisai Koroisau Apisai Koroisau Apisai Koroisau Apisai Koroisau
4 Alex Twal Kodi Nikorima Kodi Nikorima Kodi Nikorima
3 Sean O'Sullivan Alex Twal Daine Laurie Alex Twal
2 Daine Laurie Daine Laurie Sean O'Sullivan Sean O'Sullivan
1 Euan Aitken Sean O'Sullivan Euan Aitken Daine Laurie

Gold Coast Titans vs Penrith Panthers

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 Dylan Edwards Stephen Crichton Dylan Edwards Dylan Edwards
4 Stephen Crichton Dylan Edwards Stephen Crichton Stephen Crichton
3 Tyrone Peachey Sunia Turuva Sunia Turuva Tyrone Peachey
2 Isaah Yeo Tyrone Peachey Tyrone Peachey Sunia Turuva
1 Sunia Turuva Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary Isaah Yeo

St George Illawarra Dragons vs Melbourne Storm

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 Jahrome Hughes Jahrome Hughes Jahrome Hughes Jahrome Hughes
4 Eliesa Katoa Eliesa Katoa Eliesa Katoa Eliesa Katoa
3 Will Warbrick Blake Lawrie Will Warbrick Blake Lawrie
2 Blake Lawrie Will Warbrick Blake Lawrie Will Warbrick
1 Moses Suli Tyrell Sloan Tyrell Sloan Tyrell Sloan

Newcastle Knights vs South Sydney Rabbitohs

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 Kalyn Ponga Kalyn Ponga Kalyn Ponga Kalyn Ponga
4 Greg Marzhew Greg Marzhew Greg Marzhew Greg Marzhew
3 Dane Gagai Dane Gagai Dane Gagai Dane Gagai
2 Tyson Frizell Jacob Saifiti Tyson Frizell Tyson Frizell
1 Phoenix Crossland Phoenix Crossland Jacob Saifiti Phoenix Crossland

Canberra Raiders vs Canterbury Bulldogs

Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Jack Blyth
5 Jordan Rapana Joseph Tapine Jordan Rapana Jordan Rapana
4 Joseph Tapine Jordan Rapana Matthew Timoko Matthew Timoko
3 Josh Papalii Matthew Timoko Jamal Fogarty Joseph Tapine
2 Corey Horsburgh Josh Papalii Joseph Tapine Josh Papalii
1 Matthew Timoko Corey Horsburgh Jake Averillo Jake Averillo

Top Ten

Click here to view the full leaderboard.

Published by
Scott Pryde