Melbourne Storm star halfback Jahrome Hughes has extended his lead in Zero Tackle's NRL MVP race during Round 25, and is approaching the point of being crowned overall champion.
What has been a tight three-way race throughout the campaign was blown to smitherenes over the weekend, with Hughes, who led by 3 votes last week, adding 12 to his lead that now stands at 15.
He registered 19 votes in Melbourne's heavy victory on Saturday over the Dolphins, while James Tedesco, who remains in second spot, managed only seven votes as the Sydney Roosters ran over the top of the Gold Coast Titans.
Scott Drinkwater remains in third spot a full 20 votes ahead of Tom Trbojevic in fourth, but 30 votes behind the lead of Hughes after being unable to add to his tally through a bye.
Trbojevic (17 votes), Jacob Kiraz (10 votes) and Isaah Yeo (15 votes) were the other players in (or moving in) the top ten who recorded votes, while Addin Fonua-Blake, Patrick Carrigan and Ryan Papenhuyzen all pulled in healthy tallies to move within breathing room of the top ten.
Carrigan was one of five players to record a perfect round, joined by Matt Burton, Joseph Tapine, Dane Gagai and Angus Crichton, while Tom Trbojevic, Latu Fainu, Jahrome Hughes, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Kayal Iro and Briton Nikora were the other players to be voted best on ground by at least one judge.
To remind you how this works, each week, our panel - made up of Matt Clements (Zero Tackle founder), Dan Nichols, Ethan Lee Chalk (Zero Tackle writers) and myself as editor will cast votes on each game in a 5-4-3-2-1 scoring system.
The best player on-field receives five votes, the next four, and so on. That means a player could realistically gain 20 votes in a single game.
Here are all the votes from Round 25.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Tom Trbojevic | Latu Fainu | Tom Trbojevic | Latu Fainu |
| 4 | Samuela Fainu | Samuela Fainu | Lachlan Galvin | Tom Trbojevic |
| 3 | Lachlan Galvin | Tom Trbojevic | Samuela Fainu | Samuela Fainu |
| 2 | Stefano Utoikamanu | Lachlan Galvin | Stefano Utoikamanu | Stefano Utoikamanu |
| 1 | Apisai Koroisau | Stefano Utoikamanu | Alex Seyfarth | Lachlan Galvin |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Matt Burton | Matt Burton | Matt Burton | Matt Burton |
| 4 | Addin Fonua-Blake | Addin Fonua-Blake | Harry Hayes | Harry Hayes |
| 3 | Harry Hayes | Harry Hayes | Jacob Kiraz | Jacob Kiraz |
| 2 | Jacob Kiraz | Jacob Kiraz | Addin Fonua-Blake | Addin Fonua-Blake |
| 1 | Wayde Egan | Wayde Egan | Max King | Luke Metcalf |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan | Patrick Carrigan |
| 4 | Tristan Sailor | Tristan Sailor | Tristan Sailor | Tristan Sailor |
| 3 | Joe Ofahengaue | Adam Reynolds | Adam Reynolds | Adam Reynolds |
| 2 | Corey Jensen | Joe Ofahengaue | Joe Ofahengaue | Joe Ofahengaue |
| 1 | Clinton Gutherson | Corey Jensen | Clinton Gutherson | Clinton Gutherson |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Joseph Tapine | Joseph Tapine | Joseph Tapine | Joseph Tapine |
| 4 | Isaah Yeo | Isaah Yeo | Isaah Yeo | Xavier Savage |
| 3 | Xavier Savage | Morgan Smithies | Xavier Savage | Isaah Yeo |
| 2 | Matthew Timoko | Xavier Savage | Matthew Timoko | Morgan Smithies |
| 1 | Kaeo Weekes | Matthew Timoko | Daine Laurie | Daine Laurie |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Jahrome Hughes | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes |
| 4 | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Jahrome Hughes | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Ryan Papenhuyzen |
| 3 | Harry Grant | Harry Grant | Harry Grant | Harry Grant |
| 2 | Eliesa Katoa | Eliesa Katoa | Eliesa Katoa | Will Warbrick |
| 1 | Jack Howarth | Jack Howarth | Jack Howarth | Eliesa Katoa |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai |
| 4 | Jack Cogger | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga | Kalyn Ponga |
| 3 | Kalyn Ponga | Jack Cogger | Jack Cogger | Jack Cogger |
| 2 | Dylan Lucas | Cameron Murray | Dylan Lucas | Cameron Murray |
| 1 | Cameron Murray | Dylan Lucas | Cameron Murray | Dylan Lucas |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Angus Crichton | Angus Crichton | Angus Crichton | Angus Crichton |
| 4 | Sitili Tupouniua | Sitili Tupouniua | Sitili Tupouniua | Sitili Tupouniua |
| 3 | Daniel Tupou | Daniel Tupou | Daniel Tupou | Luke Keary |
| 2 | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | Daniel Tupou |
| 1 | Nat Butcher | Luke Keary | Luke Keary | James Tedesco |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Kayal Iro | Briton Nikora | Briton Nikora | Kayal Iro |
| 4 | Briton Nikora | Kayal Iro | Blayke Brailey | Jesse Ramien |
| 3 | Jesse Ramien | Jesse Ramien | Kayal Iro | Braydon Trindall |
| 2 | Sam Stonestreet | Sam Stonestreet | Jesse Ramien | Briton Nikora |
| 1 | Braydon Trindall | Blayke Brailey | Sam Stonestreet | Sam Stonestreet |
Top Ten
| PLAYER | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jahrome Hughes |
19 | 247 |
| 2 | James Tedesco |
7 | 232 |
| 3 | Scott Drinkwater |
0 | 217 |
| 4 | Tom Trbojevic |
17 | 197 |
| 5 | Jacob Kiraz |
10 | 151 |
| 6 | Sam Walker |
0 | 148 |
| 7 | Dylan Edwards |
0 | 141 |
| 7 | Daly Cherry-Evans |
0 | 141 |
| 9 | Isaah Yeo |
15 | 139 |
| 10 | Ben Hunt |
0 | 132 |
Click here to view the full leaderboard.
Leaderboard correct as at August 20.
