Perfect rounds from Jahrome Hughes and James Tedesco have allowed them to stretch their lead as the top two in Zero Tackle's NRL MVP race after Round 18.
Hughes was voted the unanimous man of the match by our panel in the Melbourne Storm's win over the Wests Tigers, while Tedesco also recorded 20 votes as the Sydney Roosters blasted past the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Third place Scott Drinkwater has dropped another eight votes in arrears after managing a 12-vote total against the Manly Sea Eagles, while Dylan Edwards continues in fourth spot with 16 votes for the Penrith Panthers in their Friday night win over the Brisbane Broncos.
He is 41 votes behind Hughes though, and 27 votes ahead of fifth-placed Sam Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans who are tied for votes throughout the season.
Latrell Mitchell is this week's big mover, scoring 19 votes to move into the top ten, although any surge has been brought to an abrupt end by his foot injury.
Elsewhere, Jack Wighton split top honours with Mitchell, while Hughes and Tedesco were joined by Dane Gagai as the only other player being a unanimous MVP in Round 18.
Keano Kini, Beau Fermor, Dylan Edwards, James Fisher-Harris, Mitch Barnett, Connor Tracey, Daly Cherry-Evans and Tolutau Koula were the other players voted as best on ground by at least one judge during the round.
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 18.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Jack Wighton | Latrell Mitchell | Latrell Mitchell | Latrell Mitchell |
| 4 | Latrell Mitchell | Jack Wighton | Jack Wighton | Jack Wighton |
| 3 | Clinton Gutherson | Keaon Koloamatangi | Keaon Koloamatangi | Keaon Koloamatangi |
| 2 | Keaon Koloamatangi | Clinton Gutherson | Clinton Gutherson | Clinton Gutherson |
| 1 | Blaize Talagi | Blaize Talagi | Jacob Gagai | Jai Arrow |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Keano Kini | Beau Fermor | Keano Kini | Keano Kini |
| 4 | Beau Fermor | Keano Kini | Braydon Trindall | Braydon Trindall |
| 3 | Jesse Ramien | Braydon Trindall | Beau Fermor | Jesse Ramien |
| 2 | Kieran Foran | Kieran Foran | Kieran Foran | Beau Fermor |
| 1 | Siosifa Talakai | Siosifa Talakai | Siosifa Talakai | Kieran Foran |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Dylan Edwards | James Fisher-Harris | James Fisher-Harris | Dylan Edwards |
| 4 | James Fisher-Harris | Dylan Edwards | Brian To'o | James Fisher-Harris |
| 3 | Brian To'o | Reece Walsh | Ezra Mam | Reece Walsh |
| 2 | Reece Walsh | Brian To'o | Dylan Edwards | Brian To'o |
| 1 | Mitch Kenny | Ezra Mam | Reece Walsh | Mitch Kenny |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Mitch Barnett | Mitch Barnett | Connor Tracey | Mitch Barnett |
| 4 | Josh Curran | Connor Tracey | Mitch Barnett | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck |
| 3 | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck | Josh Curran | Josh Curran | Connor Tracey |
| 2 | Jacob Kiraz | Max King | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck | Josh Curran |
| 1 | Addin Fonua-Blake | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck | Max King | Addin Fonua-Blake |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes |
| 4 | Eliesa Katoa | Fonua Pole | Eliesa Katoa | Fonua Pole |
| 3 | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Eliesa Katoa | Fonua Pole | Eliesa Katoa |
| 2 | Tyran Wishart | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Jahream Bula |
| 1 | Jahream Bula | Tyran Wishart | Jahream Bula | Tyran Wishart |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Daly Cherry-Evans | Daly Cherry-Evans | Tolutau Koula | Daly Cherry-Evans |
| 4 | Tolutau Koula | Tolutau Koula | Daly Cherry-Evans | Tolutau Koula |
| 3 | Scott Drinkwater | Scott Drinkwater | Scott Drinkwater | Scott Drinkwater |
| 2 | Jason Saab | Jason Saab | Jason Taumalolo | Jeremiah Nanai |
| 1 | Jeremiah Nanai | Jason Taumalolo | Jason Saab | Jason Saab |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco |
| 4 | Lindsay Collins | Lindsay Collins | Lindsay Collins | Lindsay Collins |
| 3 | Angus Crichton | Angus Crichton | Luke Keary | Sam Walker |
| 2 | Connor Watson | Sam Walker | Daniel Tupou | Angus Crichton |
| 1 | Daniel Tupou | Luke Keary | Angus Crichton | Jared Waerea-Hargreaves |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai | Dane Gagai |
| 4 | Greg Marzhew | Kaeo Weekes | Kaeo Weekes | Kaeo Weekes |
| 3 | Kalyn Ponga | Greg Marzhew | Greg Marzhew | Kalyn Ponga |
| 2 | Kaeo Weekes | Joseph Tapine | Kalyn Ponga | Bradman Best |
| 1 | Joseph Tapine | Kalyn Ponga | Joseph Tapine | Greg Marzhew |
Top Ten
| PLAYER | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jahrome Hughes |
20 | 182 |
| 2 | James Tedesco |
20 | 175 |
| 3 | Scott Drinkwater |
12 | 163 |
| 4 | Dylan Edwards |
16 | 141 |
| 5 | Sam Walker |
5 | 114 |
| 5 | Daly Cherry-Evans |
19 | 114 |
| 7 | Zac Lomax |
0 | 111 |
| 8 | Tom Trbojevic |
0 | 104 |
| 9 | Ben Hunt |
0 | 102 |
| 10 | Latrell Mitchell |
19 | 99 |
Click here to view the full leaderboard.
Leaderboard correct as of July 9.
