In an ANZAC Round marked by high scores and dominant wins, it should be no surprise that victorious stars earned plenty of votes as Zero Tackle reveal our Round 8 votes, with Dylan Edwards clinging onto the overall lead.
Of the eight games played, seven saw players score a full number of votes in unanimous man of the match performances.
Siosifa Talakai dominated Manlys so badly in the first half, that the Sharks couldn't lose even when they seemed to try. On Friday night it was an Adam Reynolds masterclass that saw the Broncos put the Bulldogs to bed, before Saturday saw Scott Drinkwater lead the Cowboys to victory in the Queensland Derby while the Tigers scored a back-to-back victory off the back of Jackson Hastings.
The Eels battering of the Knights meant they shared points, while Nathan Cleary stood out in the Raiders' destruction in Penrith. On Anzac Day Ben Hunt and Ryan Papenhuyzen led their teams to victory, in two very different endings.
While these seven stood above the rest in their games, there were plenty of performances worthy of mention.
Here is the breakdown of votes for Round 7.
Only one name sticks out from this game. Siosifa Talakai. While Matt Moylan and Ronaldo Mulitalo were great, it was Talakai who almost single-handedly demoralised and dominated the Sea Eagles. The Sharks jumped out to a 32-0 halftime lead. While Kieran Foran and the Sea Eagles made a valiant comeback, it wasn't enough.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Siosifa Talakai | Siosifa Talakai | Siosifa Talakai | Siosifa Talakai |
| 4 | Ronaldo Mulitalo | Matt Moylan | Ronaldo Mulitalo | Ronaldo Mulitalo |
| 3 | Kieran Foran | Kieran Foran | Reuben Garrick | Kieran Foran |
| 2 | Matt Moylan | Ronaldo Mulitalo | Matt Moylan | Matt Moylan |
| 1 | Daly Cherry-Evans | Reuben Garrick | Kieran Foran | Reuben Garrick |
The Canterbury Bulldogs jumped out to a ten-point lead by the 30th minute of the game through two tries to Josh Addo-Carr. Once the Brisbane Broncos showed any sign of life, the Bulldogs didn't put up much of a fight. Scoring five tries to the Bulldogs' one in the second half, Adam Reynolds led the Broncos to what finished as a dominant win.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Adam Reynolds | Adam Reynolds | Adam Reynolds | Adam Reynolds |
| 4 | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Selwyn Cobbo | Payne Haas |
| 3 | Selwyn Cobbo | Te Maire Martin | Payne Haas | Selwyn Cobbo |
| 2 | Te Maire Martin | Selwyn Cobbo | Josh Addo-Carr | Te Maire Martin |
| 1 | Josh Addo-Carr | Josh Addo-Carr | Te Maire Martin | Josh Addo-Carr |
Tom Dearden opened the scoring with a try in the fifth minute and from then on it was all North Queensland. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui was the only Titan to score a vote, while Scott Drinkwater took full votes and Jason Taumalolo, Valentine Holmes and Murray Taulagi all made an appearance for their part in the 26-point victory.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Scott Drinkwater | Scott Drinkwater | Scott Drinkwater | Scott Drinkwater |
| 4 | Murray Taulagi | Murray Taulagi | Valentine Holmes | Valentine Holmes |
| 3 | Valentine Holmes | Jason Taumalolo | Jason Taumalolo | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui |
| 2 | Jason Taumalolo | Valentine Holmes | Kyle Feldt | Jason Taumalolo |
| 1 | Kyle Feldt | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui | Tom Dearden |
In his second game back from suspension, Jackson Hastings combined it with the Tigers' second win in a row. A closely-contested affair from the opening minute, anytime one team looked to steal momentum, the other took it right back. Jackson Hastings and Luke Brooks led the Tigers to victory and David Nofoaluma scored a double while Keon Koloamatangi was a force for the Rabbitohs with 205m and a crucial 72nd-minute try.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Jackson Hastings | Jackson Hastings | Jackson Hastings | Jackson Hastings |
| 4 | Keaon Koloamatangi | Luke Brooks | Keaon Koloamatangi | Keaon Koloamatangi |
| 3 | David Nofoaluma | Keaon Koloamatangi | David Nofoaluma | Luke Brooks |
| 2 | Cameron Murray | Cameron Murray | Luke Brooks | David Nofoaluma |
| 1 | Luke Brooks | David Nofoaluma | Cameron Murray | Damien Cook |
The only battle the Knights won was the jersey battle. In a disappointing showing for the Newcastle Knights, the Parramatta Eels took full advantage. Isaiah Papali'i and Reed Mahoney dismantled the Newcastle defence off the back of Mitchell Moses' kicking game. Ryan Matterson also scored points with what was probably his best game this year, tallying 193m and 3 tackle breaks in only 37 minutes.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Reed Mahoney | Reed Mahoney | Reed Mahoney | Isaiah Papali'i |
| 4 | Isaiah Papali'i | Isaiah Papali'i | Isaiah Papali'i | Reed Mahoney |
| 3 | Mitchell Moses | Mitchell Moses | Mitchell Moses | Shaun Lane |
| 2 | Shaun Lane | Ryan Matterson | Shaun Lane | Mitchell Moses |
| 1 | Ryan Matterson | Shaun Lane | Reagan Campbell-Gillard | Ryan Matterson |
The Canberra Raiders completely capitulating in the second half - never seen that one before. Facing an eight-point deficit at halftime, the Raiders completely fell apart. Nathan Cleary dominated the game with the ball and his boot, surpassing a hat-trick performance from Stephen Crichton and 258 run metres by Dylan Edwards.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary |
| 4 | Stephen Crichton | Dylan Edwards | Stephen Crichton | Stephen Crichton |
| 3 | Dylan Edwards | Stephen Crichton | Dylan Edwards | Spencer Leniu |
| 2 | Spencer Leniu | Isaah Yeo | Spencer Leniu | Isaah Yeo |
| 1 | Isaah Yeo | Viliame Kikau | Isaah Yeo | Dylan Edwards |
The ANZAC Day clash between the Sydney Roosters and St George Illawarra Dragons is often a great game, and this one was incredible. In the game of the round, four names stood above the rest while Ben Hunt was the unanimous man of the match. James Tedesco and Joseph Manu kept the Roosters in the game and almost led them to a comeback victory, while Francis Molo stood tough in the middle for the Dragons.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Ben Hunt | Ben Hunt | Ben Hunt | Ben Hunt |
| 4 | James Tedesco | Francis Molo | Joseph Manu | Joseph Manu |
| 3 | Francis Molo | Joseph Manu | Josh McGuire | Francis Molo |
| 2 | Joseph Manu | Jack de Belin | Francis Molo | Siosiua Taukeiaho |
| 1 | Josh McGuire | James Tedesco | Sam Walker | Josh McGuire |
The Storm won 70-10. It would have been 82-10 if Ryan Papenhuyzen hit all of his (13!) conversions. Down only 16-10 at halftime, the Warriors second half was marred by stupid mistakes and poor effort. Ryan Papenhuyzen was unstoppable, Xavier Coates scored four tries while Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes tore the defence apart. The Storm were so dominant that Justin Olam ran 200 metres and scored a try - and didn't earn a vote.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Jack Blyth | |
| 5 | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Ryan Papenhuyzen | Ryan Papenhuyzen |
| 4 | Jahrome Hughes | Cameron Munster | Cameron Munster | Jahrome Hughes |
| 3 | Cameron Munster | Jahrome Hughes | Jahrome Hughes | Xavier Coates |
| 2 | Xavier Coates | Harry Grant | Harry Grant | Cameron Munster |
| 1 | Harry Grant | Xavier Coates | Xavier Coates | Josh King |
| 1 | Dylan Edwards | 11 | 82 |
| 2 | Jahrome Hughes | 14 | 79 |
| 3 | Mitchell Moses | 11 | 77 |
| 4 | Ryan Papenhuyzen | 20 | 77 |
| 5 | Cameron Munster | 13 | 71 |
| 6 | Siosifa Talakai | 20 | 67 |
| 7 | Harry Grant | 5 | 64 |
| 8 | Isaah Yeo | 6 | 59 |
| 9 | Nicho Hynes | 0 | 54 |
| 10 | Daly Cherry-Evans | 1 | 53 |