I know I say this about every position, but the lock forward role may be my favourite in rugby league.
These blokes are required to do the defensive work of a front rower, while often being asked to play bigger minutes.
The instructions for our 13s are simple: Make your 40 tackles a game, oh and we need some try assists too. Easy, right?
Truthfully, this may have been the most difficult position to rank.
There were some genuine standout performances that were hard to split, while filling the final two spots was a bit of a chore.
As always, the below list is compiled using only 2025 performances and it not a flat chat top ten locks in the game.
Below are the top ten locks from the 2025 season:
10. Dylan Walker
The Parramatta recruit enjoyed a career resurgence year in 2025. He ranks here despite only starting six games. The rest of his appearances came from the bench.
Only once did he not play more than 40 minutes, posing the question of why he didn't start if he was the preferred lock way more often than not?
His 23 games this year for the Eels saw him cross for a try, break 27 tackles, produce six offloads, run for just under 100 metres per game and tackle at 90%.
The Eels were a far better side when Dylan Walker was on the park. He'll likely start next season if J'maine Hopgood's move to prop becomes permanent.
