The top 50 NRL players from 2024: Part 2 (40-31)

Part 2 sees some big names and first-time inclusions.

EDITOR | October 22, 2024 - 2:00pm

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Our NRL Top 50 continues with Part 2, counting down the players who ranked between 40 and 31 out of the 2024 NRL season.

Some big names find themselves here, including one who was around the top ten last year, while there are also some first-time inclusions.

» Part 1 (50-41)

A reminder this list focuses purely on 2024 form.

40. Moses Leota (Penrith Panthers)
Leota is a player who just turns up and gives 100 per cent in every game for the Panthers.

That will need to go to another level next year as well with the impending departure of James Fisher-Harris.

Finished 2024 with 26 games, 92 metres per game, 548 tackles, 30 tackle busts and 13 offloads. A season that you've come to expect from Leota as the Panthers won their fourth straight premiership.

39. Braydon Trindall (Cronulla Sharks)
Normally, you'd expect Nicho Hynes to be the Cronulla half featuring on this list, but he simply wasn't the it guy for the men from the Shire this year.

Instead, it was the Braydon Trindall show.

He had a rough middle of the season thanks to an off-field incident, but his work through the back-end of the season, driving the Sharks into a preliminary final, means he well and truly warrants his spot here, and will be in for a large upgrade when he signs his next contract.

38. Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters)
A super season for Watson. Injury issues plagued the start of his time at the Roosters, but 2024 was his coming of age at the Roosters, leaping upwards from the fairly impressive form when he was at the Newcastle Knights.

The lock, who can play right across the park, had 43 tackle busts and 13 offloads in 21 games, but also tackled at almost 95 per cent and was involved in plenty that isn't visible on the stats sheet for the Roosters, who wound up bowing out in the preliminary finals.

37. Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
A substantial drop off for Cameron Murray this year. At his best, he is still one of the game's best locks, but his best wasn't a consistent force in 2024, not helped by the way his team were battered from pillar to post more often than they weren't, or by injuries which limited him to just 14 games.

He still warrants a spot in the Top 50 though, and it would hardly be a surprise to see him rocket back up this list next season.

36. Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)
The jury in the court of public opinion is very much out on Liam Martin. Some love him. Some think he is criminally overrated. There isn't a whole lot in between.

But it's hard to ignore the season he had. A consistent force for the men from the foot of the mountains, Martin wound up winning the Clive Churchill Medal on the back of a super performance in the NRL grand final.

35. Herbie Farnworth (The Dolphins)
The Englishman just continues to improve with seemingly each passing game. Will play his 100th NRL game in Round 1 next year, but added 8 tries in 20 games this year to go with 7 try assists.

Impressive numbers for a centre in the scoring department were backed up by 105 tackle breaks and 10 line breaks throughout the season to go with 170 metres per game.

Never said quit and will be critical to the Dolphins' chances again in 2025.

34. Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Started the year in the second-row where he struggled to match his usual output at the Rabbitohs, but had no such issues once he moved to lock in the second half of the year while Murray was out.

Whether he remains there long-term is anyone's guess given Murray will return, but the middle of the field may well be his calling, so Wayne Bennett could yet attempt to turn Koloamatangi into a prop.

33. Haumole Olakau'atu (Manly Sea Eagles)
The barnstorming Manly second-rower was a key part of the club's run to the finals, averaging 128 metres per game, tackling at almost 92 per cent, and maybe more importantly, adding 16 offloads, 11 line breaks and 7 tries across his 21 games.

His performance against the Canterbury Bulldogs on elimination final day was among his best, and his long running strong form means he certainly deserved both his State of Origin debut, and his contract upgrade.

32. Lachlan Galvin (Wests Tigers)
The only Wests Tigers' player who makes the cut this year, Galvin proved he is going to be one of the best players in the game in the years to come with a fantastic rookie year.

Only missed out on the award at the Dally M Medal thanks to a suspension, but was the constant bright spot in the wooden spooners.

Will be hoping he can go to another level alongside Jarome Luai next year.

31. Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)
Tapine just continues to churn out numbers in the nation's capital, playing all 24 games for the Raiders this year and winding up at the top of the stats sheet.

He added 52 tackle breaks and 28 offloads to go with his usual impressive work rate, running for a staggering 166 metres per game and adding 772 tackles at almost 95 per cent.