It is very, very difficult to win a competition without a truly elite five-eighth. We certainly saw the cream rise to the top comes the finals.
That seems like an obvious statement, but getting the spine right in modern Rugby League is paramount.
In 2022, we saw a series of world-class five-eight performances. While I believe there is a clear number one in the position, grading the next nine was very, very difficult.
Here are the Top ten five-eighths from 2022. Again, this doesn't necessarily mean they are the best in the position, with performances in 2022 the only factor.
For a player to qualify, he must have played more games in the six than in any other position this season.
7. Matt Burton
Opinions on Matt Burton's 2022 seem to be split. Personally, I thought he was largely very good in a disjointed side that never really established a halves combination.
Burton's boot became one of the competition's genuine weapons. You couldn't pay me enough to try and catch one of those.
His 2022 return consisted of six tries, 50 goals, 18 forced drop outs, 14 try assists, 14 line break assists, 431 metres kicked per game and a 72% tackle efficiency.
The Dogs locked in one of their long-term pieces in Burton. He proved you don't have to be in a great side to have a good individual season.
