There are few more official ways to declare someone 'the next big thing' than for the league to rate them the best junior player of the year - and between 2008 and 2017, that's what the NRL did annually.
The Dally M Under-20s Player of the Year award is not to be confused with the Rookie of the Year gong. While the rookie of the year goes to the youngster who has best adapted to the demands of the NRL, the under-20s award went to the most talented (but untested) youngsters still in the development pool.
It's a great way to hype someone up, but it also heaps expectation upon a young man's shoulders - and each winner has dealt with it in different ways. Though most are still playing and some are gone from the game not one of the most talented juniors in the land has become a premiership winner - though some have come closer than others.
3. Tariq Sims (2010 - Brisbane Broncos)
If youโre thinking that expecting the gameโs most promising young talent to turn a team around on their own is too harsh, what about a number of them? There are two teams in the NRL who currently have three former NYC Players of the Year on their books, and the Dragons are one of them.
Sims won the honour at the Broncos, where he started as a winger before being asked to bulk up (reportedly by a coach at Brisbane namedโฆ Anthony Griffin) and develop into the tackle-breaking ball-runner we see today. Sims has had a very fruitful career by a lot of metrics โ heโs represented New South Wales, heโs represented Fiji and heโs played well over 200 NRL games โ but just like everyone else on the list, heโs never won a premiership.
Sims made his NRL debut in North Queensland and played over 70 games across four seasons, but left the club at the end of 2014 โ one year before their maiden title. He may become this listโs best hope of a premiership next year when he joins evergreen contenders Melbourne next year.
I really wish we could get some version of the NYC comp back.