How might the NRL’s Team of the Year look?

With six weeks of Dally M voting remaining, different positions in the NRL’s Team of the Year are up for grabs and cases are still being mounted. The honour is not touted in the same way it is in several other sports but that is not to diminish the work of those who finish the year atop the leaderboard in their respective positions; being rewarded with Team of the Year nods has often proven more difficult than earning representative jerseys. Here is how each position’s landscape looks:

Fullback

When voting went behind closed doors at the end of Round 12, Melbourne’s Ryan Papenhuyzen was the NRL’s leading fullback. In just 12 games this season, Papenhuyzen scored 14 tries and 139 points; he was setting the premiership alight. A shattered patella, however, will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season and open the door for several other fullbacks to make a charge towards Fullback of the Year honours. James Tedesco and Dylan Edwards were hot on Papenhuyzen’s tail when voting went behind closed doors and have undoubtedly picked up points since then. Scott Drinkwater and Clint Gutherson left themselves with some catching up to do but were the next number-ones in the frame. Whilst Edwards has proven to be a stalwart for an historic Penrith team, Tedesco should be the favourite to land the third Team of the Year nod of his career.

Wingers

Earning Dally M points can prove a fickle assignment for wingers whose attacking numbers are so often predicated on the sharpness of their inside men. Brisbane’s Selwyn Cobbo was the wing leader when voting went behind closed doors, with David Nofoaluma, Nick Meaney, Taylan May, Xavier Coates and Jordan Rapana among other scorers. That collection of players has likely swung somewhat over the past two months, especially considering how unpredictable the voting system can be for wingers. Cobbo and May should find themselves in the frame, whilst the likes of Alex Johnston, Corey Oates, Brian To’o and Josh Addo-Carr have all shot into the race. To’o will be hindered by the fact that he has missed eight games, whilst Cobbo has missed four. Predicting which wingers earn Team of the Years honours is difficult but Cobbo and Johnston both have strong cases.

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Centres

The NRL has been blessed with some outrageously good centres in recent years and the 2022 crop is no different. Siosifa Talakai and Joseph Manu were the positional leaders when voting went behind closed doors with Valentine Holmes and Campbell Graham also within earshot. Manu has since put together arguably the most impressive two-month stretch in the premiership across several positions whilst Talakai earnt himself an Origin debut. Kotoni Staggs and Jesse Ramien were outsiders but possess the raw talent to rocket up the leaderboard, however, Talakai and Manu still look strong chances to earn Team of the Year honours.

Five-eighth

Cameron Munster led all five-eighths in Dally M voting when it went behind closed doors and will like his odds of claiming the third Five-Eighth of the Year accolade of his career. Sam Walker, Cody Walker, Dylan Brown, Jack Wighton and Matt Burton are among the names aiming to take advantage of Melbourne’s month-long skid and make a late run at the award. 2021 winner Cody Walker has enjoyed a vastly improved six-week period and has reignited his partnership with Latrell Mitchell in an electric fashion in recent weeks. Munster has appeared in three less games than the likes of Walker and Burton but should still be the favourite to take out Five-Eighth of the Year if his Storm can recapture some form heading into September.

Halfback

The most competitive positional race in the premiership, whoever receives the Halfback of the Year nod may also be the 2022 Dally M Medallist. Ben Hunt led the Dally M race when voting went behind closed doors, however, Nicho Hynes and Mitchell Moses also found themselves in the top four overall. Daly Cherry-Evans, Adam Reynolds, Nathan Cleary, Jahrome Hughes and Jackson Hastings also found themselves in the top 12 overall. Whilst St. George Illawarra are outside chances at qualifying for the postseason, Hunt has been incredible all season long and is arguably the Dally M frontrunner at this stage. He will need to continue racking up points across the final six weeks of the season because Hynes, Reynolds, Cherry-Evans and Cleary are all hitting their stride, but few will argue Hunt’s credentials.

Props

Payne Haas unsurprisingly led all props in Dally M voting at the close of Round 12, with David Klemmer, Addin Fonua-Blake, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Reuben Cotter, Josh Papali’i, Junior Paulo and Joseph Tapine among other vote-getters. Haas and Cotter have both spent time on the sidelines, whilst Klemmer and Asofa-Solomona will likely be impacted by a lack of team success. The expectation is that Tapine shoots up the leaderboard and comes into the fray despite a relatively slower start than several of his counterparts and, whilst Haas’ four-game absence may hinder him, he has been phenomenal in the games he has played in. Penrith’s James Fisher-Harris will have his eyes on becoming the first player to take out three consecutive Prop of the Year awards since Shane Webcke in 2000, 2001, and 2002 but has left himself with some catching up to do.

Hooker

Harry Grant led all hookers in voting when it went behind closed doors, however, Damien Cook, Reed Mahoney and Apisai Koroisau were all within reach. None of the aforementioned names have done an awful lot to separate themselves from the pack so expect the race to finish tightly. Both Blayke Brailey and Reece Robson have enjoyed breakout seasons and could well come into consideration if their strong run of form continues. Grant has already missed five games this season which may sting compared to the likes of Mahoney, Brailey, and Robson who have not missed any. Cook, meanwhile, has missed just the two and has come up with some superb performances for his flying Rabbitohs. The 31-year-old may be on his way to the second Team of the Year nod of his career.

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Edges

A number of strike forwards have left their mark on 2022 and, as a result, we have some race for Team of the Year honours. Haumole Olakau’atu and Jeremiah Nanai led all edge forwards in voting at the conclusion of Round 12, with Viliame Kikau, Tyson Frizell, Beau Fermor and Hudson Young all within reach. The likes of Isaiah Papali’i, David Fifita, and Keaon Koloamatangi all have the ability to pick up points in a hurry but left themselves with some catching up to do over the second half of the season. Kikau’s availability over the past two seasons has been incredible – he has appeared in 47 of his past 49 possible games – and has enjoyed Dally M success as a result. Kikau is looking to become the first edge forward since Nathan Hindmarsh in 2004, 2005, and 2006 to receive three Team of the Year nods in-a-row. Expect Olakau’atu and Nanai push for selections as well.

Locks

When voting went behind closed doors at the end of Round 13, Isaah Yeo had a nine-point lead on Patty Carrigan for Lock of the Year after an unbelievable start to season 2022. Yeo had the highest lead of any positional leader and looks poised to become the first lock since Ray Price in the mid-1980s to take out three consecutive Lock of the Year awards. Carrigan, Jason Taumalolo, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Cameron Murray have all had strong years at the back of the scrum, but Yeo has been a cut above for long stretches of 2022. Yeo’s Dally M chances may be fizzling slightly throughout the second-half of the season but if anyone can catch Hunt it might be Yeo.

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