Part 3 of our Top 50 players countdown for 2025 is here, with a common theme being players falling away from last year’s ranking.
In fact, only one player ranked between 30 and 21 in 2025 has improved their ranking from last year, with another five going backwards, and four not being ranked 12 months ago.
Here are players 30 through to 21 on the 2025 list.
30. Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
Last year: 41
The Broncos finished as premiers in 2025, and the continual improvement of Patrick Carrigan is a big part of the reason why.
He may not get the credit that is reserved for Reece Walsh, but the star lock forward is a walk up representative starter at the highest level of the game and partners Payne Haas beautifully.
His work through the middle third sometimes goes under the radar, particularly in defence, but he is one of the best lock forwards the game has to offer.
29. Scott Drinkwater (North Queensland Cowboys)
Last year: 11
It seems to be a yearly debate about where to rank Scott Drinkwater.
A star fullback, he is clearly the Cowboys’ most dangerous player, but where exactly does that rank him?
The Cowboys struggled again in 2025, and Drinkwater was, in a lot of ways, rocks and diamonds. The stats – 11 tries, 24 try assists and 147 metres per game – won’t illustrate that.
He is still deserving of a place on this list, but expect him to again split opinion.
28. William Kennedy (Cronulla Sharks)
Last year: no rank
William Kennedy has fast become one of the most likely early signings for the Perth Bears. If there is one thing for sure, it’s that he is worth a whole lot more than what the Sharks’ stretched salary cap can afford to offer him.
That’s not to say he is the number one fullback in the game, and the second half of his 2025 season was less than amazing, but he was still solid, and was near enough to the top of the Dally M leaderboard during the first half of it.
Will be critical for the black, white and blue again next year on the back of 8 tries and 13 assists throughout 2025.
27. Viliame Kikau (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Last year: 25
Kikau had another excellent season as one of the most important players at the improving Bulldogs.
While Canterbury on the whole faded out during the second half of the year on the back of a number of eyebrow-raising decisions, the second-rower was still solid, running for 103 metres per contest and crossing the tryline 6 times in his 22 games.
The Fijian representative enters a contract year in 2026.
26. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (The Dolphins)
Last year: 18
The Hammer is a walk up starter for Queensland, and probably would have been for either Australia or Samoa if an injury in the Dolphins’ final game of the season didn’t shut him down.
Whether at fullback or centre, he is consistently one of the NRL’s most dangerous attacking weapons, and proved it again throughout 2025.
There might be questions left around his defence and what position he plays in 2026, but he finished the year just gone with 22 tries in 21 games, 100 tackle breaks and 162 metres per contest.
25. Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne Storm)
Last year: 1
Hughes was the undisputed best player in the game 12 months ago. Even though Melbourne fell short of the premiership, the halfback was simply outstanding.
Injuries and a lack of continuity for Melbourne hurt his 2025 season, but he was still critical when on the park.
Not being able to get the Storm over the line in the decider for a second year in a row impacts his stock, but not dramatically. He is still among the top echelon of halfbacks in the game.
24. Jamal Fogarty (Canberra Raiders)
Last year: no rank
This one is likely to raise eyebrows for some, because Fogarty’s numbers don’t exactly leap off the page at you as elite tier halfback.
But numbers aren’t everything.
Fogarty, as much as he didn’t hit the mark in the final, was the key reason the men in green went as far as they did. His kicking game, and the way he managed the team throughout the course of the campaign, was simply fantastic.
23. Kaeo Weekes (Canberra Raiders)
Last year: no rank
When Weekes originally arrived in Canberra, he was struggling to be picked on a consistent basis in the number one jersey, instead forced to bide his time, as he was previously at Manly.
But 2025 was a breakout year for the star, and he has since been re-signed twice in 12 months.
He finished the year with 11 tries and 7 try assists, but it was his constant spark in attack that numbers don’t show which was most important to Canberra’s fortunes.
22. Mark Nawaqanitawase (Sydney Roosters)
Last year: no rank
A rule change stopped Nawaqanitawase from being acknowledged as the Dally M Rookie of the Year at the end of season awards, but there is little doubt he was one of the best wingers in the competition this year.
Winning the Ken Irvine Medal with 23 tries, the former Wallaby who is heading back to rugby in 2027 produced plenty of magic on his journey through the year.
Still questions about his defence, but will be nearly impossible to replace when he heads back to the 15-man game in 2027.
21. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
Last year: 4
Grant continues to be rock solid for the Storm, and while he didn’t have quite as many good games this year as last year – again, in large part down to Melbourne’s lack of continuity – he was still critical to their run to the grand final.
Defensively outstanding, Grant is also one of the best dummy halves in the game when it comes to attack.
Will look to get back into the top ten next year as his leadership in the Victorian capital continues to grow.
The full countdown… So far
50. Clint Gutherson (St George Illawarra Dragons)
49. Matt Burton (Canterbury Bulldogs)
48. Leka Halasima (New Zealand Warriors)
47. Tolutau Koula (Manly Sea Eagles)
46. Isaiah Iongi (Parramatta Eels)
45. Nicho Hynes (Cronulla Sharks)
44. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand Warriors)
43. Wayde Egan (New Zealand Warriors)
42. Jacob Kiraz (Canterbury Bulldogs)
41. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
40. Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers)
39. Jye Gray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
38. Jacob Preston (Canterbury Bulldogs)
37. Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne Storm)
36. Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly Sea Eagles)
35. Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
34. Xavier Coates (Melbourne Storm)
33. Luke Metcalf (New Zealand Warriors)
32. Naufahu Whyte (Sydney Roosters)
31. Braydon Trindall (Cronulla Sharks)
30. Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)
29. Scott Drinkwater (North Queensland Cowboys)
28. William Kennedy (Cronulla Sharks)
27. Viliame Kikau (Canterbury Bulldogs)
26. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (The Dolphins)
25. Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne Storm)
24. Jamal Fogarty (Canberra Raiders)
23. Canberra Raiders (Canberra Raiders)
22. Mark Nawaqanitawase (Sydney Roosters)
21. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)