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A week after naming his top five players of the 2025 NRL<\/a> season, rugby league’s most respected historian, David Middleton, has named his Team of the Year.<\/p>\n The author of the\u00a02025 Official Rugby League Annual<\/a>, Middleton, has surprisingly not included 2025 Dally M Medallist James Tedesco<\/a> in his team and has instead opted to choose Reece Walsh<\/a>, who led the Broncos to the premiership and capped it off with his international debut for Australia<\/a>.<\/p>\n Walsh’s Kangaroos teammates Mark Nawaqanitawase<\/a>, Cameron Munster<\/a>, Nathan Cleary<\/a>, Harry Grant<\/a> and Hudson Young<\/a> have also been named in the team.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Dolphins<\/a> centre Herbie Farnworth<\/a>, who represented England<\/a> at the 2025 Ashes Series<\/a>, was the only player chosen who did not compete in the 2025 NRL Finals<\/a> series.<\/p>\n New Zealand<\/a> Kiwis duo Erin Clark<\/a> and Joseph Tapine<\/a> have also been named, as has front-rower Payne Haas<\/a> (Samoa<\/a>) and back-rower Eliesa Katoa<\/a> (Tonga<\/a>), who played during the 2025 Pacific Championships<\/a>.<\/p>\n David Middleton’s Team of the Year<\/p>\n 1. Reece Walsh<\/a> (Brisbane Broncos<\/a>)
2. Mark Nawaqanitawase<\/a> (Sydney Roosters<\/a>)
3. Herbie Farnworth<\/a> (The Dolphins<\/a>)
4. Stephen Crichton<\/a> (Canterbury Bulldogs<\/a>)
5. Xavier Coates<\/a> (Melbourne Storm<\/a>)
6. Cameron Munster<\/a> (Melbourne Storm<\/a>)
7. Nathan Cleary<\/a> (Penrith Panthers<\/a>)
8. Payne Haas<\/a> (Brisbane Broncos<\/a>)
9. Harry Grant<\/a> (Melbourne Storm<\/a>)
10. Joseph Tapine<\/a> (Canberra Raiders<\/a>)
11. Hudson Young<\/a> (Canberra Raiders<\/a>)
12. Eliesa Katoa<\/a> (Melbourne Storm<\/a>)
13. Erin Clark<\/a> (New Zealand Warriors<\/a>)<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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