As the official broadcaster of the NRL, Nine takes its role in showcasing the premier rugby league competition seriously. Thus, when we set out to compile our list of the top 50 players, we made it a point to do it thoroughly and accurately.
To achieve this, we assembled a judging panel of 12 experts, featuring several legendary players alongside Nine’s foremost rugby league journalists who dedicate their careers to watching and analysing the game.
Our esteemed panel includes: Andrew Johns, Darren Lockyer, Brad Fittler, Allana Ferguson, Marlee Silva, Roy Masters, Michael Chammas, Robert Dillon, Billie Eder, Dan Walsh, Adrian Proszenko, and Christian Nicolussi.
Click here to discover the criteria the judges used to select the top 50 NRL players for 2025, and revisit the 10 players ranked from 30 to 21 by following this link.
The countdown proceeds with players ranked from 20 to 11.
Read on below to see who made the prestigious list.
– Graphics by Polly Hanning
Getty
20. ADDIN FONUA-BLAKE (Cronulla, 135 points)
Can one player elevate the Sharks to true premiership contenders? This is what Cronulla hopes for after heavily investing in Addin Fonua-Blake’s return from New Zealand. Known as one of the NRL’s top metre-gainers, Fonua-Blake bulldozes through defenders, giving his team a solid advantage in play. Teammates like Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall should benefit from the momentum he generates on the field. As a heavyweight prop, he also possesses an intimidating presence; no one dares treat him lightly. The longstanding notion that the Sharks lack toughness to claim a title may soon be a thing of the past.
– by Robert Dillon
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