Dylan Edwards has reclaimed the lead of Zero Tackle's NRL MVP race, scoring a perfect 20 votes in Round 26.

Edwards has been in the mix all year, but an injury cost him valuable time.

He has scored 27 votes in the last two games though, going perfect during Penrith's win over the Bulldogs in Round 26. Nathan Cleary managed six votes, but has dropped back to third place, four votes off the lead.

Haumole Olakau'atu managed 18 votes and has climbed to second, while Naufahu Whyte scored 10, and Scott Drinkwater the same, with the duo sitting fourth and fifth.

There are just 18 votes separating the top five, although Whyte can't win as he has been rested by Roosters head coach Trent Robinson for this weekend's game with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Elsewhere, Stefano Utoikamanu and Cameron Murray were the only players to join Edwards in scoring a perfect 20 during Round 25, with Olakau'atu, Clayton Faulalo, Herbie Farnworth, Kodi Nikorima, Tom Dearden, Jason Taumalolo, Leka Halasima, Jett Cleary, Ronaldo Volkman and Junior Paulo all voted for the maximum votes by at least one judge in the five other games.

As a reminder of how this works, our panel, comprising Zero Tackle founder Matt Clements, journalist Leo Twemlow, and writer Dan Nichols, alongside myself as editor, will cast votes on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis from each game of the premiership season.

Given the closeness of the race to the finish line in 2026, we will ask our judges to vote next week without knowing anyone else's votes, and reveal the results on Zero Tackle on Monday afternoon.

Here are all the Round 26 votes.

 2026-08-27T09:50:00Z 
Storm WON BY 26 POINTS
Suncorp Stadium
BRI   
20
FT
46
   MEL
   Crowd: 36,476
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Stefano Utoikamanu Stefano Utoikamanu Stefano Utoikamanu Stefano Utoikamanu
4 Sua Fa'alogo Sua Fa'alogo Sua Fa'alogo Sua Fa'alogo
3 Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown Cameron Munster Cameron Munster Nick Meaney
2 Cameron Munster Oryn Keeley Nick Meaney Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown
1 Nick Meaney Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown Ezra Mam Ezra Mam
 2026-08-28T08:00:00Z 
Sea Eagles WON BY 34 POINTS
4 Pines Park
MAN   
44
FT
10
   STI
   Crowd: 13,597
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Haumole Olakau'atu Haumole Olakau'atu Clayton Faulalo Clayton Faulalo
4 Clayton Faulalo Clayton Faulalo Haumole Olakau'atu Haumole Olakau'atu
3 Tom Trbojevic Tom Trbojevic Tom Trbojevic Tom Trbojevic
2 Jamal Fogarty Reuben Garrick Jamal Fogarty Lehi Hopoate
1 Reuben Garrick Caleb Navale Reuben Garrick Jamal fogarty
 2026-08-28T10:00:00Z 
Panthers WON BY 14 POINTS
CommBank Stadium
PEN   
24
FT
10
   CAN
   Crowd: 19,979
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Dylan Edwards Dylan Edwards Dylan Edwards Dylan Edwards
4 Liam Martin Brian To'o Brian To'o Brian To'o
3 Lachlan Galvin Isaiah Papali'i Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary
2 Brian To'o Lachlan Galvin Lachlan Galvin Liam Martin
1 Lindsay Smith Liam Martin Isaiah Papali'i Lachlan Galvin
 2026-08-29T05:00:00Z 
Rabbitohs WON BY 20 POINTS
Cbus Super Stadium
GLD   
22
FT
42
   SOU
   Crowd: 22,108
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Cameron Murray Cameron Murray Cameron Murray Cameron Murray
4 Keaon Koloamatangi Keaon Koloamatangi Keaon Koloamatangi Keaon Koloamatangi
3 Tallis Duncan Tallis Duncan Matt Dufty David Fifita
2 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui Tino Fa'asuamaleaui David Fifita Matt Dufty
1 Matt Dufty David Fifita Oliver Pascoe Cody Walker
 2026-08-29T07:30:00Z 
Dolphins WON BY 14 POINTS
Allianz Stadium
SYD   
12
FT
26
   DOL
   Crowd: 23,216
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Herbie Farnworth Kodi Nikorima Kodi Nikorima Herbie Farnworth
4 Kodi Nikorima Herbie Farnworth Herbie Farnworth Kodi Nikorima
3 Naufahu Whyte Naufahu Whyte Selwyn Cobbo Selwyn Cobbo
2 Selwyn Cobbo Selwyn Cobbo Naufahu Whyte Naufahu Whyte
1 Reece Robson Max Plath Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
 2026-08-29T09:30:00Z 
Cowboys WON BY 14 POINTS
QLD Country Bank
NQL   
24
FT
10
   WST
   Crowd: 17,888
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Tom Dearden Jason Taumalolo Tom Dearden Tom Dearden
4 Tom Chester Tom Dearden Jason Taumalolo Jason Taumalolo
3 Jason Taumalolo Scott Drinkwater Scott Drinkwater Scott Drinkwater
2 Thomas Mikaele Thomas Mikaele Tom Chester Tom Chester
1 Scott Drinkwater Heilum Luki Thomas Mikaele Thomas Mikaele
 2026-08-30T04:00:00Z 
Warriors WON BY 14 POINTS
Go Media Stadium
NZW   
46
FT
32
   NEW
   Crowd: 25,853
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Jett Cleary Leka Halasima Jett Cleary Jett Cleary
4 Fletcher Hunt Jett Cleary Mitchell Barnett Fletcher Hunt
3 Erin Clark Jacob Laban Fletcher Hunt Jacob Laban
2 Jacob Laban Erin Clark Greg Marzhew Leka Halasima
1 Greg Marzhew Greg Marzhew Jacob Laban Mitchell Barnett
 2026-08-30T06:05:00Z 
Eels WON BY 20 POINTS
CommBank Stadium
PAR   
38
FT
18
   CRO
   Crowd: 18,074
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Junior Paulo Ronald Volkman Junior Paulo Junior Paulo
4 Ronald Volkman Junior Paulo Ronald Volkman Ronald Volkman
3 Brian Kelly William Kennedy Tallyn Da Silva William Kennedy
2 Tallyn Da Silva Mitchell Moses William Kennedy Te Hurinui Twidle
1 William Kennedy Tallyn Da Silva Te Hurinui Twidle Tallyn Da Silva

Top Ten

Click here to view the full leaderboard.