TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 23: Brandon Smith of the Storm warms up before the start of the round 19 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Melbourne Storm at QCB Stadium, on July 23, 2021, in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

The Rugby League Players Association have named their team of the year.

Voted on by NRL players across the competition, the RLPA awards are beginning to be viewed as just as, if not more important than the Dally M awards.

The Dally M and team of the year in that format will be announced on Monday evening.

The RLPA team features few surprises, with Tom Trbojevic lining up at fullback, Cody Walker and Nathan Cleary in the halves, and Brandon Smith at hooker after an excellent season.

Elsewhere, the NRL's top metre-eater Brian To'o is on one wing, while point-scoring record-breaker Reuben Garrick is on the other.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 21: Reuben Garrick of the Sea Eagles celebrates scoring a try during the round 18 NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Parramatta Eels at Lottoland on July 21, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Despite originally reportedly being controversially overlooked to even attend the Dally M ceremony, heavy-hitting centre Justin Olam has been named in the centres alongside Roosters gun Joseph Manu.

The forwards almost pick themselves, with Brisbane Broncos' enforcer Payne Haas joining James Fisher-Harris in the front row, while Isaiah Papali'i, who is surely going to go down as the buy of the year, takes one second-row spot. He is joined contentiously by Angus Crichton, who edges out David Fifita for the second spot in the edge forwards.

The lock position is another which will be hotly debated both after the naming of this team, and after the Dally M is announced this evening, with Penrith's Isaah Yeo seemingly edging out South Sydney's Cameron Murray.

Both locks will feature in this weekend's grand final.

RLPA player-voted team of 2021

1. Tom Trbojevic (Manly Sea Eagles)
2. Brian To'o (Penrith Panthers)
3. Justin Olam (Melbourne Storm)
4. Joseph Manu (Sydney Roosters)
5. Reuben Garrick (Manly Sea Eagles)
6. Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
8. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
9. Brandon Smith (Melbourne Storm)
10. James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers)
11. Isaiah Papali'i (Parramatta Eels)
12. Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
13. Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)