Cronulla Sharks halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall continue to surge in Zero Tackle's NRL MVP, with one of the closest races at the top of the leaderboard breaking out just five rounds from the end of the season.

Previous years have seen a couple of players identify themselves as the almost unbackable favourites by this stage of the year, but this time around, there are 7 players separated by just 24 votes and 11 within 60 of the lead.

Of the players in the top seven, it's Braydon Trindall who continues to surge, now having scored 82 votes in the last five weeks, while Hynes sits in eighth spot having picked up 61 votes in the same time period.

The duo have been critical for Cronulla as they have ascended into the top four, and with a cruisy run home, as well as no byes remaining, either Sharks half could yet take out the award for the year.

At the top, Dylan Edwards holds a slender lead despite missing the last two weeks with injury, while a perfect 20-vote performance moves Nathan Cleary into second.

Naufahy Whyte polled to go into fourth spot, while Haumole Olakau'atu had the bye and mainains fifth spot ahead of Scott Drinkwater who didn't score in the Cowboys' 70-point loss to the Roosters, with James Tedesco seventh after managing seven votes despite playing just a half in the same game.

Hynes was joined by Sam Walker and Nathan Cleary as the only players to score a perfect 20 votes in Round 22, with Herbie Farnworth, Selwyn Cobbo, Stephen Crichton, Viliame Kikau, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Te Maire Martin, Fletcher Sharpe, Kalyn Ponga, Hynes, Trindall, Adam Doueihi and Isaiah Iongi all being polled for five votes by at least one judge.

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.

Loading matchup…

Here are all the Round 22 votes.

 2026-07-30T09:50:00Z 
Roosters WON BY 70 POINTS
QLD Country Bank
NQL   
12
FT
82
   SYD
   Crowd: 15,835
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Sam Walker Sam Walker Sam Walker Sam Walker
4 Mark Nawaqanitawase James Tedesco Mark Nawaqanitawase Mark Nawaqanitawase
3 James Tedesco Mark Nawaqanitawase Naufahu Whyte Naufahu Whyte
2 Naufahu Whyte Daly Cherry-Evans Nat Butcher Daly Cherry-Evans
1 Cody Ramsey Naufahu Whyte Cody Ramsey Cody Ramsey
 2026-07-31T08:00:00Z 
Dolphins WON BY 6 POINTS
WIN Stadium
STI   
22
FT
28
   DOL
   Crowd: 9,218
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Herbie Farnworth Herbie Farnworth Herbie Farnworth Selwyn Cobbo
4 Ryan Couchman Ryan Couchman Clinton Gutherson Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
3 Selwyn Cobbo Selwyn Cobbo Selwyn Cobbo Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki Kulikefu Finefeuiaki Ryan Couchman Selwyn Cobbo
1 Clinton Gutherson Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Kulikefu Finefeuiaki Ryan Couchman
 2026-07-31T10:00:00Z 
Bulldogs WON BY 14 POINTS
AAMI Park
MEL   
22
FT
36
   CAN
   Crowd: 19,243
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Stephen Crichton Viliame Kikau Stephen Crichton Stephen Crichton
4 Jaeman Salmon Stephen Crichton Viliame Kikau Jaeman Salmon
3 Viliame Kikau Sua Fa'alogo Jaeman Salmon Jacob Preston
2 Sua Fa'alogo Jacob Preston Sua Fa'alogo Viliame Kikau
1 Jacob Preston Matt Burton Jacob Preston Sua Fa'alogo
 2026-08-01T05:00:00Z 
Warriors WON BY 36 POINTS
Cbus Super Stadium
GLD   
6
FT
42
   NZW
   Crowd: 25,181
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava Te Maire Martin Te Maire Martin Te Maire Martin
4 Te Maire Martin Eddie Ieremia-Toeava Eddie Ieremia-Toeava Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
3 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad Leka Halasima Erin Clark
2 Jacob Laban Erin Clark Erin Clark Leka Halasima
1 Erin Clark Ali Leiataua Tanner Stowers-Smith Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
 2026-08-01T07:30:00Z 
Panthers WON BY 24 POINTS
Glen Willow Oval
PEN   
42
FT
18
   CBR
   Crowd: 10,000
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary
4 Isaah Yeo Isaiah Papali'i Isaah Yeo Isaah Yeo
3 Thomas Jenkins Isaah Yeo Thomas Jenkins Brian To'o
2 Isaiah Papali'i Thomas Jenkins Brian To'o Isaiah Papali'i
1 Liam Martin Jack Cogger Isaiah Papali'i Thomas Jenkins
 2026-08-01T09:30:00Z 
Knights WON BY 24 POINTS
Suncorp Stadium
BRI   
6
FT
30
   NEW
   Crowd: 37,538
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Fletcher Sharpe Fletcher Sharpe Kalyn Ponga Kalyn Ponga
4 Greg Marzhew Kalyn Ponga Fletcher Sharpe Fletcher Sharpe
3 Kalyn Ponga Francis Manuleleua Greg Marzhew Greg Marzhew
2 Dominic Young Dominic Young Dominic Young Francis Manuleleua
1 Bradman Best Trey Mooney Francis Manuleleua Dominic Young
 2026-08-02T04:00:00Z 
Sharks WON BY 16 POINTS
Ocean Protect Stadium
CRO   
32
FT
16
   SOU
   Crowd: 14,125
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Nicho Hynes Braydon Trindall Nicho Hynes Nicho Hynes
4 Braydon Trindall Nicho Hynes Addin Fonua-Blake Braydon Trindall
3 Ronaldo Mulitalo Ronaldo Mulitalo Braydon Trindall Addin Fonua-Blake
2 Addin Fonua-Blake Blayke Brailey Cody Walker William Kennedy
1 Cody Walker Addin Fonua-Blake Jesse Colquhoun Cody Walker
 2026-08-02T06:05:00Z 
Eels WON BY 3 POINTS
CommBank Stadium
WST   
13
FT
16
   PAR
   Crowd: 13,125
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Adam Doueihi Adam Doueihi Isaiah Iongi Adam Doueihi
4 Terrell May Isaiah Iongi Adam Doueihi Jordan Samrani
3 Jordan Samrani Fonua Pole Terrell May Fonua Pole
2 Mitchell Moses Jordan Samrani Mitchell Moses Jack Williams
1 Fonua Pole Jack Williams Fonua Pole Mitchell Moses

Top Ten

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