James Tedesco might have confirmed his Zero Tackle NRL MVP victory last week, but he put a stamp of authority on it over the weekend, scoring a perfect 20 votes in the Sydney Roosters' win to secure a finals spot.
Tedesco was at his scintillating best for the tri-colours in the heavy win, and with Terrell May, who still sits in second, failing to score for the Wests Tigers, the Roosters' fullback will take home a 60-vote win.
Payne Haas and Reece Walsh both polled well for the Brisbane Broncos to ensure they finish in the top five, while Herbie Farnworth, despite being injured for the last six weeks of the season, finishes in fourth spot.
Elsewhere, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck scored a small collection of votes to finish just outside the top five, while Addin Fonua-Blake was the only other player to score.
Walsh, who was the unanimous man of the match for Brisbane, and Tedesco were joined by Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses as the only 20-vote getters for the weekend, while all of Erin Clark, Lehi Hopoate, AJ Brimson, Keano Kini, Toby Rudolf, Nicho Hynes, Tevita Naufahu, Kodi Nikorima and Trai Fuller were also voted into the top spot by at least one judge.
During every round of the 2025 NRL season, four judges from Zero Tackle's team (founder Matt Clements, writers Ethan Lee Chalk and Dan Nichols, and myself as editor) will assign votes on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis for every game during the season, with results to be published each week here on Zero Tackle.
Over the remainder of the week, we will be unveiling our MVP team of the year, position rankings, and club rankings from the recently completed season.
Our finals MVP, a standalone competition, will kick off next week.
Without any further ado, here are the votes from Round 27.
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh | Reece Walsh |
| 4 | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Payne Haas | Payne Haas |
| 3 | Eliesa Katoa | Eliesa Katoa | Josiah Karapani | Eliesa Katoa |
| 2 | Josiah Karapani | Ben Hunt | Ben Hunt | Josiah Karapani |
| 1 | Ben Hunt | Josiah Karapani | Eliesa Katoa | Ben Hunt |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Erin Clark | Lehi Hopoate | Lehi Hopoate | Erin Clark |
| 4 | Samuel Healey | Erin Clark | Erin Clark | Lehi Hopoate |
| 3 | Lehi Hopoate | Lehi Hopoate | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad |
| 2 | Dallin Watene-Zelezniak | Ethan Bullemor | Tom Trbojevic | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck |
| 1 | Tom Trbojevic | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck | Samuel Healey | Matthew Lodge |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco | James Tedesco |
| 4 | Mark Nawaqanitawase | Mark Nawaqanitawase | Mark Nawaqanitawase | Mark Nawaqanitawase |
| 3 | Angus Crichton | Siua Wong | Daniel Tupou | Siua Wong |
| 2 | Daniel Tupou | Naufahu Whyte | Siua Wong | Jye Gray |
| 1 | Siua Wong | Daniel Tupou | Hugo Savala | Sam Walker |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary | Nathan Cleary |
| 4 | Paul Alamoti | Lindsay Smith | Paul Alamoti | Paul Alamoti |
| 3 | Isaiah Papali'i | Paul Alamoti | Lindsay Smith | Casey McLean |
| 2 | Lindsay Smith | Casey McLean | Luke Garner | Lindsay Smith |
| 1 | Isaah Yeo | Isaiah Papali'i | Moses Leota | Isaiah Papali'i |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | AJ Brimson | Keano Kini | AJ Brimson | Keano Kini |
| 4 | Jarome Luai | AJ Brimson | Keano Kini | AJ Brimson |
| 3 | Kieran Foran | Kieran Foran | Kieran Foran | Kieran Foran |
| 2 | Keano Kini | Jarome Luai | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui | Jayden Campbell |
| 1 | Jayden Campbell | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui | Royce Hunt | Heamasi Makasini |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Toby Rudolf | Nicho Hynes | Nicho Hynes | Nicho Hynes |
| 4 | Nicho Hynes | Blayke Brailey | Teig Wilton | Addin Fonua-Blake |
| 3 | Enari Tuala | Toby Rudolf | Toby Rudolf | Toby Rudolf |
| 2 | Billy Burns | Addin Fonua-Blake | Blayke Brailey | Enari Tuala |
| 1 | Blayke Brailey | Enari Tuala | Siosifa Talakai | Ronaldo Mulitalo |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Tevita Naufahu | Kodi Nikorima | Kodi Nikorima | Trai Fuller |
| 4 | Kodi Nikorima | Trai Fuller | Tevita Naufahu | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow |
| 3 | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | Trai Fuller | Kodi Nikorima |
| 2 | Trai Fuller | Tevita Naufahu | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | Tevita Naufahu |
| 1 | Jake Averillo | Kulikefu Finefeuiaki | Isaiya Katoa | Joe Roddy |
| Matt Clements | Scott Pryde | Dan Nichols | Ethan Lee Chalk | |
| 5 | Mitchell Moses | Mitchell Moses | Mitchell Moses | Mitchell Moses |
| 4 | Josh Addo-Carr | Jack Williams | Josh Addo-Carr | Josh Addo-Carr |
| 3 | Zac Lomax | Zac Lomax | Zac Lomax | Zac Lomax |
| 2 | Jack Williams | Junior Paulo | Jack Williams | Dylan Brown |
| 1 | J'maine Hopgood | Josh Addo-Carr | Junior Paulo | Junior Paulo |
Top Ten
| RANK | PLAYER | LAST ROUND | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Tedesco |
20 | 266 |
| 2 | Terrell May |
0 | 206 |
| 3 | Payne Haas |
16 | 188 |
| 4 | Herbie Farnworth |
0 | 169 |
| 5 | Reece Walsh |
20 | 168 |
| 6 | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck |
3 | 160 |
| 7 | Joseph Tapine |
0 | 159 |
| 8 | Scott Drinkwater |
0 | 158 |
| 8 | Addin Fonua-Blake |
6 | 158 |
| 10 | Connor Tracey |
0 | 150 |
