The top 50 NRL players of 2025: 10-1 (Part 5)

The final part of our top 50 NRL players for 2025 is in, with the best ten players in the game ranked.

After unveiling players 50 through to 11 over the last four days, the debates over the top ten are sure to see mixed opinions, particularly over the top spot.

The top ten features five players who didn't feature on last year's list, although it has to be said that in the case of one, only injuries and a ruined season stopped him from featuring.

Of the other four entries, one is likely to be disputed but only whether he should have been higher, while the other three new entries are deserving of their spot.

There have also been players who have risen up the ranks, while the best player in the game continues his incredible run of year-to-year consistency.

Here is the final part of our 2025 top 50 countdown.

Part 1 (50-41)
Part 2 (40-31)
Part 3 (30-21)
Part 4 (20-11)

10. Terrell May (Wests Tigers)

Last year: 50
May had an absolutely monster season after his surprise move late in the off-season from the Sydney Roosters.

Maybe we shouldn't have been surprised, but he took his departure from Bondi personally and turned it into form which should have seen him awarded an Origin debut.

Played all 24 games, tackled at almost 98 per cent and averaged 166 metres per game. His form tailed a little at the back-end of the season, but by no stretch of the imagination did that mean he was playing poorly.

9. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)

Last year: 12
Munster finishes 2026 in a similar position to the one he finished 2025 in, except with more clarity. He is staying in Melbourne for another couple of years, and with key departures, his role will become more important than ever in 2026.

That's not to say it was diminished in 2025, with the five-eighth playing 24 games and assisting an excellent 23 tries.

It was his running game which was most dangerous though, and it felt as if, when he was having a good game, he was just about unstoppable.

Unfortunately for him and Melbourne, he couldn't find one of those in the decider.

8. Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)

Last year: 31
Tapine was a major part of the reason the Raiders were able to snag the minor premiership, even if the green machine then weren't able to go on with it in the knockout rounds.

The New Zealand international is one of the best props in the game, and finished the campaign with excellent numbers on top of the things they can't quantify - the timing of his minutes and leadership.

Tackled at 95 per cent and averaged 145 metres per contest.

7. Eliesa Katoa (Melbourne Storm)

Last year: no rank
Eliesa Katoa is now the best second-rower in the NRL.

He is currently dealing with a devastating head injury after a number of collisions during last Sunday's match playing for Tonga.

That does not take away from his season. For a forward to score 14 tries, offload the ball 44 times, average 143 metres per game and still be among the best defensive second-rowers in the competition.

The numbers, the facts, they speak for themselves as to why he has come from having no rank (maybe unfairly) last year, to where he is now.

6. Blayke Brailey (Cronulla Sharks)

Last year: no rank
Blayke Brailey, like many of the players on this list, deserves his call-up for the first time on the back of an excellent 2025 campaign.

His improvement throughout the year was remarkable, and his impact on the Sharks, particularly when running the ball, is undoubtable.

That has to be his role in 2026, with Brailey likely also set to take over captaincy of the Shire-based side on a fulltime basis after re-signing long-term.

5. Isaiya Katoa (The Dolphins)

Last year: no rank
On his current trajectory, Isaiya Katoa is going to make a case to be the best half in the game in the coming years. Certainly, he should challenge for a New South Wales State of Origin jersey next year.

His 2025 campaign was tremendous.

For a youngster, he was the controlling and guiding influence in a team who scored the most points in the competition.

His game management still has a little to go which is why he is still below another halfback, but he finished with 23 try assists in 24 games, as well as 9 forced drop outs.

4. Reece Walsh (Brisbane Broncos)

Last year: no rank
There will be plenty of arguments that suggest Walsh is in fact the best player in the game, and based on his September, you could argue that to be true.

But taking away the recency bias, Walsh actually had a pretty average first half of the year. Tried hard, but in a lot of ways, lacked execution.

Looking at the stats is somewhat pointless because of that, but the star fullback's impact on his side was evident in the second half of the year, so he certainly deserves his excellent ranking.

3. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)

Last year: 5
Cleary is still the best halfback in the game despite Penrith falling short of the grand final for the first time in six years, but his grip on the spot is less secure than it was.

Isaiya Katoa is snapping at his heels, and Mitchell Moses only played half the season, so couldn't challenge.

Cleary's representative form will rightly be questioned, but at club level, there is none better. Penrith dragged themselves from last to a preliminary final, and there is no way that happens without their star halfback.

2. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)

Last year: No rank
Payne Haas missed this list last year after a stop-start season with probably the worst form he has displayed at any point of his career.

That wasn't the case in 2025.

He was immense as Brisbane went to the decider, and while he is currently making a huge contract call, he has the potential to be the best prop in the game for the next five to ten years.

He finished with 166 metres per game, 98.4 per cent tackle efficiency and 130 tackle breaks. No other prop comes close.

1. James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)

Last year: 2
Tedesco just continues to be at the top of the tree in the NRL.

He was ranked second last year, but it was impossible to not have him back in top spot this year as he took a Roosters team widely tipped for the bottom four to the finals.

His form was simply outstanding, scoring 11 tries and assisting another 22, while running for a staggering 194 metres per game.

Tedesco's consistency is remarkable, and you'd be a brave person to suggest he won't be back in top spot next year, even as his career winds towards its end, whenever that will be.