The top 50 NRL players of 2025: 20-11 (Part 4)

The top 50 NRL players of 2025 countdown rolls onto Part 4 today, with players 20 through to 11 revealed.

The theme of the list so far has been new entries, and that isn't a trend that's about to change, with five of the ten players named today not making last year's Top 50.

They include two players who had absolute breakout seasons for their respective clubs, while there are also a number of players who have improved their ranking substantially, led by a player we now rate as the best centre in the game.

Here are players 20 through to 11 on our Top 50 countdown for 2025.

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

20. Erin Clark (New Zealand Warriors)

Last year: no rank
Clark's move to the Warriors was a contender for the underrated buy of the year when it was first announced, and that's the way it turned out.

He certainly won't be underrated heading into 2026 though after being named Dally M lock of the year.

A phenomenal campaign for Clark saw him play all 25 games for the Auckland-based outfit, making 147 metres per game, playing as a solid link man with the ball in hand and tackling as effectively as he always has.

19. Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels)

Last year: no rank
A big part of the way we rank this list each year is the impact a player has on his team.

Mitchell Moses was in a lot of ways a tricky player to rate, because he only played 13 games, but of those 13, Moses guided the Eels to seven wins. That's a remarkable rate of success for a halfback where, playing without him, the Eels only won 3 of their remaining 11 games.

In his 13 games, Moses had 14 try involvements, led the kicking game superbly and ran for 75 metres per contest. Made everyone around him better and Jason Ryles will be sweating on his fitness for 2026.

18. Ethan Strange (Canberra Raiders)

Last year: no rank
There can no longer be a dispute about who the best young five-eighth in the game is.

Ethan Strange had an absolutely fantastic breakout season for the Green Machine, playing 24 games, scoring 14 tries and assisting another 12.

Still has a ways to go on his kicking game, but he is strong, tough, defends excellently for a half, and will be a key part of the Raiders again in 2026, building off his surprise - but well earned - Kangaroos squad selection.

NRL Rd 23 – Raiders v Sea Eagles — CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 08: Ethan Strange of the Raiders heads to the line to score a try during the round 23 NRL match between Canberra Raiders and Manly Sea Eagles at GIO Stadium, on August 08, 2025, in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

17. Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sharks)

Last year: 23
Addin Fonua-Blake maintains a similar rating to where he finished last year after a campaign which saw him average 160 metres per game and tackle at a tick over 96 per cent.

There was a thought process upon his signing at the Sharks that the club were really only one forward away from being genuine contenders.

That theory was probably bombed throughout the year, but there is no doubt that Fonua-Blake makes the Sharks a better side.

16. Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos)

Last year: no rank
We have Staggs as the third-best centre in the game at the end of the 2025 campaign, although would certainly listen to arguments which place him at number one.

Played 24 games for the Broncos in 2025, scoring 12 tries and assisting another 6, but his work with and without the ball was phenomenal.

He wound up with 138 metres per contest and made plenty of impact for Brisbane as they marched to their first premiership in nearly two decades.

15. Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)

Last year: no rank
Young has developed into a leader at the Raiders - something that is worth plenty in itself given Ricky Stuart's side went all the way to the minor premiership in 2025.

Young wound up playing 22 games, scoring 11 tries in what was an impressive strike rate for a second-rower, but also developed into one of the better defensive second-rowers in the competition, and ran for nearly 150 metres per game.

His work on both sides of the ball was critical for Canberra, with Young picked to both the New South Wales and Australian teams.

14. Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Last year: 34
Koloamatangi is about to be one of the hottest names on the free agency market, with the forward owing plenty to Wayne Bennett after being one of the competition's most improved players this year.

Always a damaging second-rower, teams had started to work him out on the edge, so Bennett, as only Bennett can do, took the risk of moving Koloamatangi into the middle.

There, he became an Australian representative.

His form, minutes and production was almost unmatched during the second half of the year, and a full pre-season in the middle will only make him more of a weapon heading into 2026.

13. Stephen Crichton (Canterbury Bulldogs)

Last year: 9
This is not a stats-based selection. Crichton only scored three tries and made 107 metres per game during 2025. He did have 12 try assists, which certainly redeems that part of the argument.

Rugby league is a game played in so much more than numbers though.

It's played in toughness, smarts and leadership. Crichton is one of the best in the competition at any position across all three elements.

As we mentioned in Mitchell Moses' entry, this list is compiled factoring in a player's impact on his team, and few have as great of an impact as Crichton.

NRL Rd 22 - Bulldogs v Raiders — SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 04: Stephen Crichton of the Bulldogs celebrates scoring a try during the round 22 NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Canberra Raiders at Belmore Sports Ground, on August 04, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)

12. Tom Dearden (North Queensland Cowboys)

Last year: 6
Tom Dearden took his game to another level in 2025, and if you were basing this list on Origin appearances only, he would be number one based on that incredible series decider he played.

His entire body of work in 2025 is still strong though. The Cowboys missed the finals, but he had 25 try involvements in 22 games, 9 forced drop outs and 106 metres per game.

Adding to that, he is one of the best defensive halves in the game.

11. Herbie Farnworth (The Dolphins)

Last year: 35
It's tough to claim Herbie Farnworth had a breakout season in 2025 given his previous campaigns have been pretty strong, but he certainly took his game to a new level.

In our calculations, he is the best centre in the game bar none.

In just 19 games, he had 12 tries, 9 try assists and a staggering 117 tackle busts to go with 170 metres per contest. He also defends brilliantly.

The Dolphins would have made the finals if he stayed fit. Seems a ridiculous comment to make about a centre, but that's how important he is to Kristian Woolf's side.