Three players who didn't make the 2025 Top 50 have made it onto Part 4 of the 2026 countdown, with Selwyn Cobbo's stunning season seeing him climb to just outside the top ten.
A Rabbitoh and Raider who both may have been unlucky to miss the Dally M team of the year are the other two, while Penrith Panthers forward Isaah Yeo and Cowboys star fullback Scott Drinkwater are the biggest risers on part 4, with other a number of other players in similar spots.
Blayke Brailey drops a handful of spots after cracking last year's Top 10, but still put together an impressive season for a Sharks team who underperformed in September.
Here is Part 4 of this year's Top 50.
20. Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
Rank last year: 35
The Panthers may have fallen short of where they really wanted to be again, but that wasn't down to Yeo, who actually played through the finals series with a busted pectoral muscle.
Despite that, he kept churning out big minutes and big production.
He finished the year again as one of the competition's best defenders, tackling at almost 98 per cent, while he also came up with 18 offloads and 36 tackle breaks from his 20 games.
19. Blayke Brailey (Cronulla Sharks)
Rank last year: 6
Brailey does drop down this list a little bit from 2025, but not all that far, and with good reason despite the Sharks having a clearly worse season than the one 12 months ago.
Brailey genuinely holds a candle up against Harry Grant as the game's best number nine, and while that hasn't been reflected in Kangaroos selections, he must be the Blues' starting dummy half come the start of the 2026 State of Origin series.
He is crafty, runs the ball with the best of them, and is one of few dummy halves who can get through 80 minutes on a consistent basis.
18. Mark Nawaqanitawase (Sydney Roosters)
Rank last year: 22
If there is something Nawaqanitawase doesn't have the talent to do, we are yet to see it.
The star winger will be an enormous loss to the Roosters - maybe their biggest despite other players also heading through the exit gates at the end of 2026.
His try-scoring ability is one thing, but the talent to create something out of nothing is like nothing the game has ever seen.
As a neutral fan, you can only hope he is back in 2029.
17. Simi Sasagi (Canberra Raiders)
Rank last year: No rank
One of the year's biggest success stories, Simi Sasagi started as a likely bench utility who could play centre, second-row, lock, and potentially in the halves, and finished it as one of the game's top centres.
The argument for him to be in the team of the year wasn't exactly far-fetched, so good was he.
Canberra's record with him on the park was far better than when he wasn't, and it's form he will now look to carry over into 2027.
16. Tallis Duncan (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Rank last year: No rank
Duncan is another player, like Sasagi, who enjoyed a breakout year, being a big part of the reason the Rabbitohs were able to make the top eight.
The Rabbitohs found themselves needing to shuffle Duncan from the second-row to the centres and back again at times, but he took to it all fantastically, and it's tough to remember him playing a bad game at any point.
15. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
Rank last year: 21
Grant is still the best hooker in the NRL - just.
The Melbourne Storm rake certainly isn't the blame for the club having their worst season in two decades, where they surprised many by missing the finals.
His work out of the ruck was fantastic, as it always seems to be. His service is exceptional. He has a kicking game, and runs the ball well, while his defence still measures up.
14. Erin Clark (New Zealand Warriors)
Rank last year: 20
Clark is the best lock in the game for the second year in a row, and now with a contract extension to boot, it's hard to argue against him being one of the Warriors' best ever signings.
Originally a hooker at the Titans, his shuffle to lock has been everything for his game and career, and he is now a walk up starter for the Kiwis at international level.
Don't be surprised if he continues to hold this mantle in 2027.
13. Scott Drinkwater (North Queensland Cowboys)
Rank last year: 29
Drinkwater is, year to year, one of the toughest players to place in the game.
The genuine argument is that he is the best attacking weapon inside the opposition 20 anywhere in the sport, but also one of the worst defensive fullbacks in the game.
He had some shocking games in 2026 as part of an inconsistent Cowboys team, but also came up with a ridiculous 35 try involvements in 25 games, while he also kicked 31 goals at over 91 per cent, and made 89 tackle busts.
Will be intriguing to see what he delivers at the Dragons in 2027.
12. Selwyn Cobbo (The Dolphins)
Rank last year: No rank
An unbelievable year for Cobbo as he returned to his best on the wing for the Dolphins.
His first year at the club brought 18 tries in 20 games, but more importantly, he shirked some of the criticism around his work rate.
He made 180 metres per game and was never afraid of the tough stuff, adding 93 tackle busts and 26 line breaks in 20 games.
Played fantastically for Queensland at Origin time and was worth every dollar of the recent contract extension dished out by the club.
11. Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
Rank last year: 15
Young missed the end of the season with a shattering injury, but that doesn't lessen his impact on the Raiders any more throughout the course of the year.
One of the game's best second-rowers, he would have been a walk up starter for the Kangaroos had he not suffered the Achilles injury.
Will be an enormous loss to Canberra at the end of 2027.
The full top 50... So far
50. Isaiah Papali'i (Penrith Panthers)
49. Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne Storm)
48. Tolutau Koula (Manly Sea Eagles)
47. Jack Williams (Parramatta Eels)
46. Mitch Barnett (New Zealand Warriors)
45. Nicho Hynes (Cronulla Sharks)
44. Alex Twal (Wests Tigers)
43. Alex Johnston (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
42. Tom Dearden (North Queensland Cowboys)
41. Sua Fa'alogo (Melbourne Storm)
40. Daly Cherry-Evans (Sydney Roosters)
39. Jacob Preston (Canterbury Bulldogs)
38. Jack Bostock (The Dolphins)
37. Robert Toia (Sydney Roosters)
36. Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)
35. Phillip Sami (Gold Coast Titans)
34. Jackson Ford (New Zealand Warriors)
33. Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle Knights)
32. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (The Dolphins)
31. Hamish Stewart (St George Illawarra Dragons)
30. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)
29. Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys)
28. Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
27. Brian To'o (Penrith Panthers)
26. Bradman Best (Newcastle Knights)
25. Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sharks)
24. Lachlan Galvin (Canterbury Bulldogs)
23. Wayde Egan (New Zealand Warriors)
22. Sam Walker (Sydney Roosters)
21. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (The Dolphins)
20. Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)
19. Blayke Brailey (Cronulla Sharks)
18. Mark Nawaqanitawase (Sydney Roosters)
17. Simi Sasagi (Canberra Raiders)
16. Tallis Duncan (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
15. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
14. Erin Clark (New Zealand Warriors)
13. Scott Drinkwater (North Queensland Cowboys)
12. Selwyn Cobbo (The Dolphins)
11. Hudson Young (Canberra Raiders)
