The top 50 players from the 2023 NRL season: Part 3, 30-21

Zero Tackle's top 50 player countdown roles on today with Part 3 as players 30 through to 21 on the list are unveiled.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are the only side with more than one player on this section of the list, while it also features three players who will change clubs next year, with big questions over whether they can keep their current form at new homes.

A pair of game-breaking forwards round out the list as we approach the top 20.

Here is Part 3.

» Part 5 (10-1)
» Part 4 (20-11)
» Part 2 (40-31)
» Part 1 (50-41)

30. Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Walker was excellent during the early part of the 2023 season and solid for the rest of it, but it's clear he had a drop off from the form he had displayed in previous seasons.

A part of that, almost without doubt, came from the fact South Sydney no longer had their all-conquering and controlling halfback in Adam Reynolds. His loss left Walker needing to do plenty of work on his own, and ultimately, he couldn't drag his side into the finals.

Other injuries certainly didn't help what he was able to produce.

29. Clint Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)
Gutherson may not have been able to drag his Parramatta side to the finals, but he didn't do a lot wrong in another season where he elevated his team on plenty of occasions.

Nineteen tries, 14 try assists, 71 tackle breaks and 162 metres per game, as well as a whole lot of effort, plays that go unrecorded, summed up his campaign.

28. Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Koloamatangi has become one of the best edge forwards in the game, and while his form dipped during the Rabbitohs' losing run at the back end of the 2023 season, he had another powerful campaign.

Made his State of Origin debut and will now be one of the most important players during Tonga's three-Test tour of England.

Keaon Koloamatangi reacting to a pass at NSW Blues training. (Photo by Joshua Davis)

27. Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Mitchell only rates so far down the list because he missed so much of the season through injury.

When he was on the park, though, he made a world of difference to the Rabbitohs. Nine tries, 12 try assists and 127 metres per game across his 16 appearances, where Souths won 10 of their 12 games this year.

26. Herbie Farnworth (Brisbane Broncos)
Farnworth came on in leaps and bounds during the 2023 season and capped it all off with an excellent finals campaign.

He has signed a big money move to make the switch to the Dolphins under Wayne Bennett next year, and if he can carry his form, he will be a real strike weapon for the NRL's expansion outfit.

25. Dominic Young (Newcastle Knights)
A try-scoring machine, Young has the height, acceleration and speed to match any winger in the competition.

His defensive output also improved this year, and under Trent Robinson next year, he could well become the game's best winger.

24. Jahrome Hughes (Melbourne Storm)
Hughes, again, was below his best output this season, but that isn't necessarily to say he was poor in a Storm side who still qualified for the preliminary finals.

Ran the kicking game strongly, managed the side well and was creative in patches alongside a star-studded team who didn't quite hit their mark this year.

23. Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers)
Crichton could be one of the biggest signings for next season, provided he finds similar form at fullback to what he had in the centres.

The star put all of his talents on display during the grand final, and it came after a season where he found the try-line, aided others in getting there and was solid from start to finish.

22. Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)
Tapine is one of the best forwards in the game and continued that reputation into the 2023 campaign.

Some of his “standout” impact was minimised this year thanks to the breakout form of lock Corey Horsburgh, but he was still head and shoulders above his teammates and most opposition forwards.

155 metres per game, 59 tackle breaks and 30 offloads headline an excellent stats line.

21. Haumole Olakau'atu (Manly Sea Eagles)
If you wanted a second-rower to break a tackle with your life on your line, Olakau'atu is among those at the top of the list.

A real game-breaker, Olakau'atu was among Manly's best in 2023 and while it came as a surprise that he didn't win an Origin jersey, he will be in the club's couple of most important players again next year.