The role of the five-eighth is fun!
They play a hybrid attacking game of a fullback mixed with the halfback. Throw in the movement of a centre and often the defensive work of a second rower.
2025 produced some magnificent efforts in the number six. We are here today to try and rank those.
This was the most difficult position to rank. Fletcher Sharpe was on track until his injury. Huge Savala was dropped more than once. Luke Brooks had some great heights and some horror lows.
Again, this is a list of the best ten performers for 2025 only. This isn't a list of the top five-eighths outright.
With that said, below are the top 10 five-eighths for the 2025 season:
4. Tom Dearden
Tom Dearden split his 2025 season, switching between halfback and five-eighth. I'm going to break my own rule here and rank him as a five-eighth despite playing more games at halfback.
That's because he's an elite five-eighth and I don't really think the number on his back matters much. His best footy was played as a run threat.
His 22 games saw him score nine tries, set up 14 tries, assist 18 line-breaks, force nine dropouts and run for over 105 metres per game. He made 87% of his tackles.
Dearden was excellent in a down year for the Cowboys. He more than earned his Kangaroos spot after overtaking Dally Cherry-Evans as QLD's halves partner beside Cam Munster.
I share your uncertainty as to how to classify Ben Hunt. To me, he’s simply the ultimate utility player. If his team needs him to play 6, he’ll play 6 – or 7 or 9, and he probably has the skill to play 1 if he ever ended up at club that needed a replacement full-back for the weekend.
Trindall at 3 ? Hmmm. No. I see him as a 7 rather than a 6 but whilst Nicho is on the big money and is the face of the club, Nicho gets to wear the 7 if that’s what he wants, even though I think 6 is his natural spot.