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:
3. Braydon Trindall
Another player who just goes about his work, regardless of the number on his back, is the Sharks Braydon Trindall.
Trindall, much like his halves partner, is a lightning rod for criticism despite producing one of the best five-eighth performances of the season.
Twenty-six games saw a return of seven tries, 19 try assists, 16 line-break assists, 12 forced dropouts, 375 kick metres per game and 41 run metres per game. He completed at 83% tackle efficiency.
The Sharks were a much better team once Trindall became the number one kicking option. He's a few defensive misses away from becoming an elite number six.
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.