I know I say this about every position, but the lock forward role may be my favourite in rugby league.
These blokes are required to do the defensive work of a front rower, while often being asked to play bigger minutes.
The instructions for our 13s are simple: Make your 40 tackles a game, oh and we need some try assists too. Easy, right?
Truthfully, this may have been the most difficult position to rank.
There were some genuine standout performances that were hard to split, while filling the final two spots was a bit of a chore.
As always, the below list is compiled using only 2025 performances and it not a flat chat top ten locks in the game.
Below are the top ten locks from the 2025 season:
1. Erin Clark
Erin Clarke earned Dally M Team of the Year honours over some much bigger name stars. He earned it!
The 28-year-old middle turned into an absolute beast across the Tasman in Warriors colours. He was arguably the purchase of the season.
Twenty-five games for the Warriors saw 66 tackle breaks, 37 offloads, 857 post contact metres, 147 run metres per game and tackle made at almost 95%.
He both strengthened and quickened the ruck for the Warriors. A career-best year for the Kiwi international.
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