Straight off the bat, I'm going to admit that ranking the second rowers in 2022 was the most difficult of all lists.
There were so many good performers this season which made narrowing it down to just the ten very difficult.
Ranking them was even more difficult. I very much look forward to the comments, which again I expect only to be complimentary.
Here are the top 10 NRL backrowers from 2022. Only performances this year are taken into account and only players who were named in the back row more often than they were in other positions are eligible.
For the record Liam Martin, Briton Nikora and Jai Arrow were all shortlisted but missed the final cut.
10. Nat Butcher
25 year-old Nat Butcher enjoyed a career best season in 2022 and should now partner Angus Crichton in the back row for many years to come.
I'm on record as saying I would have named Butcher in the extended Kangaroos squad. He wouldn't have looked out of place making the final cut either.
In his 25 games this season (including some low minute games which skew his averages) he crossed for 11 tries, broke 19 tackles, tackled at over 95% and ran for almost 80 metres per game.
Butcher is good enough to adapt as he was asked to fill multiple roles at times this year. That said, he is now undoubtedly an elite second rower.
Koloamatangi for me, for consistency.
I was surprised you gave Briton Nikora a place in the shortlist. I don’t rate him as highly as Cronulla compatriots Williams and Wilton (but you’re probably a better judge of Sharks personnel than I am).