Nathan Cleary has taken back the lead of Zero Tackle's NRL MVP a quarter of the way through the 2026 NRL season, but there were a host of perfectly rated players who have jumped into the top ten during a weekend of movers and shakers.

Cleary managed 15 votes during Penrith's win over the Dolphins in Darwin, but it was Jackson Ford, who is up to third, Latrell Mitchell (fifth), Tolutau Koula (seventh) and James Tedesco (eighth) who impressed.

Simi Sasagoi was also rated as perfect and sits in 12th spot.

For Ford, Tedesco and Sasagi it was a second week in a row they were handed a perfect 20 votes.

Elsewhere, Herbie Farnworth, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, Xavier Willison, Adam Reynolds, Will Penisini and Junior Paulo were all rated as best on ground by at least one judge.

With Scott Drinkwater failing to poll, Cleary was able to jump back into first place, but it's tight at the top. Just three votes separate the duo, while Jackson Ford is another two votes away, and only 31 votes separate first through to tenth place.

As a reminder of how this works, our panel, comprising Zero Tackle founder Matt Clements, journalist Leo Twemlow, and writer Dan Nichols, alongside myself as editor, will cast votes on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis from each game of the premiership season.

Here are the Round 6 votes.

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 2026-04-16T09:50:00Z 
Sea Eagles WON BY 32 POINTS
QLD Country Bank
NQL   
6
FT
38
   MAN
   Crowd: 17,476
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Tolutau Koula Tolutau Koula Tolutau Koula Tolutau Koula
4 Haumole Olakau'atu Haumole Olakau'atu Haumole Olakau'atu Jamal Fogarty
3 Lehi Hopoate Jamal Fogarty Jamal Fogarty Haumole Olakau'atu
2 Jamal Fogarty Taniela Paseka Lehi Hopoate Lehi Hopoate
1 Kobe Hetherington Kobe Hetherington Corey Waddell Kobe Hetherington
 2026-04-17T08:00:00Z 
Raiders WON BY 4 POINTS
GIO Stadium
CBR   
26
FT
22
   MEL
   Crowd: 17,321
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Simi Sasagi Simi Sasagi Simi Sasagi Simi Sasagi
4 Jahrome Hughes Ethan Strange Jahrome Hughes Hudson Young
3 Hudson Young Jahrome Hughes Hudson Young Sua Fa'alogo
2 Sua Fa'alogo Sua Fa'alogo Sua Fa'alogo Ethan Strange
1 Ethan Strange Hudson Young Ethan Strange Jahrome Hughes

 

 2026-04-17T10:00:00Z 
Panthers WON BY 1 POINTS
TIO Stadium
DOL   
22
FT
23
   PEN
   Crowd: 12,570
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Herbie Farnworth Kulikefu Finefeuiaki Herbie Farnworth Herbie Farnworth
4 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary Nathan Cleary
3 Nathan Cleary Herbie Farnworth Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2 Thomas Jenkins Isaah Yeo Thomas Jenkins Thomas Jenkins
1 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow Kulikefu Finefeuiaki Isaiya Katoa

 

 2026-04-18T05:00:00Z 
Warriors WON BY 8 POINTS
Go Media Stadium
NZW   
28
FT
20
   GLD
   Crowd: 24,112
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Jackson Ford Jackson Ford Jackson Ford Jackson Ford
4 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
3 James Fisher-Harris Phillip Sami Mitchell Barnett Phillip Sami
2 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui Mitchell Barnett James Fisher-Harris Mitchell Barnett
1 Erin Clark Chanel Harris-Tavita Siale Faeamani Erin Clark

 

 2026-04-18T07:30:00Z 
Rabbitohs WON BY 18 POINTS
Accor Stadium
SOU   
30
FT
12
   STI
   Crowd: 15,115
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Latrell Mitchell Latrell Mitchell Latrell Mitchell Latrell Mitchell
4 Matt Dufty Matt Dufty Matt Dufty Matt Dufty
3 Brandon Smith Tallis Duncan Brandon Smith Tallis Duncan
2 Toby Couchman Brandon Smith Tallis Duncan Toby Couchman
1 Tallis Duncan Toby Couchman Toby Couchman Brandon Smith
 2026-04-18T09:30:00Z 
Broncos WON BY 1 POINTS
Campbelltown
WST   
20
FT
21
   BRI
   Crowd: 17,315
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Xavier Willison Adam Reynolds Xavier Willison Adam Reynolds
4 Terrell May Xavier Willison Terrell May Terrell May
3 Ben Talty Adam Doueihi Adam Reynolds Xavier Willison
2 Adam Reynolds Terrell May Sunia Turuva Ben Talty
1 Samuela Fainu Samuela Fainu Samuela Fainu Sunia Turuva
 2026-04-19T04:00:00Z 
Roosters WON BY 14 POINTS
Allianz Stadium
SYD   
38
FT
24
   NEW
   Crowd: 22,409
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 James Tedesco James Tedesco James Tedesco James Tedesco
4 Mark Nawaqanitawase Daly Cherry-Evans Fletcher Hunt Daly Cherry-Evans
3 Daly Cherry-Evans Fletcher Hunt Mark Nawaqanitawase Mark Nawaqanitawase
2 Fletcher Hunt Sam Walker Sam Walker Sam Walker
1 Sam Walker Nat Butcher Sandon Smith Fletcher Hunt
 2026-04-19T06:05:00Z 
Eels WON BY 18 POINTS
CommBank Stadium
PAR   
38
FT
20
   CAN
   Crowd: 25,938
MATCH CENTRE ▶︎   
  Matt Clements Scott Pryde Dan Nichols Leo Twemlow
5 Will Penisini Junior Paulo Junior Paulo Will Penisini
4 Junior Paulo Will Penisini Bronson Xerri Junior Paulo
3 Matt Burton Bronson Xerri Will Penisini Matt Burton
2 Mitchell Moses Ronald Volkman Ronald Volkman Bronson Xerri
1 Bronson Xerri Matt Burton Matt Burton Ronald Volkman

Top Ten

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