The 2026 NRL regular season is over, with the finals to begin, and nine teams left planning for 2027.
The final round of votes in Zero Tackle's NRL MVP race saw Dylan Edwards claim a narrow victory, with just five votes separating the top three in the closest race we have ever won.
It's now time to name our MVP team of the year, with many of the likely suspects included across the best four teams of 2026.
Minor premiers the Panthers have dominated with four selections to the top team, while it's the Rabbitohs who are the bridesmaids, with five selections to the B team.
Every team in the competition is represented somewhere across the four teams, with vote tallies varying wildly. James Tedesco is the highest vote getter in the fourth team with 162, which is higher than many positions in the first team.
In designing these teams, players were only considered in the position they played in most throughout 2026.
Here are the top four teams of the year.
NRL MVP team of the year
1. Dylan Edwards (Penrith Panthers) - 215 votes
2. Thomas Jenkins (Penrith Panthers) - 133 votes
3. Herbie Farnworth (The Dolphins) - 176 votes
4. Simi Sasagi (Canberra Raiders) - 142 votes
5. Brian To'o (Penrith Panthers) - 127 votes
6. Braydon Trindall (Cronulla Sharks) - 175 votes
7. Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers) - 212 votes
8. Naufahu Whyte (Sydney Roosters) - 202 votes
9. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm) - 127 votes
10. Keaon Koloamatangi (South Sydney Rabbitohs) - 128 votes
11. Haumole Olakau'atu (Manly Sea Eagles) - 210 votes
12. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (The Dolphins) - 97 votes
13. Erin Clark (New Zealand Warriors) - 100 votes
NRL MVP second team of the year
1. Scott Drinkwater (North Queensland Cowboys) - 199 votes
2. Dominic Young (Newcastle Knights) - 101 votes
3. Tolutau Koula (Manly Sea Eagles) - 112 votes
4. Latrell Mitchell (South Sydney Rabbitohs) - 109 votes
5. Mark Nawaqanitawase (Sydney Roosters) - 98 votes
6. Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs) - 91 votes
7. Nicho Hynes (Cronulla Sharks) - 147 votes
8. Jackson Ford (New Zealand Warriors) - 121 votes
9. Wayde Egan (New Zealand Warriors) - 56 votes
10. Jason Taumalolo (North Queensland Cowboys) - 104 votes
11. Tallis Duncan (South Sydney Rabbitohs) - 91 votes
12. David Fifita (South Sydney Rabbitohs) - 78 votes
13. Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs) - 81 votes
NRL MVP third team of the year
1. Sua Fa'alogo (Melbourne Storm) - 165 votes
2. Selwyn Cobbo (The Dolphins) - 82 votes
3. Jack Bostock (The Dolphins) - 72 votes
4. Stephen Crichton (Canterbury Bulldogs) - 72 votes
5. Greg Marzhew (Newcastle Knights) - 79 votes
6. Kodi Nikorima (The Dolphins) - 84 votes
7. Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers) - 96 votes
8. Stefano Utoikamanu (Melbourne Storm) - 97 votes
9. Blayke Brailey (Cronulla Sharks) - 55 votes
10. Toby Couchman (St George Illawarra Dragons) - 96 votes
11. Jacob Preston (Canterbury Bulldogs) - 78 votes
12. Leka Halasima (New Zealand Warriors) - 58 votes
13. Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers) - 48 votes
David Fifita won a tie-breaker between the second and third team with Jacob Preston by having one perfect game to Preston's zero.
NRL MVP fourth team of the year
1. James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters) - 162 votes
2. Braidon Burns (North Queensland Cowboys) - 76 votes
3. Casey McLean (Penrith Panthers) - 71 votes
4. KL Iro (Cronulla Sharks) - 70 votes
5. Phillip Sami (Gold Coast Titans) - 74 votes
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm) - 83 votes
7. Te Maire Martin (New Zealand Warriors) - 93 votes
8. Terrell May (Wests Tigers) - 83 votes
9. Tallyn Da Silva (Parramatta Eels) - 44 votes
10. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans) - 77 votes
11. Dylan Lucas (Newcastle Knights) - 55 votes
12. Hamish Stewart (St George Illawarra Dragons) - 49 votes
13. Alex Twal (Wests Tigers) - 47 votes
