These are the 50 players the editorial team at NRL.com rank as the competition's best.
All 16 NRL clubs are represented in our list, with – unsurprisingly – the top two NRL teams the Roosters and Broncos boasting the highest number of entries with seven each. The Storm were the next most prominently featured team with five – including four inside the top 10 – while the Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles and Warriors each had four representatives in the list.
Playmakers were well represented in the list with 11 halves making the cut, while the increasing importance of fullbacks in the game reflected by nine No.1s being included in the top 50. Just a single full-time winger – Eels try-scoring sensation Semi Radradra – made the list, which also included eight props, six second-rowers, five hookers, five locks, and five centres.
Have your vote: NRL.com's top 50 - No.50-41
Have your vote: NRL.com's top 50 - No.40-31
Have your vote: NRL.com's top 50 - No.30-21
Have your vote: NRL.com's top 50 - No.20-11
What we said: NRL.com's top 50 - The top 10
This year's list included 16 new names who didn't make last year's top 50, with the highest-ranked new entry being Roosters sensation Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. While form played a part in the voting, our rankings are purely looking at the best players in the competition, not those who had the best seasons in 2015 (the Dally M Awards and our Team of the Year reflect the season's best performers).
Unlucky players to only just miss the cut included Sharks hooker Michael Ennis, Cowboys prop James Tamou, Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough, Titans veteran Greg Bird, Roosters five-eighth James Maloney and Manly centre Steve Matai.
In all, about 80 players earned votes from NRL.com staff to make the list, although we were unanimous in naming Johnathan Thurston the No.1 player in the game.
Here is the full list of NRL.com's top 50 players in the competition.
50. Aidan Guerra (2014 rank: 45)
49. Ryan Hoffman (32)
48. Boyd Cordner (35)
47. Jason Taumalolo (New entry)
46. Trent Merrin (27)
45. Justin Hodges (30)
44. James Segeyaro (47)
43. Beau Scott (33)
42. Jake Friend (New entry)
41. Semi Radradra (New entry)
40. Will Chambers (New entry)
39. Darius Boyd (New entry)
38. Andrew Fifita (26)
37. Blake Austin (New entry)
36. Adam Reynolds (New entry)
35. Matt Gillett (38)
34. Brett Stewart (16)
33. Michael Morgan (New entry)
32. Josh Morris (36)
31. Mitchell Pearce (New entry)
30. Michael Jennings (New entry)
29. Anthony Milford (25)
28. Ben Matulino (New entry)
27. Matt Moylan (New entry)
26. Sam Thaiday (29)
25. George Burgess (22)
24. Issac Luke (New entry)
23. Jamie Lyon (20)
22. Brett Morris (24)
21. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (New entry)
20. James Tedesco (New entry)
19. Ben Hunt (42)
18. Simon Mannering (40)
17. Kieran Foran (14)
16. Josh Dugan (23)
15. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New entry)
14. Aaron Woods (28)
13. Matt Scott (13)
12. James Graham (7)
11. Robbie Farah (11)
10. Daly Cherry-Evans (9)
9. Jesse Bromwich (21)
8. Billy Slater (10)
7. Shaun Johnson (17)
6. Corey Parker (12)
5. Paul Gallen (8)
4. Cooper Cronk (6)
3. Greg Inglis (5)
2. Cameron Smith (1)
1. Johnathan Thurston (4)
