Backflips, flick passes, length-of-the-field specials and individual brilliance headline a strong list of tries in an exciting 2015 NRL Telstra Premiership season. The NRL.com team watched every game, analysed all 1,367 tries scored and have decided after hours of debate on the top 10 tries of the year.
10. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Roosters v Eels, Round 23
With the Roosters staring down the barrel of a shock loss to Parramatta at home, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves demanded the ball and carried the team on his back, producing one of the most barnstorming individual tries of the year. Hargreaves bumped off five would-be tackles on a 30-metre charge to the line to single-handedly put his team back on top and lead them to an important victory.
9. Jesse Sene-Lefao, Sea Eagles v Broncos, Round 21
After a cross-field kick from Daly Cherry-Evans and a bat-back from Manly young gun Tom Trbojevic, Jamie Lyon caught the ball and appeared certain to head over the sideline only to remain composed and kick the ball around the corner in one motion before going into touch. Jesse Sene-Lefao was on the spot to dive on the ball for a remarkable Sea Eagles try.
8. Will Chambers, Storm v Warriors, Round 5
This try had absolutely everything. A mid-field chip from Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk for the chasing Billy Slater, a tap from Slater back to Cronk who threw the ball back over his head unsighted to a trailing Kevin Proctor who drew and passed for Mahe Fonua. The Storm winger stepped off his right, stood in a tackle and offloaded to Will Chambers who capped a remarkable 60-metre effort.
7. Jack Reed, Broncos v Wests Tigers, Round 19
The play started on Brisbane's own 40-metre line and looked like a standard shift to the left. Well, that's what the Wests Tigers thought. Five-eighth Anthony Milford shaped left and threw a delicious no-look pass to his right putting fullback Darius Boyd through a gaping hole up the heart of the Tigers defence. Boyd drew the fullback and found Jack Reed who just barely snuck into the left corner to finish a dream move for Brisbane.
6. Shaun Johnson, Warriors v Sharks, Round 9
When Cronulla forward Andrew Fifita ran over six would-be defenders in the final minutes, it looked like he had sealed a dramatic winner. But Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson had time for one last play and he duly danced as only he can on a mesmerising cross-field run through Cronulla's defence to snatch a brilliant match-winning try.
5. Carlos Tuimavave, Knights v Sharks, Round 15
There were two contenders for the best flick-back assist from behind the deadball line from season 2015 and while Wes Naiqama's effort for the Wests Tigers was very good, we just couldn't go past Jake Mamo's effort for Newcastle. The young fullback suspended gravity and belief to somehow drag a ball back that looked more destined for Row 4 than resulting in a four-pointer. Mamo never gave up the chase and was rewarded with one of the great try assists of the season, with Carlos Tuimavave collecting the try.
4. James Tedesco, Wests Tigers v Eels, Round 5
A left-hand shift from the Wests Tigers and a long ball from James Tedesco to Pat Richards had the winger in the clear down the left touchline. As Richards was tackled and seemingly set to be bundled into touch he somehow managed to keep his footing long enough to kick speculatively back in-field. The ball had the perfect trajectory for Tedesco who out-jumped the defender to score a miraculous try.
3. Alex Johnston, Rabbitohs v Roosters, Round 2
When Greg Inglis picked up the ball straddling the deadball line and four Roosters defenders in front of him, it looked like a dropout was the only logical result. Inglis had other ideas. He stepped the first defender, palmed the second, before pirouetting out of another tackle and then linked with winger Alex Johnston who was now in the clear down the shortside. Johnston put the foot down to beat a desperate cover attempt from Sam Moa and raced away to score, the Rabbitohs had turned a great little kick into a 109-metre special.
2. Lachlan Maranta, Broncos v Raiders, Round 12
The unlikeliest of tries started with the Raiders attacking the Broncos' shortside with the siren sounding; it ended 100 metres at the other end and the opposite side of the field. Darius Boyd picked up a loose pass and found Ben Hunt who took off down the right touchline, linking up again with Boyd who duly offloaded back to Hunt. Hunt bounced out of another tackle before kicking in-field for Anthony Milford who bumped out of another tackle before doing a 360 degree spin and throwing it in hope to Alex Glenn. Glenn found Lachlan Maranta who stepped the last defender to score a stunning length-of-the-field try.
1. Tui Lolohea, Warriors v Storm, Round 18
The winner of our try of the year is truly something to behold. Chad Townsend put up a bomb and the Warriors players chased through, before the smallest player on the field took flight. The fact Nathan Friend flew above to take a bomb was miraculous enough, but he was just warming up. As Friend caught the ball he managed a 180 degree summersault and somehow threw the ball between his legs in one motion as he was falling. Sam Tomkins didn't miss a beat after taking the pass and linked with Shaun Johnson. Johnson's twinkle toes immediately started to fire as he stepped back inside and threw a no-look one-handed flick pass back to Tomkins, turning the Storm defence inside-out. The Warriors drew and passed to score in the corner inches from the sideline through Tui Lolohea, who managed to get it down under the attention of three Storm cover defenders.
Watch all 10 tries below.
