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http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...s/news-story/9324a96243622a5ee785eaf8ae5c2ecb
IT’S a debate that rages every year: Just who is the best player in the NRL?
The Mathematician has thrown opinion out the window and ranked the game’s top 25 players on raw numbers.
To make the assessment, every player who played more than 200 minutes during the 2016 NRL season were given “impact scores” that take into account a range of variables that are weighted according to their influence on match outcomes.
Players are rewarded when they make meaningful contributions to winning and penalised when they don’t.
The scoring system takes into account six distinct positional groups: fullback, outside backs, middle forward, edge forward, hooker and half.
In ranking players, the system gives 2016 performances the most weight, with performances in 2015 and earlier also considered on a sliding scale, giving them less significance the further in the past they occurred.
The statistical measures aren’t perfect and potentially inflate the value of better attacking players because attacking qualities are easier to measure.
To come up with a player’s defensive impact value is far more complex than purely looking at who makes and misses the most tackles.
This system attempts to evaluate an individual’s defensive impact — are they a driving force behind their team’s good defence or are they simply reaping the rewards of being in a good defensive system?
The same question works in reverse for poor defensive teams.
Every player has been evaluated on both their defence and attack. Combining their attacking impact value with their defensive impact value allows us to rank every player in the competition from the best to the worst.
On that basis, these are the top 25 players in the competition.
25. Tyson Frizell
Had an outstanding year to break into the NSW Origin side and his powerful attacking and defensive attributes are enough to make him one of the NRL’s top 25 players.
24. Ryan James
Arguably the most lethal try scoring forward in the competition, James is also one of the Titans’ most effective defenders.
23. Aiden Tolman
Probably the least recognisable name in the list, Tolman is rarely spoken about when rep teams are being picked but he makes this list due to his effectiveness in defence. Is rated the fifth best defender in the game — the second best in this list.
22. Josh Papalii
The Raiders hitman has made plenty of headlines with his defence, but it’s his ability to break an opposition defensive line open that lifts him into the top 25 players in the game.
21. Boyd Cordner
Outstanding in both attack and defence, Cordner gets the nod as Australia’s best edge back-rower according to these ratings.
20. David Klemmer
A beast with the ball in hand and a scary figure in the defensive line for ball runners coming through the middle.
19. Jordan Rapana
One of the best finishers in the game and it’s reflected in his top 10 attacking ranking.
18. Tohu Harris
He’s solid rather than spectacular in attack but it’s in defence where this Warriors bound star really shines. He’s rated the NRL’s 11th best defender.
17. Josh Mansour
A training mishap at the Four Nations literally cut Mansour down in his prime after establishing himself as the best winger in the game. He’s rated the eighth best attacker in the NRL.
16. Joey Leilua
Just about unstoppable with a head of steam, his offloading and tackle busting make him a top 20 attacker and his defence is more effective than he gets credit for.
15. Trent Merrin
Back to his best in 2016 and is one of his side’s best in both attack and defence.
14. Shannon Boyd
The Canberra big bopper bolted into the Kangaroos side with a huge back end to last season and that’s been reflected in his ranking. Strong in attack and the 14th best defender in the competition.
13. Shaun Johnson
At his best he can be the most irresistible attacking player in the NRL. Is currently ranked seventh in attack but is the second weakest defender in this top 25.
12. James Graham
The Bulldogs have built their attack around the big Englishman’s ability with the ball and he’s even better without it, ranked the 13th best defender in the competition.
11. James Tedesco
One of the most scintillating players in the competition, Tedesco is a top 10 attacker but his defence is considerably less effective.
10. Darius Boyd
He may not have the flair of Tedesco but no one can argue that what he does with the ball isn’t equally as effective. Tedesco’s rated marginally higher than Boyd in attack but the Broncos’ skipper’s better defensive rating gives him the nod as the best fullback in the competition.
9. Andrew Fifita
Cronulla’s grand final hero can be unstoppable in attack but his defensive flaws drop him down the list a tad.
8. Sam Burgess
Devastating with ball in hand and one of his team’s most vital defenders. Even after a year in which he was criticised for his error rate, Burgess was still a big contributor.
7. Paul Gallen
Has always racked up big numbers and more often than not it’s quality not just quantity. Rated a top 30 attacker and top 20 defender.
6. Jesse Bromwich
An all-rounder, with a skillset that rightly has him rated the best prop in the world. We rate him the 14th best attacking player in the competition and the ninth best defender.
5. Josh Hodgson
A top 10 attacker and a top 20 defender. Like Cameron Smith, Hodgson is a massive contributor to his side at both ends of the field.
4. Jason Taumalolo
The fifth most impactful attacking player in the competition and a top 50 defender. Good value for his Dally M Medal last year.
3. Cooper Cronk
The second best attacker in the competition and a middle of the road defender.
2. Johnathan Thurston
His defensive ranking is fairly poor but he’s so far out in front from an attacking standpoint that his overall value to his team is huge.
1. Cameron Smith
The best defender in the competition and the third best attacker, just behind Thurston and Cronk.
IT’S a debate that rages every year: Just who is the best player in the NRL?
The Mathematician has thrown opinion out the window and ranked the game’s top 25 players on raw numbers.
To make the assessment, every player who played more than 200 minutes during the 2016 NRL season were given “impact scores” that take into account a range of variables that are weighted according to their influence on match outcomes.
Players are rewarded when they make meaningful contributions to winning and penalised when they don’t.
The scoring system takes into account six distinct positional groups: fullback, outside backs, middle forward, edge forward, hooker and half.
In ranking players, the system gives 2016 performances the most weight, with performances in 2015 and earlier also considered on a sliding scale, giving them less significance the further in the past they occurred.
The statistical measures aren’t perfect and potentially inflate the value of better attacking players because attacking qualities are easier to measure.
To come up with a player’s defensive impact value is far more complex than purely looking at who makes and misses the most tackles.
This system attempts to evaluate an individual’s defensive impact — are they a driving force behind their team’s good defence or are they simply reaping the rewards of being in a good defensive system?
The same question works in reverse for poor defensive teams.
Every player has been evaluated on both their defence and attack. Combining their attacking impact value with their defensive impact value allows us to rank every player in the competition from the best to the worst.
On that basis, these are the top 25 players in the competition.
25. Tyson Frizell
Had an outstanding year to break into the NSW Origin side and his powerful attacking and defensive attributes are enough to make him one of the NRL’s top 25 players.
24. Ryan James
Arguably the most lethal try scoring forward in the competition, James is also one of the Titans’ most effective defenders.
23. Aiden Tolman
Probably the least recognisable name in the list, Tolman is rarely spoken about when rep teams are being picked but he makes this list due to his effectiveness in defence. Is rated the fifth best defender in the game — the second best in this list.
22. Josh Papalii
The Raiders hitman has made plenty of headlines with his defence, but it’s his ability to break an opposition defensive line open that lifts him into the top 25 players in the game.
21. Boyd Cordner
Outstanding in both attack and defence, Cordner gets the nod as Australia’s best edge back-rower according to these ratings.
20. David Klemmer
A beast with the ball in hand and a scary figure in the defensive line for ball runners coming through the middle.
19. Jordan Rapana
One of the best finishers in the game and it’s reflected in his top 10 attacking ranking.
18. Tohu Harris
He’s solid rather than spectacular in attack but it’s in defence where this Warriors bound star really shines. He’s rated the NRL’s 11th best defender.
17. Josh Mansour
A training mishap at the Four Nations literally cut Mansour down in his prime after establishing himself as the best winger in the game. He’s rated the eighth best attacker in the NRL.
16. Joey Leilua
Just about unstoppable with a head of steam, his offloading and tackle busting make him a top 20 attacker and his defence is more effective than he gets credit for.
15. Trent Merrin
Back to his best in 2016 and is one of his side’s best in both attack and defence.
14. Shannon Boyd
The Canberra big bopper bolted into the Kangaroos side with a huge back end to last season and that’s been reflected in his ranking. Strong in attack and the 14th best defender in the competition.
13. Shaun Johnson
At his best he can be the most irresistible attacking player in the NRL. Is currently ranked seventh in attack but is the second weakest defender in this top 25.
12. James Graham
The Bulldogs have built their attack around the big Englishman’s ability with the ball and he’s even better without it, ranked the 13th best defender in the competition.
11. James Tedesco
One of the most scintillating players in the competition, Tedesco is a top 10 attacker but his defence is considerably less effective.
10. Darius Boyd
He may not have the flair of Tedesco but no one can argue that what he does with the ball isn’t equally as effective. Tedesco’s rated marginally higher than Boyd in attack but the Broncos’ skipper’s better defensive rating gives him the nod as the best fullback in the competition.
9. Andrew Fifita
Cronulla’s grand final hero can be unstoppable in attack but his defensive flaws drop him down the list a tad.
8. Sam Burgess
Devastating with ball in hand and one of his team’s most vital defenders. Even after a year in which he was criticised for his error rate, Burgess was still a big contributor.
7. Paul Gallen
Has always racked up big numbers and more often than not it’s quality not just quantity. Rated a top 30 attacker and top 20 defender.
6. Jesse Bromwich
An all-rounder, with a skillset that rightly has him rated the best prop in the world. We rate him the 14th best attacking player in the competition and the ninth best defender.
5. Josh Hodgson
A top 10 attacker and a top 20 defender. Like Cameron Smith, Hodgson is a massive contributor to his side at both ends of the field.
4. Jason Taumalolo
The fifth most impactful attacking player in the competition and a top 50 defender. Good value for his Dally M Medal last year.
3. Cooper Cronk
The second best attacker in the competition and a middle of the road defender.
2. Johnathan Thurston
His defensive ranking is fairly poor but he’s so far out in front from an attacking standpoint that his overall value to his team is huge.
1. Cameron Smith
The best defender in the competition and the third best attacker, just behind Thurston and Cronk.
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