LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
In a surprising turn of events, NRL players have left out Tom Trbojevic, Kalyn Ponga, and Reece Walsh from their top three nominees for the Rugby League Players Association fullback of the year in 2024.
Instead, James Tedesco, Dylan Edwards, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow have taken the spotlight as the top three fullbacks of the season, according to their fellow players.
The RLPA awards, unlike the Dally Ms, are voted on by the players themselves.
The RLPA will announce their player of the year and 'dream team' next Monday, but the short-lists for various positions have already been unveiled.
Tedesco, Edwards, and Tabuai-Fidow are the frontunners for the coveted fullback position in the 'dream team,' with Tedesco and Edwards being solid choices, while Tabuai-Fidow's selection has raised a few eyebrows.
Many believe that Trbojevic, Ponga, Walsh, and Scott Drinkwater had stronger performances than Tabuai-Fidow, who was even moved to the centres in the final two games of the season by Wayne Bennett.
Looking purely at statistics, Trbojevic seems to have been the most overlooked fullback of them all.
It's a tough competition out there, with players vying for recognition and a spot in the RLPA dream team.