2 sleeps to go

So we come to number 2 now, with just two more sleeps remaining. That means it's NRL eve, eve! I suspect a lot of people are going to disagree with me not having this guy as number 1, and as I've said with the last few entries, I think you can argue any of them to be the top guy, but I'm calling it how I see it, and being number 2 is really nothing to scoff at, so here he is, number 2 in the countdown of the best players in the NRL...

#2 Cameron Smith

2012 was yet another fantastic year in the illustrious career of the 29 year old Melbourne rake. Inheriting the captaincy of both Queensland and Australia after the retirement of the great Darren Lockyer, Smith lead all of his teams to glory. Captaining Australia to an ANZAC Test victory over New Zealand, captaining Queensland to another State of Origin series victory, captaining Melbourne to what would be his "legitimate' NRL Premiership, and captaining the Storm to a WCC victory over Leeds. Everything that was on offer to Smith and the teams that followed his lead was added to the trophy cabinet, and Smith himself would pick up another piece to add to his collection being named the Dally M Hooker of the Year. As usual, Smith would pile up points and pile up tackles, notching 164 points, 78 coming off his boot, along with 917 tackles. After the Storm were stripped of their previous Premierships that Smith had lead them to, 2012 was the sweetest year of Smith's career, silencing the critics and being a winner in all facets.

Apparently the Poms like giving out big trophies for trial games

Now the previous few entrants, and indeed many earlier in the list, have had some fabulous credentials, but Smith takes it to a new level and is already regarded by many as the greatest hooker to ever play the game. Taking a look at Smith's list of personal accomplishments...

• 2005 Ron McAullife Medal
• 2006 Dally M Hooker of the Year
• 2006 Dally M Player of the Year
• 2007 Dally M Representative Player of the Year
• 2007 Golden Boot Award
• 2007 Ron McAullife Medal
• 2007 Wally Lewis Medal
• 2008 Dally M Hooker of the Year
• 2008 RLIF Hooker of the Year
• 2009 RLIF Hooker of the Year
• 2011 Dally M Captain of the Year
• 2011 Dally M Hooker of the Year
• 2011 Dally M Representative Player of the Year
• 2011 RLIF Hooker of the Year
• 2011 Wally Lewis Medal
• 2012 Dally M Hooker of the Year

and he'd be odds on favourite to add to that list of Hooker of the Year awards in 2013 also. Smith has been part of a winning environment everywhere he has taken his talents since becoming a professional. In 29 appearances for Australia, the Kangaroos have a winning percentage of 86.21, in 27 appearances for Queensland the Maroons have a winner percentage of 80, and in 238 appearances for Melbourne, the Storm have a winner percentage of  70.59. In the 11 seasons Smith has been in the NRL, Melbourne has never lost more games than they've won with Smith playing, the closest being a 50% record in Smith's first moments on the scene back in 2002 when the Storm won one and lost one in his two games. Of course League is a team game, and one man can't be attributed all that success, but it's a great testament to Smith that he has won everywhere he has been and for so long.

Celebrating "200 games" gets you an extra long montage

In my post on Cooper Cronk, I touched on how he at times played in such a "robotic" fashion, but he has nothing on Smith. Smith is like something the Japanese developed in the future and sent back in time to provide an efficient Rugby League performance. He's all business when on the field, focussed, calculated, determined. One of the fittest players in Rugby League, he plays 80 minutes for a warm up, and is heavily involved during that time, constantly making plays out of dummy half and one of the most prolific tacklers in the business. Every year around Origin time we start to hear stories about how "Smith may get rested" or "Smith has been through such a big workload he needs a break", and every year it seems Smith comes out and, like the machine he is, just continues to put in work. There's nothing external that has any impact on Smith's game and concepts like fatigue or resting your body have no relevance when you're talking about a robot. Many sports have teams or players that are so good it becomes boring, Smith is that guy. He is so good but does it in such a fundamental way, there's no flash to his game, he's like the Tim Duncan of Rugby League, doing the basics well supported by a great understanding of the game and endless dedication.

So then Craig suggested maybe we reduce my minutes around Origin

Smith's durability and fitness extends beyond just his ability to play 80 minutes week in week out. In one of the worlds most high impact sports, Smith has has never played less than 20 games for Melbourne since his début 2 game season. A remarkable feat considering the added workload of Origin and International Duty that he puts himself through. Since his first turn out for Queensland in Stage of Origin game 3 2003, Smith has missed just one Origin contest, but as I said, this is a robot we are dealing with. Smith's game isn't based off athletic gifts, he isn't exceptionally fast or strong or agile. But he is as fit as anyone in the competition and the smartest player in the NRL to go with it. Defensively, he is a tackle machine, and his great understanding of the game sees him quickly figure out what opposing attacks are trying to achieve. On attack, Smith blends the skills of a five-eighth and a hooker to perfection. A fabulous kicking game with ambidextrous feet, he launches very precise kicks out of dummy half when he sees a weakness in the defense or wants to take the pressure off his halves. His ability to read the game sees him often putting little kicks over the top of the defense for his backs to run on to, but he doesn't force the issue, he does it at the right time. Smith's game is so calculated that everything he does is done in just that fashion. He doesn't rely on athletic ability, he relies on making the right decisions. He makes great runs out of dummy half, but it's because he makes those runs when he senses weakness, when he sees the opportunity to take advantage. His delivery out of dummy half is excellent, he very, very rarely let's a pass get away from him and again his brain let's him see plays develop and make the right passes at the right time. He may not have the showy passes of a Benji Marshall, but the results are often the same, Smith makes the skip pass or the inside ball or the short ball, based on what he has read in the defense and formulating the right option. The foundation of the Storm's so perfectly structured attack is the games smartest player having his hands on the ball first and having his hands on the ball often. Let's not forget that he's also a very useful goal kicker, slotting a career average of 72.38 of his attempts at goal. 

Surprise

Check back in tomorrow when finally we get to number 1. Though you've probably figured it out by now, I'll do my best to try to make it interesting regardless. I'm looking forward to a hard day at work tomorrow changing my Dream Team 50 times and as always if you have any comments I'm on Twitter @WellsNorthShore

5 more sleeps to go

On to number 5 in the countdown now with just 5 more sleeps remaining until Thursday the 7th and the kickoff of NRL 2013. Unsurprisingly, another member of the Melbourne Storm makes his appearance here, and here he is....

#5 Billy Slater

It wasn't all smooth sailing for the second member of the "big three" to feature in the countdown, but 2012 proved once again a successful campaign for the man many already consider to be the best fullback in the history of the game. The 29 year old suffered an injury to his left knee in Origin game 2 that saw him miss several games, yet Slater still managed to be one of the most prolific attacking players in the NRL. Slater began the season in mind blowing fashion, as Melbourne began the season by dishing out floggings to almost everyone who were unfortunate enough to cross their path. Slater was the lead strike weapon in the Melbourne onslaught, scoring 2 tries in the first game of the year. Slater would go on to score doubles in 4 straight games, before finally being restricted to just 1 try in the Storm's 5th game of the year, seeing him with an astonishing 9 tries in just the first 5 games of the season. Slater would go on to have 6 games where he would cross the line multiple times, finishing up with 16 tries which was good enough for tied 6th in the NRL, despite missing games for Origin and through injury. He made 20 line breaks, 86 tackle busts, 31 offloads, and 18 try assists, which would be great stats for a guy who played the entire season, let alone a guy who played only 19 games, including a couple where he was clearly still getting himself back into full gear. Slater would turn out for Australia in a victory over New Zealand, play two Origin's for Queensland, missing the third due to injury, as part of yet another Queensland Origin series win, and play an integral part in Melbourne's Grand Final victory and World Club Challenge victory. Despite the injuries trying to slow him down, Slater was a winner in everything he did in 2012 and remained one of the competitions most lethal players, though he did have to deal with Iron James Graham feasting on his ear in the Grand Final.

Billy the Kid does it all

Slater's illustrious career is littered with awards...

• 2004 Peter Frilingos Memorial Award
• 2008 Dally M Fullback of the Year
• 2008 Golden Boot award
• 2008 RLIF Fullback of the Year
• 2008 RLIF Player of the Year
• 2008 RLW Player of the Year
• 2009 Clive Churchill Medal
• 2010 Dally M Rep Player of the Year
• 2010 Wally Lewis Medal
• 2011 Dally M Fullback of the Year
• 2011 Dally M Player of the Year
• 2011 RLIF Fullback of the Year
• 2011 RLIF Player of the Year

so much so that there's very much a reasonable argument to be made that Slater should be number 1 in the countdown. He's played 18 games for Australia scoring 18 tries, part of 5 Origin winning campaigns, 19 Origin appearances for 11 tries, and 224 NRL games all with Melbourne for 140 tries. Unsurprisingly, he's also a former NRL leading try scorer. 2012 saw Slater eclipse the great Rhys Wesser's 130 try mark to become the most prolific try scoring fullback the game has ever seen, and Slater shows little sign of slowing down. 

One of the all time great Origin tries

Slater is possibly the fastest player in the NRL across 20-30 metres, his acceleration may well be his best asset. He's certainly quick over a full field stretch also, though there are several in the competition who would have him beat, but over a short distance he's as quick as they come. This makes Slater ideal for the short over the top kicks that Smith and Cronk put through for him regularly, or for taking off once getting through a gap. His support play is again amongst the very best in the competition, and the acceleration pays huge dividends here also, maintaining a steady stride in support until he's hit with a pass and pins his ears back. His speed is so great over those short distances that often he has chewed off enough of the field that he can't be caught. That speed is accompanied by great agility, he's got a very useful step, but he's also very adept at swerving while he is running, turning defenders inside out in one on one situations, or getting himself into a position where he's given himself an ideal angle to turn the turbo on and take off. As the tackle bust stats show, he's very capable of shedding a tackle, despite being a small bloke at 178 and 89kg, the force he runs at defenders with when unleashing his acceleration lets him rip his way out of would be tacklers and he's another one of these slippery characters that manages to worm his way out of tackles also. While the blinding acceleration and the tries are the stand out features of his attacking game, what often gets underrated is his great ability as a ball player. Slater isn't one of these other fullbacks who shifts into the 6 jersey, but he makes his way into the attacking line and adds some very useful distribution skills as part of those so well rehearsed Melbourne attacking plays. This is reflected in the number of assists he managed to pile up even in a shortened year, he makes tries with his ability to break through the line and break tackles, but also with a very intelligent passing game that Melbourne makes full use of and add to that a useful little kicking game also. He's not going to navigate your team around the park with his boot, but he's got some great chips and grubbers that he can pull out when necessary which become a dangerous combination with his great line-speed to chase after those loose balls.

Slater with the "trick shot" 

While being one of the most incredible attacking players in the competition, Slater is also extremely valuable on defense. He, much like Barba, has become exceptionally skilled in the art of "try saving", getting under the ball, dislodging the ball, every little trick he can come up with to prevent someone putting the ball down over his line. Slater went through a stretch in his career where he really pushed this to the limits, often sliding in studs first at would be try scorers trying to knock the ball out of their hands, but his dangerous antics were stomped out. While it was considered dirty and dangerous, it still showed the type of creative, stopping the tries at all costs mentality that Slater takes to defense. He puts his body on the line, he'll throw himself into the path of some of the stampeding monsters in the game, and at the very least try to slow them down. Which leads on to my favourite thing about Billy Slater, this guy may just be the most fearless player in the competition. The way he leaps into the air to catch the high ball is one of the greatest spectacles in the competition, he makes you think you are watching a game of AFL. Once the ball is bombed up, Slater leaps into the air without a care in the world beyond bringing that ball down with him. He's taken some really heavy blows as a result, but he gets back up and does it again and again, regularly leaping over taller, stronger opponents. He isn't one of these guys who thinks about maybe batting the ball down, unless it's the intelligent play to make, he goes up to catch the ball. For all of these montage videos that are around on YouTube, someone should make one just based around Slater diffusing high balls, he's courageous, fearless and it's a remarkable site to behold.

Billy the Kid riding high again

That concludes number 5 in my countdown of the 30 best players in the NRL, hard to believe that tomorrow will be number 4. Wrapping up the final footy free Saturday night, we've nearly gone through our final footy free weekend. Check back in tomorrow for number 4, any comments or feedback message me on Twitter @WellsNorthShore 

6 sleeps to go

Down to just 6 more sleeps now, the last Rugby League free Friday night before the season kicks off. We've  even already had a team list released with the Broncos naming their outfit for their round one match up, which means finally we can start getting some confirmation on our Dream Team and Supercoach selections, bye bye Jordan Kahu who had been pencilled in on so many teams as one of the "cheap" options. Moving on with the countdown, everyone's favourite team finally makes an appearance...

#6 Cooper Cronk

It was of course only a matter of time until the big three started making their appearance in the countdown, and so it begins here with the 29 year old Storm halfback. 2012 marked the best year in Cronk's career. He lead the NRL in kicks in play with 348, 33 more than the next placed Jarrod Mullen, and  of course was part of Melbourne's Grand Final victory, picking up the Clive Churchill Medal in the process as Melbourne's best player in the final. His fabulous efforts were celebrated at the Dally M awards where he picked up the Dally M Halfback of the year award for the second consecutive year and third time overall. Just to cap off his great season in the purple jersey, he picked up the man of the match award in Melbourne's World Club Challenge victory over Leeds Rhinos. On the representative stage, Cronk started both games in the 7 jumper for Australia's defeats of New Zealand. After earning 6 straight Origin appearances on the bench for Queensland, the retirement of Darren Lockyer finally opened the door for the patient Cronk, and with Thurston moving into five-eighth, Cronk finally was rewarded with the number 7 maroon jersey, starting all three games for Queensland, and kicking the field goal that gave Queensland a 21-20 victory in the deciding Origin game 3. The best player in the NRL in his position, the best player on the field in the Grand Final, the best player on the field in the World Club Challenge, a clutch Origin series winning field goal, it doesn't get much better than that.

Cooler than the other side of the pillow

While the trio of Cronk, Smith and Slater are referred to as the "big three' there always seemed to be a feeling that Smith and Slater were the more important or better of the two, to the point where I felt Cronk often was underrated. Sure, he benefits from playing with Smith and Slater, but they benefit from playing with him also, as does everyone in the Melbourne side. 2012 really felt like the coming out year for Cronk, even at the age of 29. While Smith and Slater had been regular star Origin and Australian representatives, 2012 was the year that Cronk became a permanent starting fixture alongside them. The stats that Cronk dominated give a great indication of his role in the side, the kicks in play and the try assists. Cronk has really developed into the pivot for Melbourne, he steers the ship around, in conjunction with the delivery from Smith at dummy half. Cronk's boot navigates Melbourne up and down the field, and what a great boot he has. So much power, and yet seems to be able to drop the ball on a 10 cent coin, he's a constant threat to pull off a 40-20 and he has the temperament to look for them at just the right time. His kicking game is the best in the NRL, his barrage of chips over the top for running through Storm players (more often than not Billy Slater), the great bombs he launches up, the tactical grubbers into the ingoal, the cross-field kicks that are always on point, Cronk kicks the ball with more accuracy and precision than most players can pass it.  He's one of the most intelligent players in the NRL, unsurprisingly he can regularly be seen in conversation with Smith making decisions on the field, integral to the structured, methodical attacking gameplan that Melbourne plays with.

The "Cooper Cronk special"

At 178cm and 88kg, Cronk is a relatively small guy, at least by NRL standards, but he doesn't shy away on defense. While he's by no means a defensive force, he is good for around 15-20 tackles a game and he is pretty reliable with his tackling, he doesn't miss too many. He isn't a physical or athletic freak, he has good speed but isn't among the fastest on the paddock, he can pull off a step but he is no Benji Marshall, and he is pretty strong for a halfback. But there is some flash, some "razzle dazzle" to Cronk's game, but it comes not on the back of athletic ability, but instead from his ability to think and make decisions that few in the NRL are capable of. The inside pass he makes so often, and is seen in the video above, is the go to piece of flash in Cronk's game and it's so effective, it is where so many of his try assists come from particularly to a lurking Billy Slater. While his body is yet to show the effects of a career spanning 210 games for the Storm, his mind very much does. Playing alongside the methodical, cerebral Cameron Smith and under Craig Bellamy has clearly worn off on him. He, so much like Smith, is often robotic in his approach to the game, he steps onto the field, makes all the right decisions and gets the job done in a calculated, business like fashion. 

Check back in tomorrow for number 5, this day next week you'll finally be enjoying a great evening of Friday  Nighty Footy, much to your partners delight! Thanks Super Rugby, it was fun while it lasted. Comments, suggestions, criticisms, find me on Twitter @WellsNorthShore