Top 50 NRL stars under 23: The biggest snubs and shock omissions

The NRL’s riches of young talent has forced the shock omissions of a long list household names. See who missed the cut for the top 50 here!

Top 50 NRL stars under 23: The biggest snubs and shock omissions revealed.

Spencer Leniu might be Penrith’s best young prop forward but his bench mate, Lindsay Smith, is quickly closing the gap on the back of a breakout season.

Smith’s form in 2023 made him a difficult omission from this mastehad’s NRL’s top-50 best players aged 23 and under list - along with the likes of boom Brisbane back-rower Brendan Piakura and highly rated Roosters youngster Siua Wong, who also didn’t make the cut.

In a pack boasting James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and Leniu, Smith, 23, has risen to the occasion as a vital cog in Ivan Cleary’s engine room rotation thanks to his go forward from the bench.

At Red Hill, Piakura, 21, has shown his NRL pedigree after coming into Kevin Walters’ side as cover for the injured back-rower Jordan Riki, who was No.23 on the list.

Destined to feature in the top-50, Piakura’s hard running and aggressive defence will be put to the test in Saturday’s blockbuster clash against fierce rivals North Queensland.

SEE OUR TOP 50 LIST HERE

Rising edge forward Brendan Piakura’s from is demanding selection in Kevin Walters’ side.

The highly touted Wong will also get his shot on the edge, his preferred position, for the Roosters against Manly on Thursday night.

A hulking back-rower, Wong, 20, has the size and physicality to be a genuine threat for the Roosters.

Jeremiah Nanai, No.6 on the list, is the cream of the Cowboys’ back-row crop, but the likes of Heilum Luki and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki are on the verge of cracking the top-50.

Luki’s season has been hampered by injury, while Finefeuiaki, 19, is displaying all the hallmarks of a destructive edge forward but missed out due to limited minutes in his 10 appearances this year.

The field of outside backs was as competitive as the big men in the engine room.

There was no room in the top-50 for highly touted speedsters like Canberra’s Xavier Savage, 21, and Manly’s Kaeo Weekes, 21.

A teen freak, Savage’s NRL career has stalled at the Raiders, where he has fallen behind Seb Kris in the fullback ranks.

Weekes, a prolific try scorer in the junior ranks, has struggled to hold down a spot in the NRL side but his upside as a genuine strike weapon is undeniable.

St George Illawarra playmaker Jayden Sullivan edged out five-eighth Talatua Amone, 21.

The Dragons local junior’s greatest strength is his running game but needs to find more consistency to crack the list.

Dragons five-eighth Talatau Amone did make the cut.

While there were countless individual snubs in the top-50 best only one NRL club missed out entirely - the New Zealand Warriors.

The Warriors are in the midst of a resurgence under first-time head coach Andrew Webster, but their spot near the top of the ladder has mostly been driven by experience.

Halfback Shaun Johnson, 32, hooker Wayde Egan, 26, fullback Charnze Nicholl-Klokstad, 28 and form forwards Addin Fonua-Blake, 27 and Tohu Harris, 31 have all been in career best form.

But one youngster, Rocco Berry, did come into consideration for the list. Berry, the son of former All Black Marty Berry, is starting to show the potential that once made him a rookie to watch.

A foot injury in the pre-season has limited him to just eight games in 2023 but the 22-year-old has cemented his place at left centre, where his passing game has seen him create seven try assists already this season.

Others like Ronald Volkman, 21, Freddy Lussick, 22, and Ali Leiataua, 20, are also showing promise.

Originally published as Top 50 NRL stars under 23: The biggest snubs and shock omissions