NRL 2025 Rookie of the Year contenders: Sydney Roosters dominating Dally M race
The race for the Dally M Rookie Of The Year award is shaping up as one of the most hotly contested fields in recent seasons - and one club is dominating the contenders list. Vote for your rookie of the year HERE!
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The race for the Dally M Rookie Of The Year award is shaping up as one of the most hotly contested fields in recent seasons.
A slew of Roosters rookies dominate the pack including code-hopper Mark Nawaqanitawase, who was pushing for Origin selection, and Queensland-born Robert Toia, who was a bolter earning a Maroons call-up after just 10 NRL games.
Across the ditch, barnstorming back rower Leka Halasima is a hot favourite to become the Warriors’ first Dally M rookie of the year winner.
We take a look at some of the top contenders after 16 rounds of action and take a look at the numbers they racked up on Code Sports Stats.
* A player is eligible for the rookie of the year in their debut season and the subsequent two NRL seasons but once a player plays five NRL games, they become ineligible for the honour. A player is also ineligible for the award if they have received a two-match or longer suspension. The suspension rule has rubbed South Sydney’s Lachlan Hubner out of the race this year.
NRL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS
ISAIAH IONGI - PARRAMATTA EELS
Contract Status: end of 2027
Games: 14
If there was one performance that vindicated Jason Ryles’ decision to let go of fullback Clint Gutherson, it was Iongi’s showing against the Titans last Sunday. With halves Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown missing, Iongi took the game by the scruff of the neck to finish with 168 metres, six tackle busts, two linebreaks and three try assists. Stuck behind Dylan Edwards at Penrith, Iongi only managed one game last year but he’s shown no signs of any teething issues in his first full season in the NRL.
SAVELIO TAMALE - CANBERRA RAIDERS
Contract Status: end of 2026
Games: 14
It’s hard to believe Tamale struggled to get a start at the Dragons but easy to see why the Raiders have kicked off contract talks before the youngster hits the open market in four months. Tamale’s knee injury (Round 26) has all but scuttled his chances for the rookie of the year gong after surging to an early favourite. A powerhouse out of yardage, Tamale was only second to James Tedesco for tackle breaks before his injury and averaged 145 metres per game. Defensively, he was only missing one tackle per game on average.
MARK NAWAQANITAWASE - SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Contract Status: end of 2026
Games: 12
Any doubts about rugby convert Nawaqanitawase’s ability to make a successful transition into the NRL were dead and buried the moment he used his strength, speed and skill to beat two Bulldogs defenders and the sideline twice to score one of the best tries ever scored in either code. At 11 tries from 12 games, he’s proven an accomplished finisher and only Ryan Papenhuyzen has scored more tries this year. There’s a knock on his error rate but at 19 so far this year, he has made as many as Iongi.
LEKA HALASIMA - NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Contract Status: end of 2029
Games: 14
Halasima is giving Roosters young gun Blake Steep a real run for their money as the NRL’s best emerging forward. Already a powerhouse, Halasima boasts a mean right hand fend, which was out in full force in Round 4 as he charged down the sideline swatting away Tigers defenders to score the match winning try. He’s still only playing around 53 minutes per game but is averaging 83 metres, numbers that will only improve over time.
ROBERT TOIA - SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Contract Status: end of 2027
Games: 12
He might have been an Origin bolter but there is nothing surprising about Toia being a hot favourite in the race for rookie of the year. Toia has overcome two ACL injuries and broken jaw to cement a starting centre spot, where not only his power but skill have come to the fore. As well as his try and line breaks assists, he’s had nine try involvements and 10 linebreak causes in just 12 games.
HUGO SAVALA - SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Contract Status: end of 2026
Games: 12
Not many would have had Savala as a rookie of the year contender at the start of the year but the 23-year-old has burst onto the scene with a string of composed and controlled performances in the No.7. The towering halfback, who stands at 193 centimetres, has an impressive long kicking game and is averaging over 330 kick metres per game.
JAMIE HUMPHREYS - SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Contract Status: end of 2026
Games: 11
Humphreys is the bargain buy that has all but resigned $750,000-a-year halfback Lewis Dodd to reserve grade. He’s had a season punctuated with injury but won’ six of his first seven games for the club before the victories dried out for the Rabbitohs over the last month. Humphreys has a decent kicking game and is a solid defender but unless he can help turn around South Sydney’s fortunes, the likes of Savala have streaked ahead of him in the rookie of the year race.
BLAKE STEEP - SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Contract Status: end of 2026
Games: 14
His toughness already has Steep drawing comparisons to Roosters forward legend Boyd Cordner. In a breakout game in Round 11, Steep ran for 138 metres, made four tackle busts, three offloads and set up a try. For a young forward, there are arguably no better defenders with a tackle efficiency at almost 98 per cent, while he is only missing 1.1 tackles per game.
OWEN PATTIE - CANBERRA RAIDERS
Contract Status: end of 2028
Games: 15
The form of Tom Starling has limited Pattie to just an average of 20 minutes per game but the Queenslander’s probing work from dummy half has helped set up three tries. He also has an astute kicking game and nailed two 40/20 kicks so far this season. The Biloela Panthers junior is already earmarked as a future successor to Harry Grant in the No.9 Maroons jumper. His combination with Starling looks set to lockout new recruit Knights hooker Jayden Brailey in 2026.
KITIONE KAUTOGA - PARRAMATTA EELS
Contract Status: end of 2026
Games: 13
Landed at Parramatta via the Tigers and Bulldogs, Kautoga is the quiet achiever of this year’s rookie of the year cohort. The 22-year-old was stuck in NSW Cup at Belmore but is now a mainstay in Jason Ryles’ pack where he has emerged as 80 minute back rower, averaging 76 minutes in 2025. While he can find an offload, he can be guilty of pushing a pass, and has missed 41 tackles. But Kautoga has flourished under Jason Ryles and will only get better with each game.
HAMISH STEWART - ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Contract Status: end of 2026
Games: 12
Stewart is one of the many young talented forwards at the Dragons including Loko Pasifiki Tonga and Dylan Egan, who would have been another serious rookie of the year contender if not for an ACL injury earlier this year. A more mobile forward, Stewart is making a name for himself as a gritty workhorse and was even invited into NSW Origin camp in game one to run an opposed session with the Blues.
Honourable mentions: Benaiah Ioelu (Roosters), Loko Pasifiki Tonga (Dragons), Robert Derby (Cowboys)
FATIMA’S CLUBHOUSE LEADERS
1. Mark Nawaqanitawase
2. Robert Toia
3. Leka Halasima
4. Isaiah Iongi
5. Blake Steep
Originally published as NRL 2025 Rookie of the Year contenders: Sydney Roosters dominating Dally M race
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