There are so many great forwards in the NRL and so many guys I really respect, it's hard to narrow it down when I'm asked to nominate 10 of the toughest and best players I've played with and against.
Being a frontrower, I suppose I gravitate towards the game's big men but I'm also full of admiration for players who play above their weight and put their bodies on the line week after week without any thought for their own welfare.
When you talk toughness, skill and in some cases, outstanding futures, I reckon this list covers it pretty well.
1. Jason Taumalolo
He is just a game-breaker. He comes up with 250 metres just about every week and his influence is enormous. He is scary to come up against because he can tear you apart with his great footwork and he just keeps coming at you all game because of his great motor. He's probably somewhere between 115-120 kgs and is a big ball of muscle who is hard to tackle.
2. Jesse Bromwich
I've always liked the way he plays footy and have a lot of respect for him. He's got great feet, he can off-load, his defense is really good and just his consistency sets him apart because he never has an off day.
3. Josh Papalii
If you are going to run at him, you better run with all you've got or he'll cut you in half. I've played with him, he's a great defender and I've got just so much respect for him as well. Like Taumalolo, he is a ball of muscle and with the footy, while he might not look like he's coming at you hard, it's like tackling a brick.
4. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
Every time I've come up against him, he's always come out to try and bash you and own the field and I've always liked going up against the Roosters to come up against him because in my time, he's been one of the toughest players to play rugby league. He's a great competitor and I've always loved the challenge of playing against him.
5. Jake Trbojevic
I've played with and against Jakey since I was a kid and he's always been a great competitor and a great allround footballer. He's changed the game for a forward because he's a halfback in a big man's body with the skill to go with it but he can also suit up and tough it out as well when he runs the footy. Defensively, he's like Papalii because he can rattle rib cages the way he hits. He's got me good a few times.
6. Payne Haas
An amazing talent with a huge future in the game and a long representative career ahead of him. He's a 20-year-old who has already played Origin and for his country. He's got a great attitude, a great head on his shoulders, a massive motor and the world at his feet. I can't give this bloke a bigger wrap.
7. Daniel Saifiti
You only have to look how far DSaf has come in the past 12 months to realise where he is capable of getting to. The first two games this year, I think he really owned our forward pack and whether it is self-belief or whatever it is, he's definitely found something inside because he is not only attacking with the football, he is attacking with his defence. He's only 23 and I think he's only just learning what he can do with his body. He and Payne are the new crop that are going to dominate into the future.
8. Dale Finucane
I've always respected the bloke because of his toughness but he's always been under-rated in my book. Last year, he finally got some recognition with his Origin selection and it was thoroughly deserved because he's been waiting a long time to play in that arena. When you play against him, you know you are in for a tough day at the office because he is in your face and just keeps whacking you.
9. Mitch Barnett
I love how aggressive he is and I reckon he has rep footy written all over him. Probably the back end of last year when we were going like busteds, Barney was one of the only blokes to really stand up for us. He's a fantastic player, he's passionate, he's hungry and I love playing alongside of him because he rips heads off. He was in for a big year so it's disappointing the way things have panned out for him but he won't look out of place in any rep side in the future.
10. Josh Jackson
Not the biggest bloke around but no-one plays with more heart and his leadership at the Dogs is right up there with the best in the competition. He's a great competitor, he's super passionate and puts his body on the line with every run and every tackle he makes.
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