2023 NRL Fans' Choice Player of the Year

[The Greenhouse]

2023 NRL Fans' Choice Player of the Year



To vote each week... check the Canberra Raiders board for the weekly voting thread

2023 Fans' Choice Player of the Year

Total points

Matt Timoko - 18
Jordan Rapana – 18
Corey Horsburgh - 17
Joe Tapine - 17
Jamal Fogarty – 16
Seb Kris - 16
Josh Papalii - 10
Corey Harawira-Naera - 4
Tom Starling - 4
Hudson Young - 4
Nick Cotric - 3
Jarrod Croker - 3
Emre Guler - 3
Albert Hopoate – 3
Jack Wighton - 3
Zac Woolford - 3
Ethan Strange - 2



Round by round voting

Round 27 v Sharks

3 – Jordan Rapana
2 – Jack Wighton
1 – Jamal Fogarty

Round 27 votes

60 – Jordan Rapana
15 – Jack Wighton
14 – Jamal Fogarty
12 – Hohepa Puru
12 – Matt Timoko
11 – Trey Mooney
5 – Seb Kris
4 – Tom Starling
2 – Zac Woolford
1 – Nick Cotric
1 – Elliott Whitehead

Round 26 v Broncos

3 - Nick Cotric
2 - Jamal Fogarty
1 - Joe Tapine

Round 26 votes

55 - Nick Cotric
54 - Jamal Fogarty
35 - Joe Tapine
28 - Elliott Whitehead
18 - Corey Horsburgh
10 - Josh Papalii
4 - Jordan Rapana
1 - Matt Timoko

Round 25 v Bulldogs

3 - Jordan Rapana
2 - Josh Papalii
1 - Matt Timoko

Round 25 votes

129 - Jordan Rapana
44 - Josh Papalii
39 - Matt Timoko
22 - Corey Horsburgh
19 - Nick Cotric
16 - Joe Tapine
2 - Jarrod Croker
1 - Tom Starling

Round 24 v Storm

3 - Corey Horsburgh
2 - Ethan Strange
1 - Josh Papalii

Round 24 votes

36 - Corey Horsburgh
15 - Ethan Strange
13 - Josh Papalii
8 - Joe Tapine
6 - Jamal Fogarty
4 - Ata Mariota
3 - Zac Woolford
2 - Emre Guler
2 - Adrian Trevilyan
2 - Jack Wighton
1 - Albert Hopoate

Round 23 v Tigers

3 - Jordan Rapana
2 - Seb Kris
1 - Corey Horsburgh

Round 23 votes

107 - Jordan Rapana
71 - Seb Kris
36 - Corey Horsburgh
25 - Joe Tapine
18 - Hudson Young
13 - Josh Papalii
11 - Jamal Fogarty
9 - Nick Cotric
5 - Jack Wighton
2 - Albert Hopoate
1 - Emre Gular
1 - Matt Timoko
1 - Adrian Trevilyan

Round 22 v Knights

3 - Seb Kris
2 - Jordan Rapana
1 - Jack Wighton

Round 22 votes

43 - Seb Kris
28 - Jordan Rapana
17 - Jack Wighton
9 - Joe Tapine
6 - Josh Papalii
3 - Ata Mariota
2 - Matt Timoko

Round 21 v Warriors

3 - Seb Kris
2 - Matt Timoko
1 - Josh Papalii

Round 21 votes

51 - Seb Kris
48 - Matt Timoko
47 - Josh Papalii
44 - Joe Tapine
27 - Jordan Rapana
4 - Albert Hopoate
3 - Jamal Fogarty
3 - Corey Horsburgh
3 - Pasami Saulo
2 - Hudson Young
1 - Jarrod Croker
1 - Tom Starling

Round 19 v Dragons

3 - Matt Timoko
2 - Joe Tapine
1 - Jamal Fogarty

Round 19 votes

198 - Matt Timoko
79 - Joe Tapine
68 - Jamal Fogarty
51 - Seb Kris
15 - Jordan Rapana
13 - Zac Woolford
5 - Elliott Whitehead
4 - Jarrod Croker
3 - Hudson Young
2 - Jack Wighton
1 - Matt Frawley
1 - Trey Mooney

Round 18 v Titans

3 - Joe Tapine
2 - Albert Hopoate
1 - Jordan Rapana

Round 18 votes

95 - Joe Tapine
46 - Albert Hopoate
25 - Jordan Rapana
24 - Hudson Young
23 - Corey Horsburgh
19 - Matt Timoko
18 - Jamal Fogarty
14 - Seb Kris
5 - Ata Mariota
3 - Elliott Whitehead
1 - Jack Wighton

Round 17 v Roosters

3 - Jamal Fogarty
2 - Seb Kris
1 - Joe Tapine

Round 17 votes

187 - Jamal Fogarty
87 - Seb Kris
45 - Joe Tapine
33 - Jarrod Croker
26 - Corey Horsburgh
21- Albert Hopoate
13 - Jordan Rapana
6 - Zac Woolford
5 - Matt Timoko
4 - Emre Guler
2 - Jack Wighton
1 - Elliott Whitehead
1 - Hudson Young

Round 15 v Warriors

3 - Josh Papalii
2 - Joe Tapine
1 - Matt Timoko

Round 15 votes

69 - Josh Papalii
44 - Joe Tapine
12 - Matt Timoko
10 - Jordan Rapana
7 - Jarrod Croker
3 - Corey Horsburgh
1 - Elliott Whitehead
1 - Jack Wighton
1 - Zac Woolford

Round 14 v Tigers

3 - Jamal Fogarty
2 - Jordan Rapana
1 - Josh Papalii

Round 14 votes

204 - Jamal Fogarty
83 - Jordan Rapana
33 - Josh Papalii
28 - Joe Tapine
22 - Jack Wighton
16 - Matt Timoko
10 - Corey Horsburgh
7 - Ata Mariota
1 - Albert Hopoate
1 - Zac Woolford

Round 13 v Rabbitohs

3 - Corey Horsburgh
2 - Josh Papalii
1 - Joe Tapine

Round 13 votes

135 - Corey Horsburgh
124 - Josh Papalii
63 - Joe Tapine
61 - Albert Hopoate
29 - Jack Wighton
11 - Zac Woolford
4 - Pasami Saulo
3 - Jarrod Croker
2 - Corey Harawira-Naera

Round 12 v Sea Eagles

3 - Jarrod Croker
2 - Joe Tapine
1 - Albert Hopoate

Round 12 votes

27 - Jarrod Croker
22 - Joe Tapine
21 - Albert Hopoate
16 - Hudson Young
13 - Jamal Fogarty
12 - Josh Papalii
8 - Matt Timoko
6 - Corey Horsburgh
6 - Seb Kris
6 - Danny Levi
5 - Elliott Whitehead
1 - Ata Matiota

Round 11 v Eels

3 - Jamal Fogarty
2 - Matt Timoko
1 - Hudson Young

Round 11 votes

155 - Jamal Fogarty
146 - Matt Timoko
91 - Hudson Young
29 - Joe Tapine
6 - Sebastian Kris
5 - Albert Hopoate
5 - Jordan Rapana
5 - Emre Guler
5 - Jack Wighton
1 - Tom Starling

Round 10 v Bulldogs

3 - Corey Horsburgh
2 - Matt Timoko
1 - Jordan Rapana

Round 10 votes

243 - Corey Horsburgh
151 - Matt Timoko
60 - Jordan Rapana
36 - Hudson Young
14 - Josh Papalii
10 - Jamal Fogarty
7 - Jarrod Croker
5 - Seb Kris
5 - Jack Wighton
2 - Xavier Savage
2 - Zac Woolford
1 - Joe Tapine

Round 9 v Dolphins

3 - Seb Kris
2 - Jamal Fogarty
1 - Jordan Rapana

Round 9 votes

120 - Seb Kris
111- Jamal Fogarty
53 - Jordan Rapana
45 - Jack Wighton
22 -Josh Papalii
13 - Jarrod Croker
9 - Matt Timoko
6 - Corey Horsburgh
4 - Joe Tapine
1 - Tom Starling

Round 7 v Dragons

3 - Seb Kris
2 - Matt Timoko
1 - Hudson Young

Round 7 votes

179 - Seb Kris
168 - Matt Timoko
105 - Hudson Young
52 - Jamal Fogarty
17 - Jarrod Croker
12 - Corey Horsburgh
8 - Tom Starling
1 - Corey Harawira-Naera
1 - Albert Hopoate
1 - Josh Papalii

Round 6 v Broncos

3 - Corey Horsburgh
2 - Jordan Rapana
1 - Jamal Fogarty

Round 6 votes

157 - Corey Horsburgh
134 - Jordan Rapana
106 - Jamal Fogarty
23 - Jarrod Croker
16 - Zac Woolford
12 - Albert Hopoate
12 - Seb Kris
8 - Matt Timoko
5 - Josh Papalii
4 - Corey Harawira-Naera
3 - Emre Guler
3 - Hudson Young
2 - Elliott Whitehead

Round 5 v Panthers

3 - Zac Woolford
2 - Corey Harawira-Naera
1 - Hudson Young

Round 5 votes

34 - Zac Woolford
24 - Corey Harawira-Naera
21 - Hudson Young
18 - Joe Tapine
7 - Corey Horsburgh
7 - Elliott Whitehead
6 - Seb Kris
1 - Matt Frawley
1 - Albert Hopoate

Round 4 v Knights

3 - Matt Timoko
2 - Joe Tapine
1 - Hudson Young

Round 4 votes

25 - Matt Timoko
23 - Joe Tapine
21 - Hudson Young
14 - Corey Horsburgh
5 - Matt Frawley
5 - Corey Harawira-Naera
4 - Seb Kris
2 - Albert Hopoate
2 - Josh Papalii
1 - Emre Guler
1 - Tom Starling
1 - Jack Wighton

Round 3 v Sharks

3 - Corey Horsburgh
2 - Matt Timoko
1 - Tom Starling

Round 3 votes

198 - Corey Horsburgh
84 - Matt Timoko
51 - Tom Starling
24 - Seb Kris
21 - Jamal Fogarty
15 - Jack Wighton
14 - Albert Hopoate
9 -Joe Tapine
3 - Pasami Saulo
2 - Emre Guler
2 - Hudson Young

Round 2 v Dolphins

3 - Joe Tapine
2 - Corey Harawira-Naera
1 - Tom Starling

Round 2 votes

38 - Joe Tapine
35 - Corey Harawira-Naera
22 - Tom Starling
14 - Corey Horsburgh
14 - Elliott Whitehead
10 - Nic Cotric
5 - Matt Timoko
3 - Jamal Fogarty
3 - Danny Levi
3 - Jack Wighton
1 - Hudson Young

Round 1 v Cowboys

3 - Emre Guler
2 - Tom Starling
1 - Corey Horsburgh

Round 1 votes

48 - Emre Guler
40 - Tom Starling
37 - Corey Horsburgh
26 - Pasami Saulo
15 - Jack Wighton
12 - Matt Timoko
7 - Joseph Tapine
6 - Corey Harawira-Naera
3 - Danny Levi
3 - Jamal Fogarty
2 - Jordan Rapana
1 - Hudson Young
1 - Ata Mariota
1 - Sebastian Kris

2023 Finals

Finals Week 1 v Knights

3 – Jordan Rapana
2 – Ata Mariota
1 – Joe Tapine

Finals Week 1 votes

35 - Jordan Rapana
25 - Ata Mariota
22 - Joe Tapine
16 - Elliott Whitehead
9 - Jamal Fogarty
2 - Trey Mooney
2 - Jack Wighton
2 - Hudson Young
1 - Emre Guler

Total Votes

3 – Jordan Rapana
2 – Ata Mariota
1 – Joe Tapine

[The Greenhouse]

Matt Timoko and Jordan Rapana share the 2023 Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Player of the Year



Matt Timoko and Jordan Rapana are the joint winners of the Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Player of the Year for 2023. They also share the title of Back of the Year. Jordan Rapana has now won the trophy three times. He shared the award with Nick Cotric in 2017 and took it out himself in 2021. This is the first trophy win for Matt Timoko.

Rapana made a late charge in the voting, winning the man of the match in the final round of the regular season - the loss to the Sharks. He picked up three man of the match awards in the final five rounds - including the late season wins over the Tigers and Bulldogs. Timoko was twice man of the match - the Round 4 clash with the Knights and the Round 19 win over the Dragons. He picked up points in nine matches, as did Rapana.

Timoko and Rapana are at very different stages of their careers. Rapana is the 34 year old veteran, who has just clocked up 200 NRL games and scored his 100th try for the Green Machine. Timoko is the 23 year old young gun, just coming into his peak years as a centre. Both have clearly been the Raiders' best attacking strike weapons this year.

They were the equal top try scorers for the Raiders in 2023 - with 11 tries apiece. Both have 12 line breaks to their name, ranked equal first at the club. Timoko has made 105 tackle breaks and Rapana 71 - ranked first and second for the Raiders.

No Raider has produced more running metres than Timoko this season. He has averaged 143 running metres per match. Rapana ranks fifth in that department (110 on average per match). Rapana has eight try assists, behind only Jamal Fogarty and Jack Wighton. Timoko has produced 19 offloads, which was the best amongst the backs.



Corey Horsburgh and Joseph Tapine are joint winners of the Fans' Choice Forward of the Year. Tapine, 29, was the Fans' Choice Player of the Year in 2022, winning the trophy by a record margin. He came close to picking up the award two years in a row, but fell short of the winners by just one point. He ranked second at the club for running metres, and first amongst the Canberra forwards - averaging 139 metres gained per match. He was also first among the forwards for tackle breaks (58) and third at the Green Machine for average tackles per game (29).

Horsburgh, 25, made his State of Origin debut for the Queensland Maroons this season - and has been in the best form of his career. In recent years, his preseason preparations have been affected by injury. But he had a clear run this year, and it has shown on field. The move to lock has been good for him too. He has averaged more tackles per match than any Raider (34) - for a 94 per cent tackle efficiency rate. He's also averaged 94 running metres per game, behind only Joe Tapine and Josh Papalii among the Raiders forwards.

The Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Player of the Year has been awarded since 2004, with the inaugural winner being Ruben Wiki. Josh Papalii holds the record for most trophies - four. Other winners have included Alan Tongue, Terry Campese, Shaun Fensom, Jarrod Croker and Josh Hodgson. The award, sponsored by The Greenhouse Canberra Raiders supporters site, is voted on by the fans on line, who give 3-2-1 points to the best players each week. The Player of the Year receives a crystal trophy from The Greenhouse.

2023 Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice

Fans' Choice Player of the Year: Matt Timoko, Jordan Rapana
Forward of the Year: Corey Horsburgh, Joseph Tapine
Back of the Year: Matt Timoko, Jordan Rapana

Final leader board:

Matt Timoko - 18
Jordan Rapana – 18
Corey Horsburgh - 17
Joseph Tapine - 17
Jamal Fogarty – 16
Seb Kris - 16
Josh Papalii - 10
Corey Harawira-Naera - 4
Tom Starling - 4
Hudson Young - 4
Nick Cotric - 3
Jarrod Croker - 3
Emre Guler - 3
Albert Hopoate – 3
Jack Wighton - 3
Zac Woolford - 3
Ethan Strange - 2

Previous winners:

2022 Joseph Tapine
2021 Jordan Rapana
2020 Josh Papalii, Jack Wighton, Elliott Whitehead, George Williams
2019 Josh Papalii
2018 Josh Papalii
2017 Jordan Rapana, Nick Cotric
2016 Josh Papalii
2015 Josh Hodgson
2014 Jarrod Croker
2013 Jarrod Croker
2012 Shaun Fensom, Blake Ferguson
2011 Shaun Fensom
2010 Josh Dugan
2009 Josh Dugan
2008 Terry Campese
2007 Alan Tongue
2006 Alan Tongue
2005 Jason Smith (Clinton Schifcofske finished on equal points, with Jason Smith declared winner on countback)
2004 Ruben Wiki