This year's resurrection of The People's Choice Group 10 Team Of The Year continues with the locks, the middle men that are so often the linchpin to a side's performances on both sides of the ball.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Group 10 player-of-the-year is among this bunch but it's a stellar cast surrounding him too, so this decision might not be as clear-cut as you think.
Cast your vote for one of our experts' five nominees, or add your own.
- READ MORE: Vote for the best props of 2019
- READ MORE: Vote for the best hooker of 2019
- READ MORE: Vote for the best second-rowers of 2019
1 CASEY BURGESS (Mudgee Dragons)
He's most damaging in defence of this group of nominees and provided a hostile, imposing figure in the middle of the park on both sides of the ball for the entire season, playing all 19 games for the beaten grand finalists.
His combination with brother Chanse paid plenty of dividends for the Dragons this year and both them saved their best performances for last in the Dragons' gutting, 9-8 grand final loss to Panthers.
After a massive season, Casey was definitely in the discussion for the Dave Scott Medal that day and may well have clinched it had Mudgee won.
Deservedly claimed the Dragons' player-of-the-year gong.
2 NATHAN POTTS (Orange Hawks)
Won Group 10 player-of-the-year, finally earning the recognition this desk's been arguing he's deserved since moving into Hawks' premier league side.
Let's move on, nothing more needs to be said.
3 MICK HAWKINGS (Bathurst St Pat's)
One of St Pat's best this year and by a long way, in a side that battled he was a constant force through the middle, once again proving his class as one of Group 10's best forwards.
There's no fuss about the way he does his business, runs for plenty of metres and makes his tackles - plenty of them this year too - and just about wins the contact in every contest, either side of the ball.
The type of lock any side would be pleased to have.
4 BLAKE FITZPATRICK (Oberon Tigers)
One of the best in a stellar cast of middle men here, for us Fitzpatrick was certainly in the conversation for Oberon's best in 2019, his style of play was a big point of difference compared to a number of the no frills locks across Group 10.
A former fullback and an excellent one at that, the speed, elusiveness and support play he brought from custodian to the No.13 jersey was a massive asset for the Tigers this year and he provided another option as a spark in attack because of that.
5 JAKE BETTS (Bathurst Panthers)
Sadly missed Panthers' 2018 premiership win with a broken leg but after a long road to recovery he returned this year and showed no signs of that gutting injury, playing 18 games and scoring a handful of tries along the way.
Although he's undersized in this competition that did nothing to stop his impact and aside from his consistently excellent defensive efforts, his ability to create something from nothing with ball in hand was a highlight and a massive factor in Panthers' campaign.
Celebrated his 100th top grade appearance this season and was arguably best on ground in that win over Hawks, and was able to celebrate a premiership win with his brother Jedd, a fitting end to a strong year.
