Wests Tigers centre Esan Marsters has been recognised by his peers as one of the finest young players in the game by selection in the 2018 Players' 13 Dream Team.
The Wests Tigers Best New Talent of 2018 was named in the illustrious team at The Players Champion Award this evening, which recognises the best talent in the game as voted on by the players.
The 22-year-old was one of just two players to play every game for Wests Tigers this season — a remarkable feat for the powerful centre in his first full season of first-grade.
Having inked a contract extension with the club early in the year, Marsters went on to record an impressive season that included three tries, seven try-assists, nine linebreaks and 67 tackle breaks.
No back in the NRL made more offloads than Marsters (49) during the regular season.
Marsters proud of first full season
Despite never kicking in the junior grades, Marsters took over the goal kicking on a full-time basis for Wests Tigers in Round 2 — going on to record 56 goals at a 76.71% conversion rate.
Marsters also became the 11th Wests Tigers player to debut for New Zealand when he made a strong international debut for the Kiwis in the mid-year Denver Test against England, and has been named in the extended squad for New Zealand's end-of-season Trans Tasman Test against Australia.
The Wests Tigers talent was voted at centre alongside Roosters flyer Latrell Mitchell — beating out a number of strong contenders for the spot including James Roberts, Euan Aitken and Will Chambers.
Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga capped off his brilliant season by taking out the Players' Champion Award, while Roosters forward Victor Radley was named the Rookie of the Year. North Queensland Cowboys forward Jason Taumalolo was named the Representative Player of the Year following his time with Tonga.
THE PLAYERS' 13 DREAM TEAM
1. Kalyn Ponga (Newcastle Knights)
2. Valentine Holmes (Cronulla Sharks)
3. Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters)
4. Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers)
5. Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos)
6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
7. Jonathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys)
8. Andrew Fifita (Cronulla Sharks)
9. Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm)
11. Viliame Kikau (Penrith Panthers)
12. Tariq Sims (St. George-Illawarra Dragons)
13. Jake Trbojevic (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
