Vote for The Daily Telegraph People's Choice Award nominees for 2025
Now that the State of Origin series are completed, it's over to you to decide who you believe has been the best player for the Blues' men's and women's teams this year.
Voting is now open for The Daily Telegraph People's Choice Award for 2025. The winners of the awards will be announced at the Brad Fittler Medal night later this year.
Last season, you voted Jaime Chapman and Angus Crichton as the people's champions. This year, we have five more worthy finalists for both the men and women, in what's sure to be a closely run race.
MEN
DYLAN EDWARDS
Fullback
Games: 3
Never stopped the entire series. Scored the game-sealing try in game one, put in a typically lung-busting effort in Perth, and ran for 236m in game three when the Blues were on the back foot, throwing the final pass for Zac Lomax's try.
BRIAN TO'O
Winger
Games: 3
Scored five tries to equal the all-time record for a series alongside Ryan Girdler (2000) and Lote Tuqiri (2002). To'o continued his ridiculously good carries, keeping his average running metres above 200. His 644m was the eighth-most all time, solidifying what we already knew – he's such a weapon for the Blues. And he did it while carrying an injury.
STEPHEN CRICHTON
Centre
Games: 3
The best defensive centre in the competition. He bravely held down the Blues' edge by himself in game one when Brian To'o was sin-binned. He also scored tries, set them up and generally created attacking opportunities when the ball came his way throughout the series.
PAYNE HAAS
Prop
Games: 3
Big forward with a bigger engine. Haas was man of the match in game one in a match he dominated. In an arena where metres are at a premium and it's hard to gain the advantage, Haas averaged 125m a game as the Blues' main man, and busted 13 tackles.
LIAM MARTIN
Second row
Games: 3
The Blues' talisman and a constant target for Queenslanders. If he wasn't putting shots on Cameron Munster or Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, he was tracking back when he had every right to run out of steam. Martin made 42 tackles in game one as he rattled the Maroons into submission. Followed it up with 37 tackles in the decider despite a right hand injury, which stunted his ferocity somewhat.
WOMEN
ABBI CHURCH
Fullback
Games: 3
What an introduction to Origin as the Eels star more than justified her selection. Church finished her Origin debut in game one with 15 runs for 130m, six tackle busts, a try, a try assist and linebreak assist.
She was a brilliant attacking threat from the back, finishing with 15 tackle busts and more than 300 running metres for the series.
JESSE SOUTHWELL
Halfback
Games: 3
Hard to believe she's only 20. Southwell's Blues recall – 12 months after being dropped – will go down in Origin folklore. Her pinpoint kicking game – both long and short – was sublime throughout the series.
The ultra-competitive halfback produced two try assists and three linebreak assists as NSW hammered Queensland in game one, and directed the Blues around the park in game two to stamp her return to the Origin arena.
ISABELLE KELLY
Centre
Games: 3
The new Blues captain was simply a beast this series. She earned player of the match honours in game one, scoring a try and terrorising the Maroons' edge. Kelly was equally as damaging as she led the Blues to a series victory in game two. She averaged 127m a game, with the only blemish when she dived over to score in the dead rubber, but the ball never touched the ground because it because it was pressed against her own right forearm.
OLIVIA KERNICK
Lock
Games: 3
NSW's player of the series, Kernick was unstoppable in game two in particular. She scored two tries, set another one up beautifully for Simaima Taufa, ran for almost 200m and busted 10 tackles along the way to wrap up the series for NSW. The fact she did it in driving rain was even more impressive.
SIMAIMA TAUFA
Prop
Games: 3
A devastating force in the middle for the Blues. Taufa ran for 123m in game one and 116m in game two, in just 40 minutes each time.
The Raiders prop kept NSW rolling forward, helping set up both wins to secure the series, and even crashed over for a try in game two.
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