Tom Trbojevic

Trbojevic became the third player in Manly history behind Cliff Lyons (1990 and 1994) and Matt Orford (2008) to win the award in a record-breaking year.

The Sea Eagles star polled 35 points, the second-highest count in rugby league history, ahead of Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary (30) and Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker (29).

Trbojevic’s teammate Daly Cherry-Evans and Roosters fullback James Tedesco (both 23) rounded out the top five.

His captain Daly Cherry-Evans thinks it's premature to put Trbojevic alongside players like Melbourne's Australian fullback Billy Slater or Manly's legendary No.1 Brett Stewart – also a former Test fullback.

"He's always willing to learn. He's so young into his career," Cherry-Evans said Thursday.

"We all forget he's just three years playing NRL, so I won't be putting too much pressure into comparisons of where he stands right now or where he stands with past greats at fullback for Manly.

The 20-year-old first picked up the injury during the 2016 pre-season and aggravated it in the Anzac Day win over the Knights. Ideally he would have had it operated it on, but given Manly's horror injury toll, Trbojevic valiantly fought through the pain to see out the year before eventually going under the knife at season's end.