KEY POINTS:
The bulk of the NRL finals games and the grand final are likely to be close and hard-fought affairs, with perhaps one or two super-slick moves performed by a star player deciding things.
These moments of magical quality are only produced by a small percentage of the 400 players in the 25-man squads at each of the 16 teams.
They are produced by players that, were you selecting a side, you'd have in there straight away - the sort you would rather have on your side than play against.
All have some things in common: they are mostly error-free, they never have a bad game, they exhibit supreme determination and they hate losing.
Not all are superstars in the athletic sense but all are capable of plays that can break a game wide open and the few who are not way above
average in ball-handling skills earn big breaks by their work ethic.
These are the most important players in the playoff series, the ones with the X-factor that sets them above the pack.
Billy Slater - Melbourne Storm
Explosive is the only word. An excitement machine every time he gets the ball with space, Slater has an incredible ability to regather loose ball.
Cameron Smith - Melbourne Storm
A calm leader who is game-smart and the best dummy-half in the NRL which means Melbourne's forwards get the best roll-on. An accurate field kicker and kicks goals.
Greg Inglis - Melbourne Storm
An extraordinary talent, like no other player. Inglis has every skill in the game. Big and fast.
Israel Folau - Melbourne Storm
Bigger, faster, a lengthy fend and huge thighs make him tough to tackle. Height and power make him a good finisher
Braith Anasta - Sydney Roosters
His field-kicking game is brilliant when he's given the time and space by the big Roosters pack. A good runner in traffic.
Anthony Tupou - Sydney Roosters
Amongst the best second rowers in the NRL, Tupou is a great support player and has good speed for a forward.
Anthony Minichiello - Sydney Roosters
Has had an injury-impaired season but he entered last weekend's pressure game against St George and looked every bit the test fullback he is, and bagged a trademark try to underline that.
Brett Kimmorley - Cronulla Sharks
Has a heap of experience and plenty of it - of failure so he knows what it takes to win. Great field-kicking game, possibly best in the NRL, which means the Sharks play at the right end of the park.
Paul Gallen - Cronulla Sharks
The marshal, in shepherding terms. The Sharks' bad boy is tough and
never gives up in his uncompromising approach, so nor does the team fold. An important linkman.
Luke Covell - Cronulla Sharks
Error-free in his play and solid on defence, Covell is also a good jumper for the kicks to the wing. And if the game comes down to a sideline conversion in the last minute, he'll nail it.
Darren Lockyer - Brisbane Broncos
The supreme game-runner and game-breaker, he is ice-cool under pressure,
good pass and a great runner of the ball. The best organiser in the NRL.
Peter Wallace - Brisbane Broncos
A slick halfback with acceleration and speed. Good running around the ruck and in-passing to forwards in traffic allows Darren Lockyer to stay wider.
Justin Hodges - Brisbane Broncos
The most-destructive attacking centre in the NRL when at his best form. His strength, stepping and speed make him very hard to tackle.
Karmichael Hunt - Brisbane Broncos
Tough and determined, Hunt has great vision for putting himself in the right place to take the last pass and score or to make the try-saving tackle.
Alan Tongue - Canberra Raiders
A great leader, the Energizer. A defensive workaholic and a very good link man on attack, with the speed and nous to set the Raiders backs away in the right direction.
Terry Campese - Canberra Raiders
Big for a five-eighth, fast, a clever passer in setting up his outsides, who have prospered this season, and a clever support player.
Joel Monaghan - Canberra Raiders
Steady, solid and reliable when sorting out the backline on both attack and in defence. Monaghan is a powerful runner who will regularly break tired tackles late in each half.
Steve Price - New Zealand Warriors
The best captain in the NRL. Compare the Warriors early-season without him to the Warriors now. Price is a great ground-gainer and makes few errors. His charge-down numbers spell commitment.
Brent Tate - New Zealand Warriors
Hitting top form at the right time. Tate has good vision on attack and defence and gas to burn, which has been a rare commodity at the club. He's also a great backs leader and has finals experience.
Manu Vatuvei - New Zealand Warriors
It takes multiple tacklers to stop the Warriors' right-wing tank. If they do manage that it opens holes in the defence elsewhere. Opponents have to plot against him and that alone makes him invaluable.
Matt Orford - Manly Sea Eagles
Makes use of a pinpoint field-kicking game, a slick pass, incisive cuts around the ruck. A clever game-plan runner.
Jamie Lyon - Manly Sea Eagles
Has vision for where the ball should be, the ability to put it there and a good step. He carries the ball comfortably in both hands so has passing options left and right, along with kick, dummy and step options. Strong.
Brett Stewart - Manly Sea Eagles
Matt Bowen, Billy Slater, Karmichael Hunt, Anthony Minichiello and Wade McKinnon but this guy is Australia's test fullback. Says it all.
