Rugby League GDS Fantasy: Who Averages the Most in 2026?

The 2025 Leaderboard Tells One Story. The Trend Data Tells Another.

Payne Haas topped the Rugby League GDS averages in 2025 at 72.8 points per game. He was consistent, durable, and dominant. On paper, he’s the obvious pick to repeat. But one player’s second-half trajectory is so extreme that it forces us to look beyond the full-season number.

We pulled two seasons of GDS scoring data, first-half vs second-half splits, year-over-year trajectories, and late-season form to make this call.

The 2025 Leaderboard

Top 10 Rugby League GDS averagers in 2025 regular season (minimum 15 games):

Player	Team	Pos	Games	Avg GDS	2H Avg	YoY
Payne Haas	Broncos	MID	21	72.8	73.2	+10.4
Nathan Cleary	Panthers	HLF	18	72.2	76.8	+5.1
Terrell May	Wests Tigers	MID	24	69.5	63.8	+20.0
Jayden Campbell	Titans	HLF	19	64.7	64.7	+6.6
Herbie Farnworth	Dolphins	CTR	19	64.7	70.1	+8.7
James Tedesco	Roosters	FLB	24	60.0	58.8	-3.5
Hudson Young	Raiders	EDG	20	58.4	51.9	+8.4
Erin Clark	Warriors	MID	23	57.0	55.5	+19.6
Jamal Fogarty	Raiders	HLF	22	57.0	N/A	+1.3
Reece Walsh	Broncos	FLB	18	56.5	72.5	+1.1

Two numbers demand your attention: Reece Walsh’s second-half average of 72.5 (up from 31.4 in the first half), and Terrell May’s second-half fade from 75.3 to 63.8. Trends matter more than totals.

The Prediction: Payne Haas

Haas is our pick for the highest averaging NRL Rugby League player in 2026. Here’s why.

The Most Complete Scoring Profile in the NRL

Haas averages 33.9 tackles and 167.2 run metres per game. That dual scoring output is what separates him from every other player in the competition. Most forwards rely on one or the other. Haas does both at elite volume.

His 17.1 runs per game and 3.0 offloads per game add further layers. He’s not just running hard and tackling. He’s creating opportunities with ball in hand. That offload number is significant in GDS scoring where effective offloads carry real weight.

Rock-Solid Consistency

Haas averaged 72.5 in the first half and 73.2 in the second half. A 0.7 point difference. In a competition where most contenders had double-digit swings between halves, Haas was a metronome. His standard deviation of 19.0 was among the lowest in the top 10, meaning fewer dud weeks dragging down the average.

His floor of 33 GDS points is manageable. His ceiling of 109 shows he can spike with the best. But the key is how rarely he dips below 60. That’s what wins season-long averages.

The Year-Over-Year Trajectory

Haas went from 62.4 in 2024 to 72.8 in 2025, a +10.4 point jump. That’s the second-biggest improvement among the top tier (behind Terrell May’s +20.0, which came with a massive second-half fade). At 26 years old in 2026, Haas is entering the prime window for a prop. He’s been healthy enough for 21 regular season games in 2025, plus making the Grand Final.

Finals Form Backs It Up

Haas posted 84 and 83 in the qualifying final and preliminary final. He dropped to 42 in the Grand Final but played reduced minutes (53 minutes). When he’s on the field for 60+ minutes, the output is locked in.

The Dark Horse: Reece Walsh

If this prediction is wrong, it’s because of Walsh. His numbers demand a closer look.

The Tale of Two Seasons

Walsh’s 2025 was two completely different campaigns. Rounds 1 to 7 he averaged 31.4 GDS points, including a -9 in Round 2. He then missed Rounds 8 to 13 entirely. When he returned, the transformation was immediate and sustained.

His second-half average of 72.5 would have placed him equal first with Haas over a full season. But the story gets even more dramatic in the final stretch.

The Last Four Rounds: 110.3 Average

Rounds 24 to 27, Walsh posted 110, 111, 102, and 118 GDS points. An average of 110.3. That’s not just best in the NRL. That’s a scoring rate that would dominate any position pool in any competition.

The run metres tell the story: 249, 196, 202, and 133 across those four rounds. He also scored a try in each game (two in Round 27) and added line breaks and kicking metres. Every scoring avenue was firing simultaneously.

Finals Confirmed It

Walsh carried that form into September. He posted 91, 72, and 123 across the finals series, averaging 95.3 in the biggest games of the season. The Grand Final score of 123 was the highest GDS score of the entire 2025 finals.

Why He’s Not the Pick (Yet)

At 23, Walsh has the age profile and the ceiling. The problem is sample size. His elite form covers only his last four regular season rounds plus finals. His full-season average of 56.5 includes that horror first half. There’s no way to confirm whether the late-season surge was a permanent level-up or a hot streak amplified by the Broncos’ finals push.

He also managed just 18 games. Durability has been an ongoing question. If he plays 22+ games at his second-half level, he runs away with this. But the data doesn’t let us project that with confidence yet.

Why Not the Others?

Nathan Cleary (2025 avg: 72.2, HLF)

Cleary is always in the conversation. His second-half average of 76.8 was strong, and he closed with a 126-point game in Round 27 plus consistent finals output (65, 70, 77).

Availability is the only minor flag. His 18 regular season games were largely shaped by Origin selection and managed rest periods rather than injury concerns. At 28, he’s in his prime and performance decline isn’t a factor. When active, his output profile is elite, and the ceiling remains as high as anyone at the position.

Terrell May (2025 avg: 69.5, MID)

May had the biggest YoY jump at +20.0 and his full-season number looks elite. But the trend is going the wrong direction. His first-half average of 75.3 dropped to 63.8 in the second half, an 11.5-point regression. His late-season rounds of 42, 48, 64, 89, 48 show an inconsistent player, not one building towards a peak. The 2025 number may end up being his ceiling rather than a stepping stone.

Herbie Farnworth (2025 avg: 64.7, CTR)

Farnworth is quietly excellent. His standard deviation of 13.5 was the lowest among the top 10, meaning the most consistent output week to week. His 169.8 run metres and 2.9 offloads per game from the CTR position is rare. At 26 and trending up (+8.7 YoY), he’s a strong contender for top 3 but the CTR position has a lower ceiling compared to MID or HLF roles. He needs try involvement to spike, and 1.1 tries per game may not be enough to overtake Haas.

The Projection

Projecting Haas from his 2025 form of 72.8 with continued development at 26, a stable role, and improved Broncos team context heading into 2026, he’s looking at a 72 to 78 GDS average for the full season.

Walsh is the wildcard. If his last-four-rounds form (110.3) represents even 70% of his true level, he’d project around 77 to 80 over a full season and take the crown. But we need to see it for more than four rounds before calling it.

Haas is the safe money. Walsh is the swing for the fences. Get both cards.