As we saw on the opening weekend of the playoffs, very little separates sides at this point of the season and often it’s left to some individual brilliance to break open finals matches.

Ahead of this weekend’s preliminary finals, we thought we’d take a look at eight players than can with a premiership off their own backs for their respective clubs.

Stu Dunbar 

Anyone that’s watched Stu Dunbar lead Sydney Uni around the park in the back end of this season will find it pretty hard to believe that the playmaker started the season in third grade. But it’s true and it says a lot more about the club’s depth than it does Dunbar’s early season form.

Since making the Uni No.10 jersey his own, 26-year old Dunbar has provided a cool head in an inexperienced but electric backline. His poise will be crucial in the coming weeks.

Richie Woolf

Arguably the most underrated and unique winger in Australian rugby, Richie Woolf continues to shock the Shoreman faithful week after week with his ability to create something from nothing and find his way to the tryline.

Woolf’s lanky physique and deceptive speed make him near impossible to defend at times and he’s shown time and time again that he can swing the momentum of a match in Norths’ favour on his own.

Kotoni Ale

Kotoni Ale is the heart and soul of the Manly Marlins Rugby Club and few players in the competition deserve to win a premiership more than the 28-year old flanker.

The injury riddled Marlins’ have their backs well and truly up against the wall heading into Saturday’s preliminary final against Sydney Uni, but you get the feeling that’s exactly how Ale and Manly like it. If they can grind out a win this weekend, Manly will be hard to beat in a tight grand final.

Will Miller

Will Miller confirmed what most club rugby fans already knew this year by starring for the Waratahs in his first full season of Super Rugby.

He’s returned to boost a Northern Suburbs side playing for a spot in their third straight grand final at North Sydney Oval. Miller’s battle with the big and brutal Warringah backrow on Sunday will be worth the price of admission alone.

Manny Meafou

Warringah’s “super sub” and giant lock Manny Meafou has been one of the finds of the season. The 146kg, 204cm has the size and aggression of Lukhan Tui and the soft hands of Bernard Foley.

Rats coach Darren Coleman has relied on Meafou to break open tight matches halfway through the second half on a number of occasions this year and he’ll likely rely on that tactic again this weekend against Norths.

Josh Turner

There really is no substitute for speed and Manly fullback Josh Turner has proved that time and time again this season. The Kiwi born Australian 7s recruit knows exactly when to inject himself into a match and is lethal in the back end of halves against a tiring defensive line.

After spending time in the centres, Turner returns to fullback this weekend and will need to be at his electric best to fight fire with fire against the young Uni backline.

Josh Holmes

It’s obvious, but it’s impossible to ignore a player as dominant as Josh Holmes at this point of the season. Holmes is the player opposition coaches spend all week talking about and while everyone knows what he’s going to do, stopping him is another thing all together.

Lachie Swinton

Sydney Uni have their fair share of exciting young prospects in their starting XV, but few are as promising and dominant as Lachie Swinton.

A 19-year old Swinton was a standout in Sydney Uni’s 2016 grand final loss to Norths but returns to play finals footy as a far more complete product this year. The disappointment of the 2016 loss will drive Swinton in the weeks ahead.