The calibre of player this season was outstanding, with new recruits shining and regulars continuing to perform, while plenty took their games to a new level.

It set the stage for a stellar finals series but the competition was cut short by COVID.

Still, settling on a Team of the Season extremely difficult. There was a raft of elite fullbacks in the competition this year, halves combinations which oozed class, and some powerhouse forward packs.

We tried to keep players in the positions they predominately featured in this year and while there's plenty who can feel unlucky to miss out, there was also some who demanded selection after proving a standout in what was again one of the most entertaining competitions in bush footy.

The best player in Group 11 in 2021? It's a big call straight away but few could argue with it.

Creith arrived back at his junior club this season and was simply outstanding. Like so many of the best players, Creith makes that game look easy and appears to have so much time on his hands whenever he has the ball.

A hat-trick against Narromine was one of the many highlights for Creith.

He didn't spend all of the season at fullback and also spent time in the halves but the impact he had on the Spacemen was immense. With key Parkes players Chad Porter and Sam Dwyer on the sideline at times is year, it was Creith who became their main man.

A renowned finisher for a number of years, Widders went to another level this season.

His commitment to the Tigers was outstanding and he earned a huge amount of praise from captain-coach Jeremy Smith for his attitude around the team. While his speed and ability to find the tryline has never been doubted, Widders also put his hand up to take plenty of tough carries out of his own end this season.

Arguably the best fifth tackle option in the competition this year was a kick to Widders' wing and simply wait for him to do his thing.

Missed a lot of the season due to injury but anyone who saw him play when he was available would argue he's worthy of a spot here.

Forbes were hugely disappointing this season but in Andrews they have one of the best players in the competition. A powerful ball-runner who has a fantastic defensive game, the Magpies junior was named in the NSW Country side earlier in the year.

The number of niggling injuries he's had as a young player has been a bit of worry but hopefully he can have a clean bill of health in 2021.

Another candidate for player of the year. After bouncing around clubs in Group 11 for a few seasons Thurston found a home at CYMS and the work he did to improve his fitness and strength worked wonders this year.

Scored tries for fun at times and was almost unstoppable early in the year, crossing nine times in the first four games.

The scoring rate slowed a little in the second half of the season but his ability to break tackles and create space was a huge part of CYMS' success this year.

The second wing spot was a tough one to fill but Smede is worthy of his place.

A rangy winger, Smede truly shone when Parkes reached full strength and he could benefit from the work of fit halfback Chad Porter and Jack Creith.

Outstanding at hauling in kicks, Smede's hat-trick in the crucial win over Macquarie late in the season was his highlight but he proved a consistent performer all year.

Wellington played its best footy this season when Williams was had the number six on his back. He also spent time in the centres to accommodate Rylee Blackhall and Harry Kempston but is game management, willingness to run the ball, and leadership qualities was missed in the halves.

Also one of the best goal-kickers in the competition, Williams continues to be a big part of the Cowboys' success in recent years despite the likes of Justin Toomey-White, Dennis Moran, and Will Lousick getting more headlines.

As good as Macquarie's off-season recruitment drive was, there was a bit of a question mark over the halves when the competition began.

Those questions were silenced when Peachey arrived in town midway through the season after spending time with the Newtown Jets. Another who's able to play the game at his own pace, Peachey gave the Raiders much-needed direction and also possessed one of the best kicking games in the competition.

If the son of Cronulla great David Peachey sticks around next season the Raiders will certainly be one to watch in the Peter McDonald Premiership.

Put him in the Team of the Season every year. There's few in the competition who have the consistency of this 80-minute front-rower.

CYMS' forward pack was boosted this season but Powyer still stood out. An absolute workhorse who never shirks away from more than one carry a set, Powyer's also got the kind of footwork and ability to offload that sets the very best props apart from the rest.

There was a lot of good number nines in the competition this year but Smith made his presence felt in his return to Group 11.

The captain-coach's leadership, ability to spot the right time to run the ball, and sheer desire was vital for the Tigers. He never backed down from a challenge and that kind of attitude spread through his team.

His work in defence couldn't be faulted while he also chimed in with a number of handy tries this season. Had his time peaking at the right time.

The front-row selections were difficult given the quality of player in Group 11 this year but Thompson made an immediate impact in his first year in the competition.

Coming from Newcastle, Thompson earned Western Rams selection before he'd debuted for Nyngan but he quickly proved he was worthy of the accolade.

A classic bush footy front-rower who truly led from the front and got through a huge amount of work, Thompson set the platform for the Tigers' hugely talented halves and backline.

Few players can look at home both in the halves and in the back row. But that's what Hartwig did this year.

After making the big move across from rivals Forbes in the off-season, Hartwig quickly developed into a vital figure for the Spacemen.

Spent time in the halves early in the year when Parkes were dealing with injuries and before reverting to the back row. He was one of his side's best regardless of where he played and it's such a shame we won't get to see a fully-firing Parkes in the finals.

Might not have been at the elite level he was at times in previous seasons but Ronayne was still one of the very best in Group 11. Few work harder and are as willing to throw their body around as the one-time Western Rams captain.

Had the added pressure of being captain-coach for the first time and while there was plenty of frustration at times as the highly-touted Raiders struggled to fully fire, he didn't let it affect his job on the field.

It was like he was never gone. After not getting to step on the field in 2019 or 2020, Toomey-White was back with a vengeance this season and proved why so many consider him the very best player in the competition.

The Cowboys captain-coach spent time in the front-row as well this season but he's at his most destructive in the back-row where he gets a little more room to move.

Someone who makes those around him better, Toomey-White was a handful every time he carried the ball this season while his ability to find the try-line is brilliant for a forward.

Halves, hooker, back row. Put Peckham wherever you want and he'll perform. A real consistent performer for a Macquarie side that battled a number of injuries this year.

The experience he brought to the side led by a rookie captain-coach was also hugely important.

The impact of Marlin was probably best shown when he missed a couple of games due a head knock and CYMS didn't look quite the same. There's few prop pairings as consistent as Jarryn Powyer and Ben Marlin at CYMS and they were at their best again this year.

A try was just rewards for Ben Marlin's efforts in 2021

Marlin has been doing his job for years but probably still doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

Has played for a few different clubs in Group 11 but really made an impact with the Cowboys this season. Took the pressure of fellow forwards like Justin Toomey-White this year, allowing him to really thrive.

Someone who's running with the ball with the same effort in the 80th minute as he was in the first, Tairua's physicality up front was something the Cowboys really needed this year.

Wellington fullback Will Lousick and CYMS half Alex Bonham are the players who can probably feel the most hard done by after again having great seasons for their clubs.

Jyie Chapman (CYMS), EJ Fernando (Wellington) and Wise Ratudina (Parkes) were backline players who had strong 2021 campaigns.

Josh Merritt missed a number of games but was still hugely influential in the halves for Nyngan alongside Jak Jeffrey.

Of the forwards, Narromine's Luke Thompson was powerful whenever he was on the field and gave the Jets another dimension in attack. Jack Kavanagh (Macquarie), Dean Hawkins (Nyngan), and Jordan Pope (Parkes) also impressed while the impact Brydon Ramien and James Stanley provided for CYMS was immense.

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