As we count down to the kick-off of the 2016 Telstra Premiership season, we at NRL.com have our say on the best of the best heading into the new season.

In the coming weeks we'll rank the best players in each position, plus the clubs with the best forward packs, backlines and playmaking spines.

First up, the fullbacks. Who is the number one No.1?

5. Brett Stewart

2015 stats: Metres per game - 68; tries - 16; try assists - 9; tackle breaks - 41; line breaks - 6.

He may be an NRL veteran these days but the Prince of Brookvale isn't finished scoring tries just yet, bagging 16 four-poitners in 2015 to be Manly's top try-scorer. Few can match his positional sense or attacking instinct, and he's one of the league's best playmaking fullbacks to boot.

4. Josh Dugan

2015 stats: Metres per game - 185; tries - 7; try assists - 2; tackle breaks - 107; line breaks - 10.

The St George Illawarra and New South Wales No.1 is pure pace and power, one of the best ball-runners in the business who is also a fierce defender – he ranked equal first in the NRL for try saves in 2015 and was also one of three players to notch more than 100 tackle breaks.

3. Billy Slater

2015 stats: Metres per game - 114; tries: 2; try assists - 5; tackle breaks - 23; line breaks - 4.

Continues to defy his critics, maintaining hold of the Queensland and Australian No.1 jerseys as the best positional fullback in the game. His combination with Cooker Cronk and Cameron Smith at club, state and international level is legendary and he'll go down as one of the game's great fullbacks. Injury restricted him to just a handful of games in 2015 but he'll be determined to make his usual impact next season.

2. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

2015 stats: Metres per game - 241; tries - 12; try assists - 15; tackle breaks - 160; line breaks - 16.

In his first full NRL season at fullback Tuivasa-Sheck pretty much revolutionised the position, easily leading the league for run metres with a staggering 241 per game. The Kiwi star's brilliant running game makes him a hard man to stop, and his arrival at the Warriors next season could make New Zealand's lone NRL team a genuine title contender.

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1. Greg Inglis

2015 stats: Metres per game - 145; tries - 8; try assists - 13; tackle breaks - 78; line breaks - 12.

Once widely regarded as the best player in the game, Inglis is coming off a quiet year by his standards and only just pipped RTS in our voting for the game's best fullback. He still possesses a combination of size, speed, power and ball-playing ability that nobody else in the league can match, but 2016 could be the season he drops off the top of the tree if Tuivasa-Sheck can repeat last season's efforts.