When you think of the best attacking centres in the NRL, names like Latrell Mitchell, Joey Leilua and Joseph Manu spring to mind but very few fans would toss up the name of a Bulldog in 2018.

The Roosters and Raiders each had both of their first-choice centres among the top 10 centres in the NRL when it comes to making and creating line breaks, according to NRL.com Stats.

However, there was a surprise leader at the top of the table with Canterbury's Kerrod Holland proving the most dangerous centre for line break involvements in 2018.

By adding each centre's line breaks created and assisted then dividing that by games played at centre, Holland recorded an incredible 1.2 based on his six breaks and six assists in 10 games at centre since moving there mid-season.

Holland's late-season form spike coincided with a strong finish to the season for his club overall after a struggle through the first two-thirds of the year.

He just edged out the year's most dominant centre, Mitchell, who starred for the Roosters, Blues and Kangaroos.

Mitchell did it over a longer period, notching a huge 17 line breaks and nine assists in 22 games for 1.18 line break involvements per game.

Manu, his teammate and a breakout star for the Roosters and Kiwis, was seventh with six breaks and seven assists at 0.76 per game.

Canberra were the only other team with two names in the top 10. The Raiders didn't make the finals but it wasn't for a lack of scoring ability and plenty of that came from their three-quarter line.

Skipper Jarrod Croker (nine breaks, six assists at 0.88 LB involvements per game) came in third and Leilua (13 breaks, four assists) 10th.

The other perhaps surprising entry in the top 10 is Cowboys utility Ben Hampton, who was a rare shining light in North Queensland's surprisingly sluggish season, staking a big claim for a permanent centre spot on the back of five breaks and one assist in just seven games there at 0.88 involvements per game.

Brenko Lee's passing and offloading helped him notch 10 line break assists – the most of any centre – while Greg Inglis proved he is far from a spent force with 12 line break involvements in 15 games at centre.