On what was slated as the Group 20 grand final weekend, what better time than now for The Irrigator sports journalist Liam Warren to pick his team of the year.

In a season that saw tight battles for the top spot as well as third, there were plenty of strong performances making picking a side of just 18 difficult.

The Black and Whites and Leeton were the stand out performers in the 2021 season and had a fair representation in the team and look the most likely to face off in the grand final should the season be able to be completed after the NSW lockdown is lifted.

Check out The Irrigator's Group 20 team of the year below.

It has once again been a strong season for Girdler, who made his return from a stint with the Albury Thunder. The speedster has been ever reliable under the high ball and a consistent performer for the Waratahs, who made a slow start to the season but charged into finals, and Girdler was a key component of that run.

He has had a great year with the Panthers and is central to why they are minor premiers this season. His combination with Jonathon Sila on the left edge has been destructive, with Peato's speed a great one-two punch with Sila's size and physicality. Peato finished the regular season as the joint try scorer with 11 for the season.

It has been another consistent season for the premiership-winning winger for the Roosters. Another who benefits from having a big body centre on his inside and with the Roosters finishing the season in third after jumping over the Mallee Men in the final round of the season, the seven tries for Bartter helped his side into that position.

It has to go down as one of the best pickups of the 2021 season. Sila came across from rivals Waratah Tigers after a premiership in 2018 and runner-up in 2019 and looked to be heading towards a third straight grand final appearance. His size on the left edge has been a great combination with Joe Peato. If the Panthers were to reach their first grand final since 2017, Sila would play a huge role in their success.

Scarr has been a welcome return for the Greens. After a few seasons away from the club, the powerful centre has made a welcome addition to the Greens artillery in their backline. Scarr signalled his intention early with a hat-trick at the start of the season and has been a consistent performer for the Greens. While Scarr has battled a hamstring injury in the later stages of the season, he looked set to play a big role in finals.

Another who has been a welcome addition to the Panthers set up as they looked to pick up a premiership in what was their centenary season. Ngungutau has been instrumental in the playmaker role for the Panthers, setting up a number of tries with smart kicks and passes. Could be a smoky to pick up the Ray Thorpe Medal this season off the back of his strong performances.

Could be the signing of the year of the Greens. His distribution, both through hands and on the boot, has set up a fair few of the tries scored by the Greens this season in what has been a strong first season at the Leeton club. The Greens finished with 474 points scored across the 14 rounds, and Bruest playmaking has been central to their success and will play a huge role if the Greens get their shot in finals this season.

Goodwin has had a big season for not only with the Mallee Men but also at a representative level. Goodwin's strong performances as one of only two players picked in the Riverina Bulls side for the Country Championships saw him selected in the Country side who took on City earlier this season. Goodwin has been the engine room for the Mallee Men, who looked like contenders right until the end when they were eliminated by the Waratahs in the elimination final.

In what has been a tough season for the Yenda side, Latu has been a welcome experience for a team of youngsters coming through the ranks. He gets through an absolute mountain of work in both attack and defence and is the epitome of a gentle giant. Latu would be a certain starter in any side in Group 20 but has shown loyalty towards the Blueheelers in helping them through a rebuilding stage.

Having missed the opening stages of the season through suspension, he made up for the lost time in helping the Roosters pick up a top-three finish. His leadership and playmaking skills from dummy half have lifted the defending premiers into a position where they could try and mount a challenge on the leading pack. Jeffery finished as the joint leading try scorer for the season with 11 tries.

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He has always been a consistent performer, whether it be for the Waratahs or Yenda before his move across town. Sellars is the engine room of the Waratahs forward pack and uses his size and strength to his advantage scoring a number of runaway tries as well as setting up others with strong line breaks. The Waratahs found form late in the season, and much like Girdler, Sellars is a good barometer of how the Waratahs are playing.

The Panthers co-coach is a leader in his side's forward pack. His third season in charge of the Black and Whites, and this season has been on par with the premiership win in 2017. He gets through a mountain of work in the forward pack and doesn't often play less than 80 minutes for his side. If the Black and Whites are to take home the premiership this season, it will be thanks to the hard work of Lavaka.

Philp has gone from strength to strength over the course of his two seasons at the Greens. Taking over as coach this season hasn't proved to be a burden for the talented forward who shows no signs of slowing down. With performances like his this season, Philp looks like a potential favourite to take out the Ray Thorpe Medal, which would be his second in a row. An obvious choice as coach of the team of the year as he looks to guide the Greens to a first premiership since 2007 and first grand final appearance since 2011.

The 2019 rookie of the year has once again had a strong season in the hooker role. Having made the switch from Yanco-Wamoon to Leeton in the offseason, Barnes has slotted in well to a playmaking role alongside Cameron Bruest and has set up a number of tries as well as scoring some with some smart darts from dummy half.

The utility has had another strong season for the defending premiers. His size and strength have proved difficult for teams to deal with, and it is little surprise to see him finish third on the try-scoring list for the season with 10 tries. His combination with Sam Bartter has been fruitful for his side, and should the Roosters have a chance to retake the field in 2021, Hopwood will play a huge role in the Roosters' finals charge.

A big body who can have an impact off the bench or in the starting 13. Wilesmith's strength and size is a huge advantage as he can punch a hole in any defence and takes multiple defenders to be brought down, leaving holes for teammates to run into. He is an absolute impact player who is used in the right moment and swing a game with a huge break or big tackle.

Has been an instant success for the Black and Whites. His impact in the second row for the Panthers has helped give them an extra big body who can crash through a pack and get his side into good field position with strong line breaks. Belolevu finished with eight tries for the season and is a great impact player.

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