They are now though and ​largely one man has been credited with sparking the Platypi’s remarkable turnaround so far in 2016 – halfback Mahe Fangupo.

But after the public voted on the competition’s most influential player poll – up until this point – it turns out it’s not just him leading the charge.

After being ranked No.1 in the Fairfax Media's top 20 most influential players list Fangupo, predictably, cleaned up in the poll, taking the lion’s share of the vote – he claimed 14.92 per cent of almost 400 votes.

However, Platypi hooker Jarrod Hall came from the clouds to take second place, receiving 12.04 per cent of the votes after being ranked 19th in the initial list.

The Dubbo Kangaroos had two players listed in the top 20. Eli Kinscher was ranked 12th, attracting 2.36 per cent of the votes, while Filisione Pauta was equal 15th with 1.59 per cent.

Fangupo’s influence is clear-cut, he’s played in seven of Forbes’ eight wins and the only games the Platypi have lost are the ones he didn’t play thanks to NSW Country Cockatoos duty.

Hall’s impact on the Platypi side isn’t a​s​ obvious, but by golly it’s there.

A damaging ball-runner and defender, Hall comes into his own at the set-piece, particularly scrum-time.

He can plonk a line-out throw on a 10 cent piece if need be and he rarely, if ever, gets beaten at the scrum. 

In particular he shone when he out-scrummaged Orange Emus and Central West hooker Tom Goolagong, although the greens still won that clash.

Goolagong sung Hall’s praises from the rooftops after that game, saying “I don’t know what he was doing to me in those scrums, but it was good. He got me.”

Bathurst Bulldogs No.8 Peter Fitzsimmons ranked third with 9.69 per cent of the votes while diminutive CSU Bathurst fullback Cam Backhouse was fourth, polling 7.33 per cent.

Cowra winger Matt Spicer and Mudgee utility Adam Rayner finished equal fifth, with 6.28 per cent of the votes apiece.

The wildcard was Narromine winger-come-centre Jakob Short.

He wasn’t ranked in the original list but Short, affectionately labelled the ‘Narromine honey badger’ by his clubmates, ended up receiving  4.71 per cent of all votes to see him slot into the final list at ninth.

Orange’s highest finisher was Emus centre Zac White who finished 10th overall with 2.88 per cent of the votes.

Head to www.dailyliberal.com.au to see the full, post-voting list.

THE PEOPLES’ SAY: 2016 Blowes Clothing Cup top 20 most influential players:

1 MAHE FANGUPO (Forbes Platypi) – 57 votes (14.92%)

2 JARROD HALL (Forbes Platypi) – 46 (12.04%)

3 PETER FITZSIMMONS (Bathurst Bulldogs) – 37 (9.69%)

4 CAM BACKHOUSE (CSU Bathurst) – 28 (7.33%)

5 MATT SPICER (Cowra Eagles), ADAM RAYNER (Mudgee Wombats) – 24 (6.28%)

7 CHRIS MILLER (Cowra Eagles) – 22 (5.76%)

8 RILEY BYRNE (Parkes Boars) – 21 (5.5%)

9 JAKOB SHORT (Narromine Gorillas) – 18 (4.71%)

10 ZAC WHITE (Orange Emus) – 11 (2.88%)

11 LUKE BROWN (Narromine Gorillas) – 10 (2.62%)

12 ELI KINSCHER (Dubbo ‘Roos) – 9 (2.36%)

13 NAS HAVEALETA/TOM GOOLAGONG/STEVE FERGUS (Orange Emus) – 8 (2.09%)

14 AJ SYKES (Orange Emus) 7 (1.83%)

15 JACK HAMMOND (Forbes Platypi), FILISIONE PAUTA (Dubbo ‘Roos), TATAFU NA’ANIUMOTU (Orange City Lions) – 6 (1.57%)

18 FELETI WOLFGRAMM (Orange City Lions) – 5 (1.31%)

19 SAM McLEAN (Orange Emus) – 5 (1.31%)

20 JOE LASAGAVIBAU (Orange City Lions) – 4 (1.05%)