The Mole's 10 best NRL sledgers: Where cheeky Bulldogs rake sits among opponent-baiting peers
Mahoney joins list of 10 best nigglers
Niggling has become an art form in the modern game, with smart-mouthed players capable of putting opponents off their game with a few well chosen words or gestures.
And with the NRL having a strict 'no punch' edict, sledgers have an open licence to bait their opponents in the middle, knowing they are in no danger of copping a slap in the mouth, as would have happened in the old days.
So who are the best nigglers in the NRL?
The Mole spoke to several players, coaches and officials to come up with this list of cheeky players around the league.
There is nothing wrong with what amounts to a little gamesmanship - champion players in the past like Wally Lewis, Ricky Stuart, Mark Geyer, Bob Fulton and Benny Elias were world class sledgers.
So here we go - our top 10 smart mouths around the NRL.
10. Tyson Gamble
The Knights five-eighth has a bit if a crazy look in his eyes and he loves to bait his opponents in an attempt to put them off their game or make them lose their cool.
Gamble plays above his weight and never backs away from an altercation.
9. David Klemmer
An old bull in the Jared Waerea-Hargreaves mould - he's done the hard yards year after year and isn't about to turn the other cheek if a young prop tries to test him out.
From the old school, can sometimes get into trouble under the modern day 'soft' rules.
8. Hudson Young
If there is a flare-up on the field in a Canberra game, you can bet this bloke is front and centre.
Young yas a short fuse that sometimes gets him into strife with refs but is the first one to rush in to back up a teammate who is under fire.
7. Ronaldo Mulitalo
A real competitor who loves to get over the top of his opposite winger - and then let him know it.
The Sharks flyer will often smile and joke if he forces an error out of his man - and it usually doesn't go down well.
6. Jarome Luai
Rival players don't like this bloke - they reckon his 'over the top' try celebrations at Penrith are insulting and disrespectful, often leading to flare-ups over the tryline.
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