Steph Hancock BMD Premiership Player of the Year update after Round 4

Wynnum Manly forward Shaniah Power leads the voting for this year's Steph Hancock BMD Premiership Player of the Year, but it's a close race as the competition moves into the second half of the season.

With four rounds down and three to go in the 2023 BMD Premiership, Power (pictured above) sits in top spot, having been a standout for the Seagulls so far, polling six points across three appearances.

The 26-year-old - who represented the Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons in 2020 - only joined Wynnum Manly this season following two years with the North Queensland Gold Stars.

However, with voting now going behind closed doors for the remainder of the season, Power has a number of players hot on her tail, with the standings reflecting the closeness of this year's competition.

Following after Power on five points each are Tweed Seagulls fullback Jaime Chapman and Burleigh Bears playmaker Zahara Temara.

With Tweed yet to notch up a win this season, Chapman has been a guiding light for the team and was particularly impressive against the Bears in Round 4.

Temara meanwhile is having one of her strongest seasons so far and has been instrumental in leading the young Burleigh side into second on the ladder, with the Bears undefeated at the halfway point of the season.

Coming in after Chapman and Temara is Mackay Cutters fullback China Polata, who was also the Round 4 BMD Power Player.

Polata joined Mackay this year in a bid to reignite her rugby league career after an ACL rupture and a feeling of complacency within the game.

And she has been electric since her move up north, proving to be a constant danger for Mackay, who are sitting in third place on the BMD Premiership ladder.

The standings for the Steph Hancock BMD Premiership Player of the Year following Round 4 are below, with the top 18 players listed.

Steph Hancock BMD Premiership Player of the Year standings after Round 4