If a lunatic with a gun said "pick one or I shoot you" I'd be dead. I can't decide between Bird and Gallen as my absolute favourite. I love Bird for his genius and power, and Gallen for his toughness.
But I admire every player who has ever played first grade rugby league- it is a freakishly tough sport.
My favourite current players would include-
Sharks- Douglas, Nutley, De Gois, Kingston, Williams, Anderson, Seymour, Simmons, Pomeroy, Kimmorley and Kearney (and I admire the rest!).
Outside of the sharks-
I think Lockyer is the greatest player in the game (though not currently), and the most entertaining, as well as being a brilliant leader, captain of the country, and full of sportsmanship. It is hard not to like him!
TK has my respect from the Broncos for being so tough on the field but so gallant off the field.
I admire Tongue and Widders from the Raiders for their toughness (though Widders just got busted, poor bugger), Thurston for his brilliance, Menzies for his longevity (boo to the Sea Eagles, but you've got to admire the Beaver), Slater, Inglis and Folou for being freaks and taking backline entertainment to a new level, Hindmarsh for his workrate, Civonoceva and Price for being the toughest props in the game, Luke Stuart for being a tough ex-Sharky who is under rated but performs every week, Hornby for playing like a champion every week in a team of fools, Farah for his skill, and Prince, Campbell and Rogers (sigh- why did he have to go...) for being such exciting players. Small list, but there it is.
And past players include ET, McKenna, Peachey!!!, Graham, Sparkles, Miller, Sludge, Speechley, Rhino, Nikau, Stevens, Bundy, Stains, Bailey, Mellor, Lang, Long, Thompsen, Barnett, Richardson, Donaghy (pre Knee injury) and Green. I'm kinda a fan of Geoff Bell as well, though he was never a star...
I'm sure I've left some out...