2023 NSW Team of the Week | Round 14
After each round of the NRL season, nswrl.com.au selects the round’s best 13 of New South Wales eligible players. These selections are based on the writers' opinions and do not reflect the views of the NSWRL or the selection process for the Westpac NSW Blues. Captaincy is awarded based on that week's on-field performance and is not based on club captaincy or leadership qualities.
1. James Tedesco (c). Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 20. TOTW selections: 1.
The skipper was in fine form on Sunday to lead the Roosters back into the winner's circle.
Tedesco also earned NSW Player of the Week honours after scoring two tries, having a hand in two more, making a line-break, 11 tackle-busts and running for 200 metres in a huge performance.
2. Josh Addo-Carr. Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 13. TOTW selections: 3.
Addo-Carr was another Westpac NSW Blues star who fired in Round 14, putting his trademark speed on display on the Central Coast.
He scored a brace and set up another four-pointer, made two line-breaks and ran for 168 metres from 11 carries.
3. Kotoni Staggs. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 3.
Matching up against Siosifa Talakai, Staggs got the better of his opposite in one of the key positional battles at PointsBet Stadium on Saturday.
The Broncos’ centre scored a try, had a try assist, made one line-break and eight tackle-busts, running for 222 metres with 54 post-contact.
4. Zac Lomax. Club: St George Illawarra Dragons. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Lomax has fitted right back into the first grade fold at the Dragons after returning the NRL side a few weeks ago, and his performance against the reigning premiers was one of his best for 2023 despite the eight-point loss.
He scored a second-half try, assisted one other, had three tackle-busts and ran for 147 metres with 56 post-contact, making 12 tackles without a miss.
5. Brian To’o. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 7. TOTW selections: 5.
His double in the first 40 minutes proved crucial in Penrith’s 26-18 win, scoring the first of two tries minutes before halfback Nathan Cleary left the field with a hamstring injury.
To’o also made a line-break and 184 metres from 17 runs, including 67 post-contact metres.
6. Cody Walker. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 4. TOTW selections: 6.
With the Rabbitohs missing Latrell Mitchell through injury before losing Jai Arrow and Cameron Murray during the clash against the Titans, Walker took it upon himself to change the game.
He not only scored a key four points in the 55th minute, but produced a try assist, two line-breaks, four tackle-busts, 122 run metres and 19 tackles.
7. Nicho Hynes. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 4.
Hynes may have been on the losing side against a formidable Broncos outfit, but the Westpac NSW Blues debutant tried his best to drag the Sharks over the line.
He recorded a pinpoint try assist for Talakai, four line-break assists, three tackle-busts, 156 run metres, two from two off the tee, 314 kick metres with one forced drop-out, and 20 tackles.
8. Tevita Pangai Junior. Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 1.
Pangai Junior led the metres (191) for his team on Sunday, in an impressive 45 minutes against the Sydney Roosters.
Alongside his 21 runs for 191 metres, the Bulldogs prop also had a try, an offload and 60 post-contact metres from his time on the field.
9. Damien Cook. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 15. TOTW selections: 5.
Cook continued his strong form for the Rabbitohs and played a role in the team’s second half comeback against the Gold Coast Titans.
He had a line-break assist, a try assist, two tackle-breaks, and was continuously dangerous out of dummy-half with five dummy-half runs for 39 metres.
10. Payne Haas. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 10. TOTW selections: 10.
Haas has once again cemented his spot in this week’s Team of the Week with another impressive performance. Backing up from Origin, Haas had an impact in helping his team topple the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
The Broncos prop spent 56 minutes on the field, produced 17 runs for 185 metres, including 84 post-contact, a tackle-break and 33 tackles.
11. Keaon Koloamatangi. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 4.
There were many Rabbitohs players who shone in their second half comeback against the Titans on Saturday and Koloamatangi was among them with 146 run metres off 15 runs – 42 post-contact.
He was instrumental in the Rabbitohs’ attack after coming up with a try, try assist and a line-break while making five tackle-breaks from 12 hit-ups.
12. Josh Curran. Club: New Zealand Warriors. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Coming off the bench for 67 minutes against the Dolphins, Curran played his part in the Warriors’ win against the Dolphins on Saturday.
Curran had a try assist, a line-break and line-break assist off the back of 93 run metres from eight runs, as well as 22 tackles – missing only one.
13. Isaah Yeo. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 9. TOTW selections: 6.
Yeo stepped up for the Panthers after halfback Nathan Cleary was forced from the field though injury after producing a line-break assist, try assist and two offloads to help the reigning premiers secure the win.
He also had a strong showing in defence making 41 tackles – missing only two – after backing up from Origin with an 80-minute performance.