Blues shine as Gutherson stands tall for PM XIII

Andre Cupido

Clinton Gutherson has capped off a stellar 2019 campaign with a stunning individual performance as the Australia Prime Minister's XIII recorded an emphatic 52-1victoryry over Fiji Residents on Friday in Suva.

Gutherson crossed for three tries and set up two more while fellow NSW star Payne Haas was at his barnstorming best with one try, 137m, and 14 tackles. 

The PM XIII side boasted six members of the 2019 Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues squad (Gutherson, Cody Walker, Haas, Wade Graham, Tyson Frizell, and Jake Trbojevic) along with four future and Emerging Blues (Mitchell Moses, Campbell Graham, Reuben Garrick, Curtis Scott, and Paul Momirovski).

Graham captained the side just 12 months after rupturing his ACL while Jake Trbojevic played a record fifth straight Prime Minister's XIII clash – two fitting rewards for the duos' incredible efforts this season. 

While it was a healthy Blues contingent who impressed in the 11-try rout at ANZ National Stadium, it was Gutherson who shone brightest in a performance that has him primed for bigger things in 2020. 

Not since 2017 has the Eels maestro donned a representative jersey but has now done so on three occasions this year after he was named as 18th and 19th man in Origin II and III respectively. 

He was a key member of the Eels sixth-place finish in the NRL this season while also helping them reach the second week of the finals series – an effort not seen as possible to those at the start of the year following their horrid 2018 campaign. 

Team-mate Cody Walker spoke glowingly of the experience throughout the week in his first-ever PM XIII fixture. 

"It was a great occasion (and) a great opportunity to get out and play against the locals here in Fiji," Walker told NRL.com.

"It's been an awesome week and quite an eye-opening experience (and) it's one that I'm pretty grateful that I'm on.

"It's great to be around players that I haven't played with before and play against some players that are locals here in Fiji." 

A host of NSW representatives will now prepare for the World Cup 9's at Bankwest Stadium next week while others prepare to represent the Kangaroos in the upcoming Tests against New Zealand and Tonga.