NSW Team of the Week 2022 | Round 21
Following each week 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 opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSWRL or the selection process for the Brydens Lawyers 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: 19. TOTW selections: 6.
The Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues captain faced plenty of challenges this week but gets the nod after a strong performance to keep the Sydney Roosters on a roll. Tedesco ran for 264 metres (including 99 post-contact), had two line break assists and two try assists, including a quick tip-on for the opening try of the match.
2. Jason Saab. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
Saab ran for the most metres (264) of any player against the Parramatta Eels, including 68 post-contact. He also made four line breaks, three tackle busts and showed great presence of mind to score a try in the corner after being pulled down short of the line before somersaulting over on the ground to plant the ball down.
3. Will Penisini. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
The 2022 season has been one to remember for Penisini after cementing a starting position in the centres. He ran for 123 metres against Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, came up with three tackle busts, two offloads and came up with a crucial one-on-one steal on Morgan Harper on the second half. He chased down a Jacob Arthur kick shortly after to put the Eels up 28-20 and on the path to victory.
4. Stephen Crichton. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 3. TOTW selections: 4.
The Panthers centre returned from a concussion and plastic surgery to repair a damaged ear and helped steer the team to a 26-6 win over the Raiders. He ended the match with a haul of 14 points after following through a Sean O’Sullivan kick to score a try and landing five goals from as many attempts. He also came up with a couple of telling tackles close to the line to stop the Raiders in their tracks.
5. Joseph Suaalii. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
The teenage winger continues to impress each week and was again in fine form against the Broncos. He scored a try - which included a nice swan dive – after storming on to a nice cut-out pass from his skipper James Tedesco. He also ran for 137 metres including 64 post-contact, had a line break, four tackle busts, three offloads and ironed out Broncos halfback Ezra Mam with a bell-ringer of a tackle.
6. Luke Keary. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 1.
Keary has had an interrupted 2022 through injury but arguably turned in his best performance of the season. He produced two try assists, two line break assists, a line break and a try after turning back the clock to clap on the afterburners and power his way through the Broncos defence to score on the way to setting up a 34-16 victory.
7. Sean O’Sullivan. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
O’Sullivan was asked to step up in the absence of suspended halfback Nathan Cleary and he duly answered the call. Against a Canberra Raiders outfit that was desperate to win to stay in touch with the top 8, O’Sullivan sparked two try assists, a line break and kept the Raiders on the back foot with his kicking game as he helped steer the Panthers to victory.
8. Tevita Tatola. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 3.
The hard work upfront sometimes gets missed, when Souths have such a flashy backline with Alex Johnston, Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker strutting their stuff.
But Tatola makes his presence felt regularly. His 20 runs for 200 metres in 52 minutes against the Warriors is a case in point. He also made a line-break, five tackle-busts and 20 tackles.
9. Damien Cook. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 15. TOTW appearances: 8.
Cook is one person very grateful for the go-forward Tatola can generate, so he can work his magic in behind those kinds of carries.
The Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues hooker made seven dashes out of dummy-half for 73 metres as part of his 12 runs for 141 in total. He also had two line-break assists, a try assist, three tackle-breaks and scored the Rabbitohs’ second try – his eighth for the year.
10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW appearances: 3.
Campbell-Gillard hardly stood still in his 54 minutes on the field against Manly, with 19 runs for 203 metres – 88 of those post-contact.
His influence on the game didn’t stop there with two tackle-busts, 21 receipts and 18 tackles, missing none.
11. Shaun Lane. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 3.
Lane’s purple patch of form continues so we can’t just pin his outstanding 80 post-contact metres and six tackle-busts against the Sea Eagles on the fact he was playing against his old club and at his former home ground at 4 Pines Park.
Lane made 19 runs for 189 metres all-up along with two line-break assists, a try assist, three off-loads and 24 tackles – missing just one.
12. Nat Butcher. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 2.
Another one of those hard-workers in a forward pack, who doesn’t get the credit he often deserves when you have the likes of James Tedesco, Joseph Manu, and Luke Keary in your line-up.
But Butcher scored two of the Roosters six tries in their win over the Broncos, as well as making 40 tackles – the most of either side. He also broke Brisbane’s line twice and busted out of three tackles.
8. Cameron Murray. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 10. TOTW appearances: 4.
When they speak of a ‘captain’s knock’ Murray must be uppermost in their minds with the quality of his work in both defence and attack on show against the Warriors.
Alongside his 19 runs for 187 metres in 66 minutes on the field, Murray had a line-break, two line-break assists, three try assists, four tackle-busts, three off-loads.
The Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues back rower also racked up 35 tackles with no misses.