NSW Team of the Week Rd 11: Blues bound for RCG?

NSWRL
  1. Ryan Papenhuyzen

Club: Melbourne Storm. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 4.

Papenhuyzen was involved in everything for the Melbourne Storm as they defeated the Broncos with a stunning second half display. Papenhuyzen scored a try, produced one try-assist and line-break assist, made three line-breaks and seven tackle-breaks, and ran for 272 metres including 67 post-contact.

  1. David Nofoaluma

Club: Wests Tigers. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 6.

Nofoaluma was again one of the Tigers’ best in their 10-point loss to Brad Arthur’s Parramatta Eels on Thursday night. He scored the second try for the visitors in the 13th minute, made two line-breaks and three tackle-breaks, forced one dropout and ran for 149 metres.

  1. Jarrod Croker

Club: Canberra Raiders. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.

The Canberra captain has led the way for a gritty Raiders side who have been decimated by injury. In Round 11 Croker scored his second try in as many weeks, had a line-break and two tackle-breaks, threw two offloads, kicked three from four off the boot and ran for 80 metres.

  1. Zac Lomax

Club: St George Illawarra Dragons. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.

Lomax was arguably the best player on the field despite the Dragons coming up short against the Sharks at Kogarah. Lomax produced two tries, one try-assist, one line-break, one line-break assist, three tackle-breaks, three from four conversions and one penalty goal, 123 run metres and 14 tackles with zero missed.

  1. Josh Addo-Carr

Club: Melbourne Storm. NSW Origin appearances: 6. TOTW selections: 3.

Addo-Carr now has four tries in his past two matches following a strong performance against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium. Addo-Carr scored two four-pointers, made one line-break and four tackle-breaks, and ran for 155 metres.

  1. Luke Keary

Club: Sydney Roosters. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 7.

Keary pulled the Roosters out of trouble and navigated his team to victory in a scrappy contest against the Warriors on Saturday. The No.6 scored a 50th-minute try to level the scores, had one try-assist, forced three dropouts, recorded 239 kick metres, ran for 67 metres and made 17 tackles.

  1. Nathan Cleary

Club: Penrith Panthers. NSW Origin appearances: 5. TOTW selections: 6.

After a first half scare against the Gold Coast Titans on Sunday, Cleary was able to steer Penrith to a 22-14 win. Cleary ran for 116 metres, scored three from four conversions, forced one dropout, made 18 tackles and kicked for a massive 674 metres.

  1. Reagan Campbell-Gillard

Club: Parramatta Eels. NSW Origin appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 6.

Campbell-Gillard seems to only get better with every game he plays for the Parramatta Eels. The prop forward scored an unbelievable 50-metre solo try in the opening half, but he also ran for 247 metres including 89 post-contact with a line-break and four tackle-breaks, and made 33 tackles.

  1. Mitch Kenny

Club: Penrith Panthers. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.

Kenny had big shoes to fill when he started at hooker for the Panthers in the absence of Api Koroisau and he never looked out of place. Kenny played the full 80 minutes in Round 11, running for 110 metres, forcing one dropout and making 46 tackles.

  1. Aiden Tolman

Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.

Tolman’s huge performance in Sunday’s clash against Newcastle began with a well deserved try – his first since 2017. From 65 minutes played, Tolman also had a line-break and one line-break assist, ran for 201 metres including 70 post-contact and made 48 tackles.

  1. Issah Yeo

Club: Penrith Panthers. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 5.

Yeo shifted to the second row in Round 11 to accommodate for Tyrone May at lock, but it still didn’t limit his outstanding work-rate for Penrith. Yeo scored a try, ran for 170 metres including 56 post-contact with a line-break and three tackle-breaks, and made 33 tackles.

  1. Curtis Sironen

Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.

Sironen opened the scoring for the Sea Eagles in North Queensland when he crossed the stripe in the sixth minute. Sironen finished the match with a line-break, four tackle-breaks, 125 run metres including 49 post-contact and 30 tackles.

  1. Toby Rudolf

Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.

Rudolf continues to look comfortable for the Sharks in just his second consecutive game wearing the No.13 jersey. From 59 minutes played on Saturday night, Rudolf ran for 244 metres including 70 post-contact and made 27 tackles.

  1. Clint Gutherson

Club: Parramatta Eels. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 4.

Even with the return of halfback Mitchell Moses, it was Gutherson who took the reins in attack as the Eels secured a 26-16 win. The Parramatta fullback produced two try-assists and two line-break assists, ran for 137 metres and made 6 tackles with zero missed.

  1. David Klemmer

Club: Newcastle Knights. NSW Origin appearances: 14. TOTW selections: 6.

In abysmal conditions during Newcastle’s disappointing loss to the Bulldogs at home, Klemmer just kept showing up. The representative prop spent every minute on the field on Sunday afternoon, running for 198 metres including 75 post-contact, throwing three offloads and making 57 tackles with zero missed.

  1. Junior Paulo

Club: Parramatta Eels. NSW Origin appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 5.

Paulo produced superb numbers for the Eels in another big-minute effort alongside prop partner Campbell-Gillard. From 68 minutes played, Paulo recorded 218 run metres including 73 post-contact and 86 from kick returns, and made 30 tackles.

  1. Aaron Woods

Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. NSW Origin appearances: 14. TOTW selections: 2.

Woods was another front row try-scorer from Round 11, playing his best game of the season in a weekend of great prop performances. From a huge 70 minutes played, Woods also produced a line-break and line-break assist, 166 run metres including 50 post-contact and 28 tackles with zero missed.