Stat Attack: Gut-busting Gutho is effort king

Eels captain Clint Gutherson is often described as someone people love playing alongside - and his tireless performance on the weekend shows why.

As well as scoring a crucial try in his unbeaten side's 16-10 win over Penrith, Telstra Tracker GPS data recorded the fullback as making a season-best 45 high-speed efforts (bursts of 20km/h or more).

Prior to round five, the most high-speed efforts recorded in a match this season was Ryan Papenhuyzen's 36 in round two.

Gutherson also registered the equal most high-speed efforts in 2019 with 53. The stats provide an insight into his mindset.

"I've never considered myself the best player, but I stake my pride on giving absolutely everything from the first minute to the 80th and that won't change," he wrote in a column for NRL.com in March.

It was a big round for high-speed efforts - Dragons centre Zac Lomax posted 40, with his teammate Matt Dufty (36), Manly winger Reuben Garrick (34) and Wests Tigers flyer David Nofoaluma (33) filling out the top five.

Lomax and Garrick joined Gutherson in cracking 50 high-speed efforts in games last season.

High-speed effort totals had been modest since the season's restart in round three - perhaps due to diminished conditioning combined with faster play due to the new six-again rule - but it seems players are now fully fit and adjusted.

Gutherson also covered 9.6km against the Panthers - second for the round to Dragons rookie Adam Clune, who racked up 9.9km.

Behind them were Sharks halfback Chad Townsend (9.4km), Lomax (9.2) and Penrith hooker Api Koroisau (9.1).

In other Telstra Tracker results, Red V fullback Dufty led the way in the pace department with a top speed of 34.3km/h in his Man of the Match display against Cronulla.

Broncos youngster Xavier Coates (33.9km/h), Eels centre Waqa Blake (33.4), Brisbane back Kotoni Staggs (33.4) and Raiders five-eighth Jack Wighton (33) also scorched the turf.