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. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 16. TOTW appearances: 1.
Tedesco has a knack of standing up in the big matches and he did just that in Friday night’s highly anticipated battle of the custodians against fellow NSW teammate Tom Trbojevic.
In the tricolours’ 26-12 win, Tedesco set up a try and a line-break, made six tackle busts, ran for 184 metres and forced three dropouts.
Have your say with the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues Team Picker where you will go in the draw to win great prizes.
2. Daniel Tupou. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 7. TOTW appearances: 1.
Tupou’s experience came to the fore in his side’ Round 2 victory, maintaining his trademark high work-rate throughout the contest and diffusing several attacking raids against Manly speedster Jason Saab.
The winger scored a try in the eighth minute, had one line-break and made six tackle busts, running for 163 metres including 57 post-contact and 92 form kick returns with zero handling errors.
3. Connor Tracey. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
Tracey had a late call-up into the starting 17 for the Sharks’ first NRL game at PointsBet Stadium since 2019, and the centre played his role with aplomb on the left edge.
It was arguably a career-best performance in the outside backs by the 25-year-old, who scored a second half try, produced one try assist and line-break assist, made two tackle busts and ran for 179 metres including 61 post-contact.
4. Campbell Graham. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
Graham held the fort on the right edge for South Sydney and did his best to keep the visitors in the game despite coming up one point short against Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.
The rangy centre was one of three Rabbitohs try scorers in final 13 minutes of regular time, finishing the golden point clash with one line-break, a game high nine tackle busts, 169 run metres including 69 post-contact, and made 13 tackles.
5. Alex Johnston. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
Johnston was another strong performer for the Rabbitohs in Thursday’s 84-minute thriller in Melbourne.
The 2020 Ken Irvine medallist scored the try to open South Sydney’s account against Melbourne, made two line-breaks, had five tackles busts and ran for 125 metres including 105 from kick returns.
6. Matt Moylan. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 3. TOTW appearances: 1.
After a wretched few seasons on the injury front it was pleasing for Sharks and league fans alike to see Moylan in the kind of form we know he is capable of on Saturday night, which included the equalising try assist for Teig Wilton in final seconds of play.
The Cronulla pivot also recorded a line-break, two line-break assists, five tackle busts, 111 run metres and 20 tackles.
7. Nicho Hynes. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
Hynes couldn’t have dreamt of a better way to finish his first home appearance in front of the Sharks’ faithful, kicking the match-winning conversion after the full-time siren to secure the opening win of the season for his new club.
The No. 7 caused plenty of headaches on the attack as well, producing a try assist, one line-break and two line-break assists, having five tackle busts, running for 114 metres and tallying 406 kick metres with a forced dropout.
8. Spencer Leniu. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
The former NSW pathways player was brought into the starting side after prop Moses Leota suffered a shoulder injury in the opening round. He charged through the goal line defence late in the first half to put the Panthers back on top against the Dragons, and managed 23 tackles without missing any.
9. Connor Watson. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
The Mr Fix-it for the Roosters started the match against the Sea Eagles on the bench but had a huge impact after being injected into the game at the 20-minute mark. He set up a try almost immediately for Nat Butcher and managed two line break assists and four tackle busts before a shoulder problem forced him from the field.
10. Payne Haas. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 7. TOTW appearances: 2.
Haas is the cornerstone of the Broncos forward pack and a huge part of their solid start to the season. Against the Bulldogs he ran for 159 metres, produced four tackle busts, an offload and made 33 tackles with only one miss.
11. Tyson Frizell (c). Club: Newcastle Knights. SOO appearances: 14. TOTW appearances: 2.
The True Blue was at his rampaging best as the Knights stifled the Tigers and deserves the captain’s armband for this week. He made 18 runs for 191 metres, came up with four tackle busts, an offload, and 25 tackles. He also showed great skill for a big man to dive forward and grab an Adam Clune bomb to plant down just before the dead ball line.
12. Nat Butcher. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
Butcher came into the contest against the Sea Eagles midway through the first half and only needed four minutes to make an impact after charging on to a dummy-half pass from Connor Watson to score. By the end of the game, the former NSW pathways player had scored another try, made 15 runs for 134 metres, 2 line breaks, four tackle busts, two offloads and 27 tackles.
13. Isaah Yeo. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 5. TOTW appearances: 1.
The ever-reliable Panthers captain led the way against the Dragons to keep the premiers’ title defence on track. He had 15 runs for 151 metres, four tackle busts, an offload and 43 tackles without a miss.
Have your say with the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues Team Picker where you will go in the draw to win great prizes.
