After each round 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 writers' opinions and do not reflect the views of the NSWRL or the selection process for the Westpac NSW Blues. Captaincy is awarded based on that week's on-field performance and is not based on club captaincy or leadership qualities.
1. Latrell Mitchell. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 7. TOTW appearances: 2.
The South Sydney fullback was in an ominous mood for the showdown against his old mentor turned Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett in the Rabbitohs 36-14 win.
He had a hand in the opening try after double pumping a pass to put Campbell Graham over the line; and used his brute strength to muscle his way past the goal line defence and score when the floodgates had opened in the second half. By the end of the game he had a try, a try assist, a line-break, two try assists, six tackle-busts, an offload and 110 run metres.
2. Albert Hopoate. Club: Canberra Raiders. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 2.
The Canberra winger makes it back-to-back appearances in the NSW TOTW after another solid showing in the Raiders’ 20-14 win over St George Illawarra Dragons. With the match proving to be a genuine arm wrestle, Hopoate was the second-best player from the Green Machine for run metres (165) as well as having three tackle-busts.
3. Will Penisini. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 1.
The Parramatta centre opened the scoring for his team in the 30-4 win over Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs after latching on to an offload from Ryan Matterson and stepping his way back infield and past Haze Perham in the last line of defence.
He helped extend the lead midway through the first half after making a break down the sideline before picking up Mitchell Moses in support on his inside. As well as his try, try assist and two line-breaks he also ran for 193 metres, had three tackles-busts and 20 tackles without a miss.
4. Siosifa Talakai. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW appearances: 2.
The bullocking Sharks centre has a habit of powering his way through opposition defences to get his team on the front foot and that was certainly needed in the tussle against the Sydney Roosters. He ran for the most metres for any player from either team (212 which included 92 post-contact), had four tackle-busts and two offloads.
5. Brian To’o. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 6. TOTW appearances: 2.
The Premiers had to dig deep after coming up against a spirited Newcastle team, which was being spurred on by more than 26,000 passionate fans. Trailing 8-2 midway through the first half, To’o was on the end of a back-line move to score in the corner to keep them in touch. He finished the afternoon with 109 run metres and an offload.
6. Cody Walker. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 4. TOTW appearances: 3.
The Rabbitohs five-eighth was in sublime form against the Dolphins after coming up with a try, three try assists, three line-break assists, a tackle-bust and an offload.
The pass he threw for Alex Johnston to score, where he double-pumped before lobbing a perfect pass out in front of the Souths winger to dive over the line without a hand being laid on him, was first class.
7. Nicho Hynes. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW appearances: 2.
The Cronulla halfback was critical of his performance after the Sharks let the Warriors snatch a win over them in Round Five before their bye last week and was determined to make up for it against the Roosters.
With both teams locked up at 12-all with just over 10 minutes to go, Hynes made a telling break down the sideline before picking up Blayke Brailey in support. He finished the game with 190 run metres, two line-breaks, a try assist, three tackle-breaks, an offload and 551 kick metres.
8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 3.
Campbell-Gillard led the metres (197) again for both teams on Sunday, in a sterling 52 minutes against the Bulldogs.
His try under the posts was scored with four defenders hanging off him. It was the story all afternoon with the prop out-manoeuvring the opposition. He made a line break as well as nine tackle-busts.
9. Lachlan Croker. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Like so many club hookers, Croker’s work in and around the ruck largely gets unnoticed. But this time it hasn't as he makes his TOTW debut in 2023.
Croker has always had a knack for being in the right spot and proved it by following his prop Taniela Paseka to the line in the final minutes against the Storm. The pass was popped up and Croker swooped and scored. He busted out of two tackles earlier and made 32 tackles from his 67 minutes on the field.
10. Payne Haas. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 9. TOTW selections: 6.
Haas topped his team’s metres (187) for another week, which must please Broncos halves Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mann no end. They can play off that go-forward, or watch Haas suck in defenders at crucial times of each set.
Haas spent 68 minutes on the field, which is impressive for any front rower and that’s what this Woodberry Warriors junior has written all over his football. He had 20 runs for 187 metres – 50 of those post-contact – along with five tackle-breaks and 30 tackles, missing none.
11. Hudson Young. Club: Canberra Raiders. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
No guessing which try in 2023 will make the Raiders highlights reel at the end-of-season awards night.
His one-on-one steal off Dragons prop Zane Musgrove with seven minutes left on the clock led to a 90-metre sprint, where he out-ran centre Zac Lomax to give his team enough of a points-buffer to win the game. He also made nine other runs for 136 metres in total and 35 tackles.
12. Ryan Matterson. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections 1.
The short-pass to his centre Will Penisini on the fly should be in every edge player’s manual. It was centimetre-perfect and it produced points - a converted try.
Alongside that try assist, Matterson also had two line-break assists, three tackle-busts, and 22 runs for 170 metres from his 61 minutes on the field.
13. Isaah Yeo. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 8. TOTW selections: 3.
In tight games like the Panthers and Knights on Saturday, you need a lock forward with a high work ethic to always be there as the linkman. Yeo is that player.
His 18 runs was only surpassed by his fullback and centre. He made 147 metres, with 30 post-contact, as well as two tackle-busts, an offload, and 47 tackles with no misses.
