The NSWRL is pleased to announce The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Team of the Year (TOTY) for 2023, featuring five players in tomorrow’s Grand Final between the North Sydney Bears and South Sydney Rabbitohs at CommBank Stadium.
The TOTY is determined by nswrl.com.au staff and recognises the best 13 players from the regular season.
Minor Premiers North Sydney have earned the most selections with three representing the Bears – Fetalaiga Pauga on the wing, Jesse Marschke at five-eighth, and Zach Dockar-Clay at lock forward.
Pauga leads the competition for tackle-busts (114) and has scored 21 tries, 19 of those in an eight-game stretch. Marschke has recorded 16 try assists in 2023, while captain Dockar-Clay has produced 12 line-break assists and made 726 tackles with 93.4 per cent efficiency.
Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles winger Clayton Faulalo is named on the other flank, finishing the season as NSW Cup leading try-scorer with 29. Faulolo only failed to score once in his 23 regular-season appearances, such was his strike rate in 2023.
Representing the Newtown Jets is Kayal Iro at centre, earning his place in the TOTY for a second consecutive season. Iro scored 10 tries, had 104 tackle-busts and averaged 180 run metres this season.
NSW Cup Player of the Year and halfback Dean Hawkins, has also been named in the TOTY for a second time. He is joined in the by another member of the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ spine contingent, Peter Mamouzelos in the No.9.
Preliminary Finalists the Warriors have two players selected after a successful return to the NSW Cup – centre Ali Leiataua and second-rower Kalani Going. The right-edge duo both made their NRL debut for Andrew Webster’s side in 2023.
For the Penrith Panthers, competition leader for run metres (4,244) and post-contact metres (1,305) Isaiah Iongi has been named at fullback, along with top tackler (873) Liam Henry at prop.
Rounding out the TOTY in the forward pack is Canberra Raiders pair Trey Mooney (prop) and Clay Webb (second-row). Mooney took the competition by storm with a switch to the front row this season, and Webb was a mainstay in the Raiders’ line-up having missed just one of Canberra’s 26 games.
The NSW Cup has continued to provide a key pathway to first grade in 2023, with 44 players from this year’s competition making their NRL debuts.
THE KNOCK-ON EFFECT NSW CUP TEAM OF THE YEAR
1. Isaiah Iongi (Penrith Panthers)
2. Clayton Faulalo (Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles)
3. Kayal Iro (Newtown Jets)
4. Ali Leiataua (Warriors)*
5. Fetalaiga Pauga (North Sydney Bears)
6. Jesse Marschke (North Sydney Bears)
7. Dean Hawkins (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
8. Liam Henry (Penrith Panthers)
9. Peter Mamouzelos (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
10. Trey Mooney (Canberra Raiders)
11. Clay Webb (Canberra Raiders)
12. Kalani Going (Warriors)*
13. Zach Dockar-Clay (North Sydney Bears)
*Denotes NRL debut in 2023
