During the 2024 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. Players who are sin-binned, sent off, or charged by the NRL match review committee are ineligible for Team of the Week nominations.
1. Scott Drinkwater. Club: North Queensland Cowboys. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW seelctions: 1
For the second time in TOTW a fullback becomes the Player of the Round, and who could overlook Drinkwater’s efforts of two tries, three line breaks, a line break-assist, two off-loads, and five tackle busts.
That was in addition to his 23 runs for 188 metres against the Gold Coast Titans, returning to the form that saw him noticed by Westpac NSW Blues selectors last year.
2. James Schiller. Club: Canberra Raiders. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Showing some of the step and speed of his uncle and fellow Raider, Brett Mullins, Schiller had three line breaks in his 15 runs for 183 metres – 49 of those post-contact.
He also scored a try, set up another and made two tackle-busts down the Raiders right flank.
3. Kotoni Staggs. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW seelections: 1
Staggs had his fingerprints over a lot of the good things the Broncos did in the narrow 34-32 loss to Melbourne Storm.
He had 16 runs for 141 metres, had a line-break, a try assist, defused two kicks, made two dummy-half runs and kicked three goals.
4. Tolutau Koula. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
If his runaway try wasn’t eye-catching enough, then his 12 runs for 216 metres in total certainly was – the highest by any Sea Eagle on the day.
He also busted out of three tackles and posted a line-break in a solid afternoon’s work in the 14-point win over reigning premiers, the Penrith Panthers.
5. Brian To’o. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 9. TOTW selections: 2.
The helmet-wearing winger is back to his metre-eating best. He made 20 runs for 206 metres against the Sea Eagles – 84 of those were post-contact. He’s a hard man to pin down breaking out of four tackles.
6. Matt Burton. Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 2.
Back-to-back TOTW appearances for Burton, who contributed heavily to the 30-26 upset of the Sydney Roosters last Friday night.
He scored a hat-trick, kicked five goals, made two line-breaks and produced two line-break assists, as well as running for 147 metres. He also unleashed seven kicks for 139 metres.
7. Jackson Hastings. Club: Newcastle Knights. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Returning after two weeks in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup the former Man of Steel showed he had no rust, with a try, a line-break and a try assist in the pouring rain against St George Illawarra.
He also made a one-on-one steal and 19 tackles, missing just one.
8. Stefano Utoikamanu. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearnces: 1. TOTW selections: 2.
In just 66 minutes on the field in the 26-16 loss to the Dolphins, Utoikamanu made 41 tackles – the most of both sides – along with 16 runs for 162 metres.
He had 54 post-contact metres, two offloads, a line-break and six tackle busts.
9. Reece Robson. Club: North Queensland Cowboys. SOO selections: 2. TOTW selections: 1.
Making 11 dummy-half runs as part of his overall 160 metres in the win over the Titans says a lot about the Robson motor.
He also scored his first try for 2024, had two line-breaks, a line-break assist and three tackle busts.
10. Daniel Saifiti. Club: Newcastle Knights. SOO appearances: 7. TOTW selections: 1.
Saifiti was a powerhouse for the Knights and crossed the line for his first try of the year.
He also made 12 runs for 139 metres, dragging defenders with him for 69 post-contact metres.
11. Hudson Young. Club: Canberra Raiders. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 1.
A wonderful support player, Young scored his second try of the season by backing up centre Matt Timoko in a convincing 41-8 win over Parramatta.
He also had a line-break assist, an offload and four tackle busts.
12. Dylan Lucas. Club: Newcastle Knights. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
He racked up three tackle busts and a line-break alongside his 12 runs for 116 metres (41 post-contact) off the bench.
His 43 tackles also topped all his Knights teammates.
13. Jake Trbojevic. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 16. TOTW selections: 1.
This is Trbojevic’s first TOTW appearance for 2024 but it’s sure not to be his last based on the way he throws himself into the defensive line.
Against the highly-vaunted Panthers pack, Trbojevic made 43 tackles – the most of any Sea Eagle – alongside his 15 runs headlong into the opposition.
