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 sent-off, sin-binned, or suspended by the NRL match review committee are ineligible for Team of the Week nominations.
1. Tom Trbojevic. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 10. TOTW selections: 3.
It was a quality performance at the back for Trbojevic that helped the Sea Eagles overcome an early 12-0 deficit at the nation’s capital against the Raiders.
The No.1 crossed for two tries and assisted another, making eight tackle-busts, running for 215 metres off 23 carries, and defusing four kicks in his side’s 46-24 win.
2. Fletcher Sharpe. Club: Newcastle Knights. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
A fullback by trade, Sharpe has found a home on the wing since Kalyn Ponga’s return, and the youngster was rewarded in Round 23 with four tries in just 35 minutes for the Newcastle Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Sharpe also had a line-break, seven tackle-busts and 149 run metres during Newcastle’s 34-18 victory on Sunday.
3. Jesse Ramien. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 4.
The Sharks returned to form in dominant style with a 44-0 win over the Gold Coast and Ramien was among the best on the field for the black, white and blue.
Along with a try, he produced two try-assists, one line-break, a line-break assist, three tackle-busts, 131 run metres, four offloads and seven tackles without a miss.
4. Kotoni Staggs. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 2.
Staggs earned the Carl Webb Medal with an unstoppable performance in Saturday’s Queensland derby against the North Queensland Cowboys.
In an effort that proved vital for the Brisbane Broncos’ top-eight hopes, Staggs scored a second-half double, had four line-breaks and 11 tackle-busts, ran for 163 metres and made 19 tackles.
5. Brian To’o. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 12. TOTW selections: 6.
Each of To’o’s two tries on Friday night came more than an hour apart, but the latter kick-started the Penrith Panthers’ 36-34 comeback over Parramatta Eels.
Other than that it was another strong performance from the Penrith winger, recording two line-breaks, eight tackle-busts and 169 run metres in Round 23.
6. Luke Brooks. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
Brooks scored his third four-pointer in as many games on the weekend, as the Sea Eagles’ spine looks to be hitting its straps with finals approaching.
The five-eighth also managed two try assists, a linebreak, five tackle busts, 181 run metres, 21 tackles and 338 kick metres against the Raiders.
7. Nathan Cleary. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 14. TOTW selections: 3.
Another week and another TOTW appearance for the Panthers’ No.7, this time steering his team to a thrilling victory over their local rivals.
Cleary assisted in two tries, ran for 95 metres, made 21 tackles and had 335 kick metres, but also nailed six goals from seven attempts in Penrith's two-point win.
8. Taniela Paseka. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
Admittedly Canberra was down a man with Joseph Tapine in the sin bin, but Paseka still had to break tackles (two) on his way to the try line from 12 metres out.
Among his 10 runs for 124 metres was 65 post-contact, along with a line-break and tackle-bust and the big prop was only on the field for 45 minutes.
9. Wayde Egan. Club: Warriors. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
A heart-breaking golden-point loss for the Warriors (34-32), when they scored more tries than the Dolphins, but Egan could still hold his head high with 46 tackles – the highest among his teammates.
He played all 83 minutes and had a line-break assist, a try assist along with an offload, eight dummy-half runs and no handling errors.
10. Josh Curran. Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Curran seems to be loving life at the Bulldogs since switching from the Warriors this year and his form earns him a maiden TOTW selection.
In just 51 minutes in the win over St George Illawarra at home, this helmet-wearing workhorse made 19 runs for 208 metres – 88 post-contact - had an offload and made 27 tackles.
11. Shaun Lane. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
It was Lane’s try assists that brought the Eels their first (Blaize Talagi) and last (Clint Gutherson) tries in the close western derby with Penrith.
This skilful back rower also had a line-break, a line-break assist, and three tackle-busts among his 11 runs for 106 metres – plus 21 tackles.
12. Jacob Preston. Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1
A measure of the Bulldogs growing prowess in 2024 is that Preston becomes the eighth player from the club to earn a TOTW selection.
He was hard to miss in the win over the Dragons with his 39 tackles, topping his teammates, along with 110 run metres, a line-break assist, and two tackle-busts.
13. Jack Williams. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
His first try of the season also helped earn him his first time in TOTW. His switch from the bench to starting lock in the Sharks shake-up because of injuries, also was a factor in a superlative game from Williams over the Gold Coast Titans.
He made 23 runs for 218 metres – 89 post-contact – had a line-break, an offload, five tackle-busts and made 32 tackles, missing just one.
