During the 2025 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. Ryan Papenhuyzen. Club: Melbourne Storm. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1
The Melbourne Storm fullback is carving up the metres and putting points on the board as he enjoys his return from injury.
He scored Storm’s last try and kicked two conversions in the 30-24 win over Penrith, along with 16 runs for 117 metres, a line-break, a line-break assist, a try assist, two tackle-busts and an offload.
2. Brian To’o. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 12. TOTW selections: 1.
To’o scored the Panthers’ fourth and fifth tries in a six-minute burst of power at AAMI Park last Thursday.
He made 17 runs for 192 metres – 67 post-contact – while breaking out of eight tackles for two line-breaks.
3. Reuben Garrick. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Amassing 28 points from four tries and six goals against Canberra Raiders was a solid evening’s work for Garrick.
But the right-side centre also made seven tackle-busts and three line-breaks as he celebrated his new baby daughter, Elsie, who was born 24 hours earlier.
4. Zac Lomax. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 3. TOTW selections: 1.
The club’s new recruit for 2025 led the way in a losing side with 303 metres off 31 runs in the eight-point loss to Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at CommBank Stadium.
The Westpac NSW Blues outside back was aggressive in every run with 89 post-contact metres to add to his nine tackle-busts.
5. Sunia Turuva. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
Turuva was part of the 18-point blitz in the second half, scoring his second try of the afternoon in the 63rd minute, in the come-from-behind 30-18 win over the Dolphins at Kayo Stadium in Redcliffe.
His two line-breaks and four tackle-busts were part of his 16 runs for 150 metres.
6. Lachlan Galvin. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
Galvin joins his teammate Turuva in making back-to-back TOTW nominations by being his usual ball of energy - 21 runs for 145 metres.
Three of those were from dummy-half to add to his three offloads, a tackle-break, 12 tackles and 11 kicks for 232 metres.
7. Adam Reynolds. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 1.
Few sights delight the Suncorp Stadium faithful more than Reynolds taking control of a game as comfortably as he did against the North Queensland Cowboys on Friday night.
He had a line-break, a line-break assist, a try assist, two dummy-half runs, 15 kicks for 472 metres and made 29 tackles without missing any.
8. Terrell May. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
The 25-year-old has made his third TOTW appearance in as many rounds and will continue his run if he keeps his stats as high as he does.
Again he topped the Wests Tigers’ tackle count with 42 against the Dolphins, making 182 metres from 19 runs in 65 minutes on the field. He had an offload, a tackle-bust, made no errors and only missed one tackle.
9. Api Koroisau. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearances: 4. TOTW selections: 1.
What captain doesn’t want to score the winning try in an away game, and Koroisau did just that in the 75th minute on Saturday night in front of the Redcliffe faithful.
He also made a line-break, a line-break assist, a short pass for second-rower Alex Seyfarth to crash over, three tackle-busts, five dummy-half runs and pulled off 33 tackles.
10. Payne Haas. Club: Brisbane Broncos. SOO appearances: 14. TOTW selections: 2.
Rated by many as the best prop in the NRL, Haas showed some of the reasons why on Friday night playing 71 minutes in the front line against the Cowboys.
He made 23 runs for 214 metres, busted out of nine tackles, made two line-breaks, five offloads, 36 tackles and scored his first try for 2025. He earns our Player of the Week.
11. Alex Seyfarth. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Seyfarth is the fifth Wests Tigers player to make this week’s TOTW. It’s his maiden appearance after busting out of four tackles and making a line-break in his 30 post-contact metres off 12 runs.
His support play earned him his first try for the season, and his defensive efforts resulted in 32 tackles.
12. Haumole Olakau’atu. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 2.
After storming through the Cowboys’ defensive line two weeks ago at 4 Pines Park, Olakau’atu did the same against the Raiders on Sunday with seven tackle-busts and 88 post-contact metres.
He made 15 runs for 227 metres, had an offload and a line-break.
13. Isaah Yeo. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 14. TOTW selections: 2.
When the Panthers lost their halfback and co-captain, the team’s other skipper stepped up to perform the dual role of being a playmaker and a middle runner.
Yeo made 34 passes – just three less than five-eighth Jack Cole – and completed 42 tackles without missing any. He also had a line-break in his 22 runs for 136 metres.
