Each week, the NSWRL.com.au staff writers will name their 17 best performers from the weekend's Intrust Super Premiership NSW. These selections, heavily based on statistical data, are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSWRL.
1 – Dylan Edwards
Club: Penrith Panthers; 2017 TOTW selections: 1.
13 total runs, 242 total metres, one line-break, three tackle-breaks, one try, three goals.
As the Panthers had to settle for a draw with the in-form Warriors, Edwards had some big moments at Pepper Stadium – including a vital try early in the second half. Importantly, he kicked three from five conversion attempts, which earned his side neither a win nor a loss in Round 10, and also ran more metres than any other player on the weekend.
2 – Eddie Aiono
Club: Mounties; 2017 TOTW selections: 0.
17 total runs, 191 total metres, four tackle-breaks, one offload.
Aiono’s willingness in attack was clear to see at Cessnock Sports Ground, who was second only to fellow winger Kato Ottio in the most runs for his team. The classy outside back was unable to cross for a try, but looked threatening throughout his 80 minutes. Aiono’s 92 post-contact metres were the most of Round 11.
3 – Matt Ikuvalu
Club: Wyong Roos; 2017 TOTW selections: 0.
17 total runs, 185 total metres, one line-break, 10 tackle-breaks, 13 tackles, one try.
It was a fine performance with the ball for Ikuvalu, who returned from the week off to break a game-high 10 tackles and score one of the Roos’ seven tries.
4 – Cheyne Whitelaw
Club: North Sydney Bears; 2017 TOTW selections: 5.
12 total runs, 106 total metres, 59 tackles.
Whitelaw obviously did not play much of his 75 minutes at centre against the Jets, but as that’s where he was named, it’s also where he earns his place in the Team of the Week. Wearing the no.43 on his back as a tribute to the North Sydney v Newtown clash in the 1943 NSWRL Grand Final, Whitelaw came up with a typically huge defensive effort with a round-high 59 tackles.
5 – Chris Centrone
Club: Wyong Roos; 2017 TOTW selections: 2.
11 total runs, 193 total metres, two line-breaks, six tackle-breaks, one offload, two tries.
Centrone came back from an Intrust Super Premiership NSW Residents berth to earn his third selection in the Team of the Week, thanks to a significant two-try performance against the Sea Eagles. Second on the try-scorers’ list behind Residents teammate Bureta Faraimo, Centrone is a key attacking weapon in a classy Wyong back line.
6 – Jayden Nikorima
Club: Wyong Roos; 2017 TOTW selections: 2.
One line-break, two tackle-breaks, 20 tackles, one try, six goals.
Also selected in last week’s Intrust Super Premiership NSW Residents team, Nikorima returned in style by playing a major role in the Roos’ dominant victory over the Sea Eagles. Scoring a try, being involved in several others and kicking six goals from seven attempts, the five-eighth couldn’t have done much more in a game which asserted the team’s place at the top of the ladder.
7 – Trent Hodkinson (c)
Club: Newcastle Knights; 2017 TOTW selections: 0.
One try-assist, 22 tackles, one try, four goals.
There was never any doubt about Trent Hodkinson’s talent as a halfback and on Saturday afternoon he proved it, delivering one of the less-fancied sides a victory against a strong Mounties outfit. Scoring one of the Knights’ four tries and converting all attempts, Hodkinson helped engineer the win in just his second game in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW – although with the similar success of the NRL team, the Newcastle club captain seems unlikely to return to the top grade just yet.
8 – Alex Twal
Club: Wentworthville Magpies; 2017 TOTW selections: 3.
19 total runs, 175 total metres, two tackle-breaks, one offload, 41 tackles
It’s a third consecutive Team of the Week selection for Twal, who continues to impress in attack and defence. Signed to the Wests Tigers for 2018 and beyond, the front-rower will have pleased many new fans with a big showing in a losing effort against Illawarra.
9 – Mitch Rein
Club: Penrith Panthers; 2017 TOTW selections: 4.
Two tackle-breaks, one offload, 43 tackles, one try.
Rein, who withdrew from the Intrust Super Premiership NSW Residents team, returned to regular competition with yet another strong showing. The 2017 Panthers recruit has now made half of the Teams of the Week this season, surely attracting attention from rival clubs if he is to be contemplating his future elsewhere.
10 – Kurt Dillon
Club: Newtown Jets; 2017 TOTW selections: 1.
16 total runs, 183 total metres, one tackle-break, 44 tackles.
Fans at North Sydney Oval were treated to a high quality Intrust Super Premiership NSW game on Sunday afternoon and central to that was the Jets prop. Dillon ran further than any other forward in Round 11 and made more tackles than anyone on his team – 44, without a single miss.
11 – Jacob Host
Club: Illawarra; 2017 TOTW selections: 0.
14 total runs, 150 total metres, one try-assist, two line-breaks, six tackle-breaks, 20 tackles, one try.
Host produced a huge all-round game on Sunday as Illawarra came up with an impressive win over the Magpies at Ringrose Park. Laying on a try and scoring his own in his 14 runs, it was a great showing from an NRL-experienced player who makes the Team of the Week for the first time this year.
12 – Scott Sorensen
Club: Mounties; 2017 TOTW selections: 1.
11 total runs, 131 total metres, one try-assist, two tackle-breaks, 38 tackles.
Sorensen followed up his match-winning Round 9 performance against the Bulldogs with another big game against the Knights – but it wasn’t quite enough to get his side across the line this time. After two try-assists in his last start, he got another at Cessnock Sports Ground and still made 38 tackles.
13 – Raymond Faitala-Mariner
Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs; 2017 TOTW selections: 0.
17 total runs, 187 total metres, one line-break-assist, seven tackle-breaks, six offloads, 28 tackles.
Faitala-Mariner was noticeably on song for the Bulldogs on Saturday, contributing 77 post-contact metres – the most of any forward over the weekend. He was a weapon for the Bulldogs at lock and did his hopes of an NRL return no harm in his 76 minutes.
INTERCHANGE
14 – Brad Abbey
Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs; 2017 TOTW selections: 1.
15 total runs, 127 total metres, two try-assists, six tackle-breaks, three offloads, 11 tackles, one goal.
Brad Abbey had perhaps his best game of the season thus far against the Tigers, laying on two beautiful balls for tries throughout the game. As the former Junior Kiwi begins to lift since getting a taste of the NRL, expect him to return to Des Hasler’s side at some point.
15 – Matthew Eisenhuth
Club: Wests Tigers; 2017 TOTW selections: 0.
14 total runs, 118 total metres, four offloads, 58 tackles.
Earning a maiden Team of the Week appearance is Matthew Eisenhuth, who makes the side following a large defensive workload at Belmore Sports Ground. His 58 tackles were second only to Whitelaw’s 59 across Round 11 and his tackle success rate was even greater, missing just one in his 80-minute game.
16 – Viliame Kikau
Club: Penrith Panthers; 2017 TOTW selections: 1.
18 total runs, 167 total metres, six tackle-breaks, six offloads, 20 tackles.
Consistently breaking tackles and threatening offloads against the Warriors was Kikau, earning him a second Team of the Week selection. While most Panthers players will be disappointed not to get both points after a strong start, the second-rower himself had a good game.
17 – Pat Mata’utia
Club: Newcastle Knights; 2017 TOTW selections: 2.
17 total runs, 164 total metres, one line-break, five tackle-breaks, two offloads, 19 tackles.
Mata’utia was one of a number of high-performing Knights on Saturday and, like Hodkinson, brought his NRL experience back to the lower grade. Some strong runs earn him the final place in the competition’s best 17 from Round 11.
