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. James Tedesco. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 22. TOTW selections: 2.
Up against some stiff competition from Dylan Edwards and Scott Drinkwater last weekend, Tedesco had a hand in most of the Roosters successes in the 40-18 win over the Brisbane Broncos last Friday night.
He ran for 260 metres - 59 of those post-contact - broke out of nine tackles, made two dummy-half runs, defused five kicks, made two line breaks, two line-break assists and two try assists.
2. Sunia Turuva. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
After a week off sorting out his Rugby League future, Turuva was back with a vengeance in Round Nine and back in the TOTW list with his ninth try from seven matches in the 30-point win over South Sydney last Thursday.
He made 13 runs for 137 metres, had two line breaks and a line-break assist, two tackle breaks and an offload.
3. Jake Averillo. Club: Dolphins. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
That's now three tries in three successive weeks for Averillo showing he feels right at home in the Dolphins back line.
The former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldog has now scored four tries in seven games and was key in the come-from-behind 28-26 win over the North Queensland Cowboys with two line-break assists, two try assists, two tackle busts and three offloads.
4. Reuben Garrick. Club: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
That's now three TOTW nominations for this goal-kicking Sea Eagle who keeps upping the ante at centre in 2024 after the majority of his time at the northern beaches club has been on the wing or at fullback.
Despite being on the losing end in the close match against Canberra (26-24), Garrick scored two tries - that's six from eight rounds - kicked two goals, defused two kicks, had two offloads, made 18 tackles and ran for 143 metres.
5. Jacob Kiraz. Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
Another outside back with a hat-trick of TOTW nominations is Kiraz, who proved difficult to handle against the Wests Tigers on Saturday with seven tackle busts and 54 post-contact metres.
He made 18 runs for 165 metres - the most of any Bulldog - defused a kick and had an offload as well.
6. Matt Burton. Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 4.
Burton was again in command of his kicking - five goals from five attempts - as well as his organisational skills. He had a line break, a try assist and a tackle bust in his 117 metres off 12 runs.
His nine kicks for 252 metres kept the opposition guessing including three bombs, a grubber and a cross-field punt.
7. Nicho Hynes. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 2.
It is back-to-back TOTW nominations for the Sharks No.7 who had to do nearly as much defence - 26 tackles - as attack in the 20-10 local derby win over St George Illawarra.
Hynes was everywhere with the ball in hand - a line break, a line-break assist, two try assists, 17 runs for 110 metres and 12 kicks for 357 metres.
8. Terrell May. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
The Roosters prop has been making a big impact off the bench for his club this season and he reinforced that point against the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night. May bagged two tries, made two line breaks, busted two tackles, ran for 125 metres and made 30 tackles without missing one.
9. Blayke Brailey. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
The Sharks No.9 has been rock-solid for his club this season and was strong in trying conditions against St George Illawarra Dragons. Brailey had six darts from dummy-half for 46 metres, made 40 tackles and set up the opening try of the game for Oregon Kaufusi.
10. Thomas Hazelton. Club: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 3.
The Sharks cult hero continued his recent try-scoring blitz with another four-pointer on the weekend against the Dragons.
With the match still in the balance, Hazelton stormed on to a pass from Nicho Hynes to crash through the goal-line defence and score the match-winning try. He also ran for 125 metres, made a line break and 26 tackles
11. Hudson Young. Club: Canberra Raiders. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 3.
The Raiders back-rower has made a career out of producing a try when his side needs it the most and this was certainly the case against Manly Warringah Sea Eagles on Friday night.
Trailing 24-6 at one stage, the Green Machine roared back into life with Young touching down an Ethan Strange kick with minutes to go to seal the result. He also ran for 126 metres and made 35 tackles.
12. Angus Crichton. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 2. TOTW selections: 11.
Crichton started the season in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup but is now the most in-form NSW back-rower in the NRL.
He was too strong for the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night after running for 156 metres, scoring a double, busting seven tackles, as well as producing a try assist, two line breaks, a line-break assist and four offloads.
13. Connor Watson. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Watson is a player that every club would love to have for his sheer versatility.
Starting at lock against the Broncos, Watson ran for 119 metres, scored a try, had a try assist, a line break and two line-break assists. He also made 54 tackles after shifting to hooker to cover for the injured Brandon Smith and made four dummy-half runs for 50 metres.
