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.
1. James Tedesco. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 22. TOTW selections: 1.
The Roosters fullback continued his impressive form so far in 2024 against rivals South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday night.
Tedesco scored a double, had a try assist, a line break and two-line break assists, while running for 170 metres.
2. Connor Tracey. Club: Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Playing his second NRL game for his new club, Tracey played a pivotal role in helping the Bulldogs seal their first win of the season.
The winger ran for 233 metres – 57 post contact – scored a try and made six tackle busts.
3. Jacob Kiraz. Club: Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Joining teammate Connor Tracey in this weeks TOTW, Kiraz had a standout performance on Saturday afternoon against the Gold Coast Titans.
Kiraz scored a four-pointer, made a line break, two-line break assists along with 11 tackle busts.
4. Izack Tago. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 2.
Returning to the TOTW for the second week in a row – Tago continued to play in career-best form, helping his team to a 34-12 win over the Broncos in the Grand Final rematch.
The damaging centre ran for 154 metres, made two-line break and score two tries.
5. Brian To’o. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 9. TOTW selections: 1.
The Penrith wnger was back to his best on Thursday night against the Broncos helping the Panthers to go back-to-back over the last two weeks.
To’o scored Penrith’s final two tries of the night while running for 263 metres – 104 post contact.
6. Sandon Smith. Club: Sydney Roosters. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1.
Filling in for the injured Luke Keary, Smith slotted into the Roosters team with ease helping to guide them to a win, even after losing his halves partner Sam Walker to concussion.
The young playmaker set up two tries, including an impressive kick for centre Joey Manu to set him up for a four-pointer.
7. Mitch Moses. Club: Parramatta Eels. SOO appearances: 3. TOTW selections: 2.
The Parramatta halfback has found himself back in the TOTW after a masterful performance on the weekend against old rivals the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Moses scored a try, made three try assists, two-line break assists, a line break and kicked for 431 metres.
8. Tevia Tatola. Club: South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections: 1
A regular last season in TOTW, when injuries left him alone, Tatola worked hard in a losing side against the Roosters last Friday.
He made 60 post-contact metres – the highest of any Rabbitoh – in his 53 minutes on the field, alongside 12 runs for 110 metres, a tackle-break, 30 tackles and no errors or penalties.
9. Api Koroisau. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearances: 4. TOTW selections: 1.
The crafty No.9 was a stand-out in being NSW Player of the Week, underlined by two line-break assists, two try assists, three tackle-busts, an off-load and running for 76 metres from seven dummy-half runs, bamboozling Sharks defenders all match.
Then there were the added points input from four goals, plus making 42 tackles, a positional kick for 50 metres downfield and all that from 66 minutes before Jayden Sullivan came on to relieve him.
10. Stefano Utoikamanu. Club: Wests Tigers. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 1.
The second Wests Tigers player in this weeks TOTW is more than justified after they posted 32 points against the Sharks - a team that was unbeaten in the opening two rounds.
He busted out of seven tackles, ran for 178 metres - 86 post-contact, had an offload and made 29 tackles in a busy 60 minutes on the field.
11. Jackson Ford. Club: Warriors. SOO appearances: 0. TOTW selections 1.
The 26-year-old was one of the reasons behind the Warriors first win of the season against the previously unbeaten Canberra Raiders.
He made 17 runs for 164 metres, 59 post-contact, a line break, and 40 tackles. However, that still didn’t elevate him to the hardest worker. Teammate Tohu Harris made 50.
12. Keaon Koloamatangi. South Sydney Rabbitohs. SOO appearances: 1. TOTW selections: 1.
In an unhappy night for Souths supporters, with a 42-point loss to their arch-rivals, Koloamatangi never stopped trying.
He made 12 tackle-busts, 134 metres (59 post-contact), a line-break assist, two offloads, and 37 tackles missing just one.
13. Isaah Yeo. Club: Penrith Panthers. SOO appearances: 11. TOTW selections: 2.
It might have been a slightly-depleted Brisbane Broncos outfit but there were still 13 on the field and Yeo made 32 tackles without missing any.
The ever-reliable lock also had three offloads, no handling errors, and 58 post-contact metres in his 15 runs for 148 metres.
