NRL Round 11 Team of the Week

The table is certainly starting to take shape in the NRL, Penrith Panthers secured a comprehensive win over the Sydney Roosters to move four points clear at the top.

North Queensland Cowboys pulled off a historic win over the Melbourne Storm as Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Brisbane Broncos and Parramatta Eels secured wins to make the top four race much more interesting. Further down the table, Canberra Raiders and St George-Illawarra Dragons continued their form with wins over South Sydney Rabbitohs and New Zealand Warriors respectively plus Wests Tigers swept the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs aside for their third win.

After all that, who makes our team of the week?

Full-back: Cody Ramsey
A very difficult choice but edging it is Cody Ramsey from the Dragons. Ramsey scored a try and provided an assist but his main contribution was 206 metres from 16 hit-ups that helped his side move closer to the top eight in what was an entertaining game.

Wingers: Selwyn Cobbo & Reuben Garrick
Selwyn Cobbo continued his top form adding another two tries to his tally for the Broncos over the struggling Newcastle Knights. He also added nine tackle busts as well as 224 metres from 15 carries as his side pulled away and look like title contenders for the first time in several years. Reuben Garrick, despite ending up on the losing side, had a great game for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, arguably rediscovering his quality that earned him a Dally M spot last season. He also scored two tries, slotted over four goals and managed four tackle busts as well as 227 metres from 19 carries as his side came so close but yet so far from bouncing back to winning ways.

Centres: Zac Lomax & Stephen Crichton
An obvious choice is Zac Lomax. Two tries and four goals tallied up two thirds of the Dragons’ points scored against the Warriors. Furthermore, ten tackles, four busts and 104 metres from 14 carries highlight his hard work on the night. Crichton had to edge out others but scoring another try as well as putting in 15 tackles, two busts and 183 metres from ten carries was enough to see him into the team as the Panthers overcame a slow start to secure another big win.

Stand-off / Five-eighth: Talatau Amone
Another Dragon, Talatau Amone, also shone providing two try assists, ten tackles, seven busts, four kicks and 144 metres with ball in hand. Amone was heavily involved throughout, showing off his quality in what was a crucial game for his side.

Scrum-half / Halfback: Nicholas Hynes
A man who has a new lease of life at the Sharks, Nicholas Hynes is chosen at seven once again. Scoring a try, providing an assist, slotting over four goals and a drop-goal, Hynes was responsible for the majority of the points the Sharks scored against the Titans. Add to that 144 metres made from 13 carries, he is proving to be a strong asset and a probably contender for the New South Wales in the upcoming State of Origin.

Props: James Fisher-Harris & Joseph Tapine
New Zealand international and Dally M prop James Fisher-Harris is named once again, this time alongside Joseph Tapine. Fisher-Harris was a try scorer, put in 31 tackles, two busts and 145 metres from 17 carries in what became a dominant performance from him and his side. Tapine proved to be a juggernaut for the Canberra Raiders as they eased past the Rabbitohs to secure a third consecutive victory. He put in 33 tackles, four busts and 189 metres from 19 carries and should he stay fit, the Raiders could prove to be quite a handful in the middle.

Hooker: Reece Robson
North Queensland Cowboys hooker Reece Robson makes the cut scoring a try, providing an assist, 34 tackles, two busts and 70 metres with ball in hand. Robson helped run the show against the out of sorts Storm outfit as the Cowboys look increasingly like dark horses to reclaim the title after seven years.

Second-row: Shaun Lane & Jeremiah Nanai
Shaun Lane of the Parramatta Eels and Jeremiah Nanai of the North Queensland Cowboys were the best backrows this week. Lane provided a try assist, put in 37 tackles and amassed 132 metres in helping the Eels overturn a deficit to secure a dramatic win over the Sea Eagles in what was a thrilling contest. Nanai is easily a contender for young player of the year thus far and his performance against the Storm proved that. Adding another two tries to his tally as well as 29 tackles, four busts and 114 metres from 13 carries really saw him prove his worth and highlight what a bright future he has in the game.

Loose-forward: Ryan Matterson

Finishing things off is the adaptable Ryan Matterson. Matterson came off the bench for the Eels and put in a great shift; 32 tackles, four busts and 177 metres from 24 carries. Some impressive statistics there as the Eels remain in contention for a top four finish.