A week of big names returning, back-to-back brilliance, and Dally M snubs.
Here is our Round 9 Team of the Week.
Prop | Jackson Ford
Another week, another 50+ tackles and a gutsy performance from Jacko Ford, with 174 run metres, a try and only one missed tackle. Somehow, Ford managed to miss out on receiving any Dally M points, but he certainly doesn’t miss out on our Team of the Week.
Prop | Trey Mooney
Unstoppable force, Trey Mooney fronted up against an in-form Bunnies side. He smashed his way through the defence, scored two tries, including the winner in the 74th minute, finished the game with 5 tackle breaks, 32 tackles and 143 running metres, his season-best.
Hooker | Reed Mahoney
Would have left the Bulldogs wondering why they ever let him go. Strong performance against his former club with a season-high of 57 tackles, two try assists and two turnovers.
Second Row | Simi Sasagi
Sasagi was moved to Second Row this week and spun off the Titans’ defence, securing a double within the first 12 minutes. He made 30 tackles, had a try-saving tackle and ran for 152 metres in the Raiders 28-12 victory.
Second Row | Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
A huge 80 minutes for Kulikefu Finefeuiaki against the Melbourne Storm with 209 run metres, 4 tackle breaks and a try.
Lock | Erin Clark
179 Run metres against the Eels, his best of the season, with a try assist, and 27 tackles. A big shift from the big man picking up 3 Dally M votes
Half | Nicholas Hynes
Nicho Hynes and the Sharks gave the Tigers a wake-up call with a 60m intercept try, a try assist, 149 run metres, and contributed 20 points with an additional 8 goals in the Sharks’ 52-point win over the Tigers.
Half | Nathan Cleary
Nathan Cleary overtakes Jackson Ford on the Dally M after a tough-fought win against the in-form Sea Eagles, who were missing their key playmakers. Cleary had a nice try assist with a cut-out pass for To’o, had 100% conversion rate, 25 tackles, kicked for 509m and ran for 124m.
Centre | Latrell Mitchell
A try and two try assists, very nearly scored the winning try if it wasn’t for the Knights’ scrambling defence of 4+ defenders. Kicked well and looks lethal on the left edge alongside AJ with 5-line break assists,7 tackle breaks and 164 run metres. Latrell continues to lead the NRL in points with 116, 15 points clear of Cleary.
Centre | KL Iro
Back-to-back hattricks for KL Iro earn him back-to-back spots in our Team of the Week, including an incredible offload to set up the first try, and 151 run metres. The Sharks are just too good for the Tigers.
Winger | Greg Marzhew
Hattrick for Marzhew and 193 run metres, bashed his way through 4 Rabbitohs defenders for this third try. Looked deadly on the left-edge with Bradman Best and Kayln Ponga back in the side, with 3 line breaks and 4 tackle breaks.
Winger | Alofiana Khan-Pereira
Since putting on the Wahs jersey in Round 6, Khan-Pereira has injected a different level of consistent energy into the side. This week, he racked up his most run metres of the season with 168, scored two tries for the third week in a row, was great in the air, had a surging run from inside his own 10 m line, and read the attack well with his interception off Moses.
Fullback | Ponga
Ponga was back in the Knights jersey for the first time since Round 2 and cut through the Bunnies right-edge defence on multiple occasions with his show-and-goes, including a 40m+ breakaway to set up Dylan Lucas for his second try. Ponga showed up big with 203 run metres, 7 tackle breaks, 7 goals and a try assist in a crucial return performance in their 42-38 win over the Bunnies.