After what felt like one of the longest off seasons in NRL history, it seems like I’ve blinked and a month of footy is already in the books.
According to the stats nerds, this has been the closest season of footy since 1908. 25 of the 32 games this season have been decided by 12 points or less. There’s been some cracking games already this season too.
Eels v Storm Round 1, the Grand Final replay in Round 4, every single Dolphins game. We’ve been treated to some incredible footy so far and hopefully this is just a little taste of what’s to come in 2023.
While it’s probably too early to speculate about State of Origin line-ups I thought I’d run through each team and talk about who I think their best player has been so far this season mainly because I want to have an excuse to watch some footy highlights at work but I also know that I’m going to stir some punters up and they’re going to call me a flog in the comment section on Facebook which is just great for our engagement numbers.
Here is who I think have been each teams best player so far this season.
Brisbane Broncos
Payne Haas
Am I going alphabetically or by who’s on top of the ladder? The Broncs have been an incredibly well-oiled machine this year and there’s almost no wrong answer. Adam Reynolds, Ezra Mam, Reece Walsh, Patty Carrigan and Herbie Farnworth have all been huge in the first month of footy but it’s hard to look past the big Payney.
He’s averaging 196 Run metres a game, 28.75 tackles and has missed just two tackles so far this season. Haas has been such a workhorse for the Broncos and his efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, he’s currently on top of the Dally M votes. His stand out moment so far this season was the last 10 minutes of the Dragons game. Haas put the team on his back and made two massive offloads that set up the two of the Broncos last tries.
For Queensland’s sake I hope he puts his feet up come Origin time.
Canterbury Bulldogs
Jacob Kiraz
They made some big signings over the off season but Kiraz has been such a stand out for the Dogs. 27 tackle breaks, 216 run metres per game and three tries. It’s pretty easy to be forgotten about at the Dogs if your name isn’t Addo-Carr, Burton or Kikau but Kiraz has been a shining light at Canterbury this year.
North Queensland Cowboys
Chad Townsend
The Cows haven’t quite got off to the start a lot of fans expected this season but one player that has lead from the front is Cowboys half Chad Townsend. He leads the league in try assists with 6 and makes everyone around him a lot better.
They’re 2-2 to start the year but Chad will sort them out. Cows will improve if he keeps doing his thing.
St George Illawarra Dragons
Ben Hunt
Can a club come in and save this man from the Dragons please? The Dragons do not deserve the great man that is Ben Hunt.
2 tries in three games and will be the only Dragon selected to play Origin. If the Dragons can’t get up to play with Hunt then they truly are a lost cause.
Benny could sit out the rest of the season and still be the Dragons best player.
Dolphins
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Kaufusi has been huge, Marshall King has been a hot boy when on the field but it’s all about the Hammer for me.
Tabuai-Fidow is the only player in history to have scored a try in every single NRL game a club has played.
We all knew how good the Hammer was at the Cows but a bit of congestion at the back, a couple injuries and Drinky playing well meant that the Origin player was pushed out.
While the Phins were criticised for not signing a “Marquee Player” the Hammer has made it his mission so far this year to turn himself into one.
He leads the league in tries with 5, runs for 175 metres a game, has 14 tackle breaks already this year and is up there for Dally M votes. The Hammer is more than likely back in the QLD team this season on the first month alone.
Parramatta Eels
Mitch Moses
A 1-3 start to the season isn’t where Parra expected to be to start the year but things are gong to turn around very quickly if Moses starts to have his way.
His game against Penrith showed everyone just how punishing of a half he can be (when he wants to be) setting a record for the most kick metres in a game ever (1006M) and nailing the field goal in extra time.
Parra have given him the money and now he needs to repay them with more performances like Thursday night.
Newcastle Knights
Lachie Miller
It’s pretty easy to be Newy’s best player this season because they haven’t had many standout performances but one player that has stood up and been huge for the Knights is Lachie Miller.
Replacing Ponga in the Number 1 jersey, what the Olympian has done in just 11 games of NRL has been incredible.
Miller is averaging 202 run metres this season and has had 2 tries and 2 try assists since replacing Ponga.
Penrith Panthers
Nathan Cleary
Does this one really need to be explained? He’s one of if not the best player in the world and I think that play he made in the dying seconds of the Parra game proved it.
Yes the ‘Rith are 1-2 and 7th on the ladder but they’ll be back.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Damien Cook
The heart and soul of the Rabbitohs, Cookie leads the league in tackles made with 199 and has only missed 9 tackles in 4 games (that’s a tackle efficiency of 95.7% for those playing at home).
As my park footy coach used to say “The quickest way to the in-goal is in a straight line” and Cookie does just that. Always sniffing around the ruck waiting to catch a lazy marker off guard, Cook’s ability to create second phase footy with his, for lack of a better word, eyes up footy is some of the best in the league.
Canberra Raiders
Joseph Tapine
Easily one of the best forwards in the league, Tapine has been at his destructive best already this season. 177m against both the Phins and Sharks and 241 against the Knights.
Tapine is certainly not to blame for the Milk’s poor start to 2023.
Sydney Roosters
Lindsay Collins
Forget Tedesco, Manu, Sualii. I’m all about Big Lumberjack Lindsay this year.
He’s just the perfect Scrum Pig. 141 Post Contact Metres, 13.3 hit ups and 146 Run metres per game. Lets not forget the 77 minutes he played in the middle against the Warriors.
The Roosters is another team that it’s very easy to go unnoticed in but don’t worry, I see you Lindsay and I can’t wait to see you rip and tear for the Maroons.
Manly Sea Eagles
Daly Cherry-Evans
Just like a fine wine, the QLD Captain just gets better and better with age.
DCE has been huge for the Dirty Birds this year.
A Hatty in Round 1, a monster intercept try against the Bunnies and 383.3 Kick Metres per game. Daly is a huge reason Manly have started the season so strong.
That Turbo bloke looks pretty handy as well but for me, I’m with the Queenslander.
Cronulla Sharks
Nicho Hynes
One game is all Nicho needed to be the Sharkies best player this season. The reiging Dally-M medallist got straight back into his work in Round 4 with 158 Metres, 57 receipts, 5 line break assists, 3 try assists and converted 5 of his 7 kicks.
Sure Will Kennedy & Ronaldo Mulitalo have 4 tries each on the year but Nicho his him, plain and simple.
The Blues need to find a way to squeeze him into the Origin side.
Melbourne Storm
Harry Grant
I know I pumped up Damien Cook earlier but Harry is hands down the best hooker in the league right now.
He scored the match winner in Round 1 for the storm and is only two tackles behind Cook for the most in the league (197 if you’ve just scrolled down to read about the Storm).
Grant has four try assists so far this year and has done everything in his power to keep the Storm together while Munster has been out.
Boss Billy has some huge headaches between him and Hunt for the 9 jersey this year but as a fan, what great headaches they are.
Gold Coast Titans
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
I was originally going to write about Alofiana Khan-Pereria but then I remembered it’s a two way tie between Haas and Tino in the Dally-M Votes. Maybe we should call it now and let them box for it.
Big Tino is the engine room for the GC. 166 run metres per game, 15.8 hit ups per game, 222.9 post contact metres and 114 tackles so far this season.
I know it’s early but the Titans look much improved this year and it’s 100% off the back of big Tino.
New Zealand Warriors
Wade Egan
Didn’t play Round 4 and it was obvious that the Warriors missed him. He’s had 1 try in every game he’s played this year and has been one of the Warriors most threatening players.
I can’t keep up with how the head knock rules work (maybe I’ve had one myself) but I’m pretty sure he’s out this week as well. I don’t think they’re a chance against the Sharks without him.
West Tigers
No One
I’m not writing about this team, you’re kidding yourself.