2016 NRL Team of the Year

[Alec]

Rapana Dally M PotY

 

[Big Pete]

Boyd has Tedesco covered in other aspects.

In the end, it comes down to Boyd's ability to star in the bigger matches (Origin/Test) and his consistency through out the year. Even when Brisbane were struggling, he was still among the Broncos best.

It's a tight race and you could easily throw Munster, Moylan, Barba and Coote into the mix. However, Boyd just finishes on top.

He'll be the Australian fullback at the end of the year, and he'll be one of the stars of the Four Nations.

 

[Black Philip]

Taumalolo has to be Lock of the Year, his metres gained are ridiculous for the minutes he plays.

It's scary how good he is. I'm hoping Pangai Jr gets to that level for us.

 

[Big Pete]

Taumalolo is a shoe-in.

He's addressed the inconsistensy that plagued his game last year and has been a force for the Cowboys. Easily the best middle player of the year and for mine, the Cowboys best.

It's more or less a battle for second, and in that instance, I'd have go with Trent Merrin. He's matured into a quality player this season and I cannot get over that amazing performance he produced in Round 20.

It's nice to see after his form had plateud at the Dragons.

Also a shout-out to Trbojevic. I know the Johns brothers talk them up ad nauseum due to the Mona Vale connection, but Jake's technique is so good. Every now and then, usually after I watch a bunch of Melbourne replays, I wonder why I follow the sport when there is so much catch/wrestle defence. It takes the likes of Gillett and Trbojevic to remind you of the physicality and what a good hit can look like.

 

[ZTop]

1. James Tedesco (Darius Boyd, Ben Barba, Munster, Moylan and Coote unlucky)
2. Corey Oates ( Nathan Ross and Josh Mansour unlucky)
3. Jarrod Croker ( Jack Reed very unlucky)
4. Joey Leilua
5. Suliasi Vunivalu ( Jordan Rapana, Bevan French, Valentine Holmes unlucky)
6. Anthony Milford ( Jimmy Maloney, Bryce Cartwright)
7. Cooper Cronk ( Johnathan Thurston)
8. Jesse Bromwich ( Josh Mcguire)
9. Josh Hodgson (Cam Smith)
10. Ryan James ( Aaron Woods)
11. Tyson Frizell ( Sam Thaiday, Josh Jackson, Papali)
12. Ethan Lowe (Matt Gillett)
13. Jason Taumolololo ( Jake Trbojevic)
14. Josh Mcguire
15. Aaron Woods
16. Matt Gillett
17. Johnathan Thurston
i feel like i missed out on heaps of players

 

[Danoz Direct]

Boyd and Oates have to be in the team.

And I can't really see a five-eight that has been better than Milford.

 

[ZTop]

Boyd and Oates have to be in the team.

And I can't really see a five-eight that has been better than Milford.

Had Cartwright been playing five-eighth the whole season He could've challenged

 

[Dash]

Is Tedesco getting in on the Blake Austin rule? Played 6 good games in the first 10 and then barely sighted again.

1. Boyd
2. Oates
3. Croker
4. Leilua
5. Rapana
6. Milford
7. Thurston
8. Bromwich
9. Hodgson
10. James
11. Frizell
12. Lowe
13. Taumalolo
14. Merrin
15. Gillett
16. Barba
17. Fifita

I'm a bit iffy on the makeup of the bench. Struggling to think of props who stood out this year.

 

[Rhino1001]

My best 13:
1. Boyd
2. Vunivalu
3. Leilua
4. Croker
5. Rapana( Oates)
6. Milford
7. Cronk( Thurston, Hunt)
8. Bromwich
9. Hodgson
10. James(Fifita)
11. Papalii(Thaiday, Ma'u)
12. Lowe/Gilett
13. Taumalolo

If we were going off the best team fantasy(avg per round, only considered players that played over 10 games) wise it would be:
1. Tedesco
2. Rapana
3. Leilua
4. Croker
5. Nofoaluma
6. C.Walker
7. Pearce
8. Fifita
9. Smith
10. James
11. Thompson
12. Cordner
13. De Belin

Just shows how different some Fantasy scores are to reality

 

[Danoz Direct]

NRL.com Team of the year

1. James Tedesco (Wests Tigers)
Overcame a shoulder injury and finished the year with a broken jaw but Tedesco still managed to make his Origin debut for the Blues as well as produce 14 tries and over 100 tackle breaks for the Wests Tigers
Notable mentions: Ben Barba (Sharks), Lachlan Coote (Cowboys), Cameron Munster (Storm)
2. Jordan Rapana (Raiders)
The Raiders flyer finished second on the NRL's top try scorers list (20) and finished with equal-second most tackle breaks (127) competition-wide while forming a lethal combination with fellow Team of the Year teammate Joey Leilua.
3. Joey Leilua (Raiders)
Leilua saved his best highlight for last in the regular season when he pulled off the try assist of the year – a spinning flick pass around the back – for Rapana. Scored 11 tries and broke 118 tackles across the season and has been in irresistible form all season.
4. Jarrod Croker (Raiders)
Croker finished the year as the NRL's highest pointscorer with 276 (17 tries and 104 goals) breaking a club record in the process. To put the Raiders skipper's season into perspective, his personal points tally was just 29 points fewer than what the Newcastle Knights scored collectively.
Notable mentions: Euan Aitken (Dragons), Kevin Naiqama (Wests Tigers), Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Roosters)
5. Josh Mansour (Panthers)
After making his New South Wales Origin debut this year, Mansour backed it up for the Panthers with 15 tries and a whopping 127 tackle breaks.
Notable mentions: Semi Radradra (Eels), Corey Oates (Broncos), Marika Koroibete (Storm), Suliasi Vunivalu (Storm)
6. Mitch Moses (Wests Tigers)
Moses's incredible back end of the year for the Wests Tigers was the main reason the club stayed in finals contention until the death of the regular season. Moses finished in the top four when it came to try assists (18 – equal with three others).
Notable mentions: Corey Norman (Eels), Michael Morgan (Cowboys), Bryce Cartwright (Panthers)
7. Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys)
One of the best players of all-time, Thurston's form didn't falter throughout 2016. The Cowboys, Queensland and Kangaroos veteran finished equal-first most try assists (23) alongside Melbourne's Cooper Cronk.
Notable mentions: Cooper Cronk (Storm), Moses Mbye (Bulldogs), Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)
8. Jesse Bromwich (Storm)
The incumbent Kiwis captain Bromwich continued his stellar form as one of the world's best front-rowers. The Storm veteran averaged 144.6 metres and 30.4 tackles per game in 2016.
9. Cameron Smith (Storm)
No statistic could measure the influence Melbourne, Queensland and Australian skipper Smith has over the NRL. Smith was the linchpin in the Storm's minor premiership.
Notable mentions: Peter Wallace (Panthers), Jake Friend (Roosters), Mitch Rein (Dragons)
10. James Graham (Bulldogs)
Graham finished the year with the most metres (,4056) across the competition and still managed to average just under 40 tackles per game for the Bulldogs.
Notable mentions: Josh McGuire (Broncos), Leilani Latu (Panthers), Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers)
11. Josh Papalii (Raiders)
Papalii solidified his place as a Queensland Origin star for years to come in 2016. More impressively, the left-edge defence from the Raiders back-rower in protecting the likes of teammates Croker and Aidan Sezer was incredible.
12. Tohu Harris (Storm)
Harris was thrown around the Storm's 17 but performed best when in his preferred back-rower position. Despite featuring at centre and five-eighth at different points of the year, Harris still managed to average over 130 metres per game.
Notable mentions: Matt Gillett (Broncos), Boyd Cordner (Roosters), Ethan Lowe (Cowboys)
13. Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys)
Taumalolo was the only other player in the NRL (other than Graham) to break the 4,000-metre mark. The barnstorming Cowboys lock broke over 71 tackles in the regular season.
Notable mentions: Paul Gallen (Sharks), Trent Merrin (Panthers), Sam Burgess (Rabbitohs)
Interchange
14. Anthony Milford (Broncos)
One of six players to play every minute of his team's season, the Broncos five-eighth was in sparkling form early in the season, before overcoming a midseason slump. kicked four field goals in the regular season in a fine sign for Brisbane's upcoming finals campaign.
15. Ryan James (Titans)
The season's most prolific try-scoring forward (11 tries) – equalled a record that has stood since 1950. It was his career best season to date and a large reason why the Titans made the NRL Finals.
16. Andrew Fifita (Sharks)
The Sharks firebrand continued to impress on the field, helping the Sharks to a 15-match winning streak. Fifita averaged the fifth-most metres per game in 2016 with 169.1.
17. Josh Hodgson (Raiders)
The main reason the Raiders were able to push themselves to a top two finish on the NRL Telstra Premiership ladder was Hodgson. His 16 try assists in 2016 was just one aspect of where the England international excelled.

 

[Danoz Direct]

Rugby League Week Team of the Year

1. Ben Barba (Sharks)

The little maestro was back to his best in 2016 as he began to show just why he was the runaway Dally M winner in 2012.
Barba’s running game was reminiscent of what we’ve come to expect from the fleet-footed fullback, but his decision-making in attack has elevated his game to new heights. His 18 try assists a testament to just how far he’s come as a playmaker.
2. Josh Mansour (Panthers)

The Panthers flyer earned his first Origin call-up in 2016 and based on what we saw from him this year, it’s certain to be the first of many.
His ability to perform on both ends of the field have gone a long way to establishing him as one of the best wingers in the world.
3. Jarrod Croker (Raiders)

It’s only fitting that this season Croker become the Raiders highest-ever point-scorer in the same year he helped the side to their highest ever points total as a club.
The Raiders skipper finished among the top try-scorers in the NRL (16) and was once again the competition’s top point-scorer with 278.
4. Joey Leilua (Raiders)
Unstoppable would probably be the best word to describe Joey Leilua’s 2016 season. The barnstorming centre was able to reduce the errors in his game and produce some of the most scintillating footy of his career which has been a catalyst for the Raiders’ current 10-game winning streak.
Leilua finished the regular season with 11 tries, 12 linebreaks, nine try assists and 2849 metres. Wow!
5. Jordan Rapana (Raiders)

The Raiders winger has undoubtedly grown into one of the best in the game, and a strong 2016 will certainly earn him a maiden Kiwi call-up for the Four Nations later this year.
Another double on the weekend, his fourth of the season, saw him bring his tally to 20 tries in 2016 – more than doubling his tally from last season (seven).
6. Cooper Cronk (Storm)

The Storm halfback has enjoyed another memorable campaign as he helped his side secure their second minor premiership.
Cronk finished joint top in try assists for the season (23) as his pinpoint kicking has led to a host of tries for his wingers Vunivalu and Koroibete.
He also managed to cross the stripe on 11 occasions.
7. Jonathan Thurston (Cowboys)

It was another clinical season from arguably the best player in the world.
While he may not hit the heights of 2015, Thurston still managed to dazzle us, finishing joint top in try assists (23) alongside Maroons teammate Cooper Cronk as well as joint second in total points (185).
8. Ryan James (Titans)

The Titans enforcer has become a household name in 2016 as his strong play has helped his team to earn a top eight finish for the first time since 2010.
The hard-hitting prop also showed an uncanny ability to find the line as he crossed for a whopping 11 tries.
9. Josh Hodgson (Raiders)

Hodgson has quickly become one of the best hookers in the game, with his decision making and and playmaking among the best in the NRL in 2016.
His efforts on both ends of the field have been a big reason why the Raiders have earned a home final, and his performances will go a long way to dictating just how far the Green Machine go.
10. Jesse Bromwich (Storm)

The Kiwi prop is arguably the most consistent forward in the competition, averaging over 144 metres gained and 30 tackles per game.
His efforts were duly rewarded when he was deservedly named captain for his country in their Anzac Day clash with the Kangaroos.
11. Tohu Harris
Not the most popular player in the game but you just get the feeling he is the player that his team-mates love to have by their side.
Tohu Harris played every game for Craig Bellamy in 2016 and tremendously covered three positions (centre, second row and five-eighth) in the process.
The Kiwi workhorse finished the year with eight tries and close to 700 tackles.
12. Trent Merrin (Panthers)

The Penrith forward has played with a chip on his shoulder for the latter part of the season after being overlooked for Origin duty, and it seems the Panthers are reaping the rewards.
The 26-year-old has been a revelation since making the switch to the foot of the mountains, averaging an impressive 154 metres and 33 tackles made per game. His five tries are also a career-best for Merrin, as he looks to earn a recall into Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos squad later this year.
13. Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys)

Thurston is the Cowboys most important player but it’s fair to say that the premiers can’t defend their title if big Jason Taumalolo isn’t on the park. That’s how important the 23-year-old has become to this squad.
This season the hulking forward registered over 4,000 metres and 71 tackle breaks – and also demonstrated his ability to find the line as he racked up six tries in the process.

 

[Harry Sack]

Surprised they didn't manage to squeeze Hayne in somewhere.

 

[Foordy]

They named Cronk at 6 despite not playing a single game at any level in the position this year.

That'll do me

 

[Danoz Direct]

They named Cronk at 6 despite not playing a single game at any level in the position this year.

That'll do me

Agree. Just pick the best FIVE-EIGHT and then pick the best HALFBACK.

 

[Big Pete]

Mal and Kev agree with RLW.

I do as well, and would hate to see a Moses/JT combination.

 

[Broncoman]

Don't understand why Tohu Harris is in the RLW team of the year

Been plenty of good second rowers

 

[Cult]

Don't understand why Tohu Harris is in the RLW team of the year

Been plenty of good second rowers

Like Boyd Cordner or Josh Jackson, right?

 

[Big Pete]

It's nice to see Tohu receive some appreciation.

He's just such a solid all-round player. A handful with the football, reliable in defence and has the skill-set to play in the centres, he'd be in any 17 I'd put together.

There's been plenty of good second rowers, Tohu is among the best.