The NRL competition for 2019 in underway, and with the first round completed, we unveil our NRL Team of Week Round 1.
After sitting through all of the eight games, we have compiled a list of those players who were just a little better than the rest.
Of course any Team of Week Round 1 is going to cause debate, so feel free to pick apart our best 17 from the first round of the NRL.
2019 NRL Team of Week Round 1
FULLBACK – ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK (NZ Warriors)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| R. Tuivasa-Sheck | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 160 | 1 | 95 |
Outstanding first up effort from RTS, the Dally M winner from 2018 picking up where he left off last season and dragging the Warriors with him.
WING – EDRICK LEE (Newcastle)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| E. Lee | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 144 | 0 | 38 |
Did what good wingers do and snatched an intercept and scored the match winner for the Knights against the Sharks.
CENTRE – Solomona Kata (NZ Warriors)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| S. Kata | 2 | 0 | 8 | 19 | 11 | 99 | 0 | 92 |
Gave it to the Bulldogs all afternoon down the right, and ended up with two tries for his efforts.
CENTRE – ESAN MARSTERS (Wests Tigers)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| E. Marsters | 0 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 135 | 0 | 68 |
A solid pair of hands for the Tigers in their opening round win against Manly
WING – NENE McDONALD (NQ Cowboys)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| N. MacDonald | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 171 | 0 | 68 |
Some bias shown here towards PNG Internationals, but all the same did the job in his new colours up in Townsville against the side where he arrived from.
FIVE EIGHTH – CAMERON MUNSTER (Melbourne)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| C. Munster | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 63 | 3 | 105 |
Has put his 2018 Grand Final shocker behind him with a massive first up performance for Melbourne. His kicking game was spot on and far superior to the Broncos on the night.
HALFBACK – BLAKE GREEN (NZ Warriors)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| B. Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 41 |
Stepped up in the absence of Shaun Johnson, and ran the show well for the Warriors.
LOCK – JASON TAUMALOLO (NQ Cowboys)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| J. Taumalolo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 | 301 | 1 | 95 |
Ran for over 300 meres, becoming the second player to do so, and was dangerous throughout.
SECOND ROW – LUKE GARNER (Wests TIgers)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| L. Garner | 1 | 0 | 4 | 21 | 14 | 117 | 0 | 80 |
Only a few games into his NRL career, but showing signs of real quality.
SECOND ROW – FELISE KAUFUSI (Melbourne)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| F. Kaufusi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 14 | 146 | 0 | 55 |
The big mop of hair was back in full flight against the Broncos on Friday night.
PROP – BUNTY AFOA (NZ Warriors)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| B. Afoa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 14 | 152 | 0 | 49 |
From one big unit with big hair to another. Afoa laid down the platform for his team’s new halves combo to do their magic.
HOOKER – ROBBIE FARAH (Wests Tigers)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| R. Farah | 2 | 0 | 8 | 38 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 110 |
For someone who looked destined for the NRL scrap heap not long ago, Robbie Farah has justified himself for the start of this season at least.
PROP – JAMES TAMOU (Penrith)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| J. Tamou | 1 | 0 | 4 | 53 | 14 | 122 | 0 | 106 |
Only entrant from a losing side, the big man did some big work for the Panthers.
INTERCHANGE – Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| A. Reynolds | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 69 |
Ran the show in the Rabbitohs big opening win over the Rosoters. Showed that he can more effective by not just kicking a giant on the fifth tackle every set.
INTERCHANGE – Adam Keighran (NZ Warriors)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| A. Keighran | 1 | 6 | 16 | 12 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 87 |
Very good debut for the Warriors. Was involved in plenty and looks to be a decent goal kicker too. Combined well the Blake Green to prove they won’t miss Shaun Johnson.
INTERCHANGE – John Bateman (Canberra)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| J. Bateman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 18 | 145 | 0 | 65 |
Quite the debut from the latest big name from the UK. Probably at home in the wet conditions on the Gold Coast.
MICHAEL MORGAN (NQ Cowboys)
| Player | T | G | PTS | TCK | R | RM | TA | SC |
| M. Morgan | 1 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 20 | 1 | 68 |
Took over in style in the new post-JT era.
2019 NRL Team of Week Round 1 – BEST OF THE BEST
Here’s the top five players from our Team of the Week, who get an extra bonus for being that little bit better than the best.
They may come from the interchange due to the abundance in quality of certain positions.
5 points – JASON TAUMALOLO
4 points – CAMERON MUNSTER
3 points -BLAKE GREEN
2 points – ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK
1 point – MICHAEL MORGAN
2019 NRL Team of Week – TEAM OF THE SEASON
Stay tuned for a tally of who is going the best in 2019.
The point scoring is as below:
1 point for featuring in the team of the year.
5-4-3-2-1 extra bonus points for featuring in the best of the best in our NRL Team of the Week.
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