The NRL season kicked back into gear following the Representative Round with an entertaining brand of football across the weekend.
Cameron Smith and Adam Reynolds secured one-point victories for their respective sides while the Dragons, Sharks and Broncos all managed to turn around early deficits to win.
Meanwhile, the Sea Eagles and Bulldogs both overcame adversity to come up with the points while the Titans displayed a masterclass in Robbie Farah’s Leichhardt Oval homecoming.
Across all eight games there were a number of standout performances with everything from forwards with footwork to pin-perfect kicking accuracy.
Here is your NRL team of the week for Round 16.
Fullback: Matthew Dufty (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Dufty was explosive on Thursday night as the Dragons produced a come-from-behind win over the Eels. The fullback ran for 201 metres with seven tackle busts, a line break and two tries proving to be the difference for the Red V.
Wing: Nick Cotric (Canberra Raiders)
Despite the Raiders conceding a big lead, Cotric stood out for the green machine with a solid performance on the left wing. The Serbian scored late in the first half in a display of attacking excellence which saw him run for 146 metres while also making eight tackle busts and a line break. He also made a great scrambling tackle on Jamayne Isaako.
Centre: Euan Aitken (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Aitken was effective on the edge for the Dragons, demonstrating his abilities both in attack and defence. The Scotland international ran for 133 metres, busting through ten tackles and also producing a lone line break as well as scoring a try. He backed it up in defence, with 19 tackles.
Centre: Jesse Ramien (Cronulla Sharks)
Ramien’s capabilities were on show in Auckland as he scored a try in the Sharks’ 18-15 win over the Warriors. The strike centre ran for 92 metres, making four tackle busts, a line break and 17 tackles.
Wing: Reimis Smith (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
In only his third NRL game, Smith excelled on the wing combining well with Kerrod Holland sending his centre partner over for two tries as well as scoring one of his own. Smith ran for 124 metres with three tackle busts and two line breaks in the Bulldogs’ upset win over the Newcastle Knights.
Five-Eighth: Anthony Milford (Brisbane Broncos)
After being criticised throughout 2018, Milford stepped up proving to be a visionary in the Broncos’ 26-22 win over the Raiders. The Samoan international was brilliant with the boot, kicking for 415 metres and forcing a drop-out.
He made ten tackles but his impact was felt most with the ball in hand as he provided three offloads, a line break and four tackle busts from 124 running metres as well as two try assists and the match-winning try in the 71st minute.
The Milf (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
Halfback: Adam Reynolds (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Reynolds thrived in wet weather with a brilliant kicking display, he took on the Cowboys’ line forcing a drop-out, littering them with grubbers in which he scored a try off. He iced a field goal which won the Rabbitohs the game in a gripping battle in Cairns.
Prop: David Klemmer (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Klemmer’s work-ethic came to fruition on Saturday night as the Bulldogs overcame adversity to defeat the Knights. He dominated through the middle of the park playing for 74 minutes and gaining 200 metres with five tackle busts as well as 33 tackles in defence.
Hooker: Cameron Smith (Melbourne Storm)
Smith remained composed in the Storm’s one-point victory over the Roosters in Adelaide. The skipper kicked the field goal to win the game as well as setting up Nelson Asofa-Solomona. He made a total of 53 tackles in a defensive affair.
Prop: Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm)
Asofa-Solomona backed up successfully from the Denver Test, putting in an enormous display as he contributed heavily to Melbourne’s attack. The New Zealand international ran for 126 metres with seven tackle busts, two line breaks and a try while making 25 tackles in defence.
Back row: Joel Thompson (Manly Sea Eagles)
Thompson played a pivotal role in the Sea Eagles’ 18-10 upset over the Panthers. The backrower scored the opening try, paving the way for the Sea Eagles with 94 running metres, five tackle busts and a line break. Additionally, he provided 27 tackles looming large on the left edge.
Back row: Angus Crichton (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Crichton played his role down the right edge for South Sydney with a workhorse defensive display, producing 35 tackles. He also made 105 metres in attack with three tackle busts in the Rabbitohs’ gripping one-point victory over the Cowboys in Cairns.
Angus Crichton (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Lock forward: Jai Arrow (Gold Coast Titans)
Arrow delivered another good performance through the middle of the park for the Titans, running for 199 metres and contributing six tackle busts, a line break and a try. He formed the crux of the Titans’ forward pack alongside Ryan James, making 24 tackles.
Interchange: Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers)
It wasn’t the homecoming that Robbie Farah was expecting but he still excelled despite the Wests Tigers rueing a number of opportunities as they went down to the Titans 36-12. Farah returned to the joint venture with a sensational attacking display running for 125 metres with four tackle busts and a line break. He made 49 tackles for the afternoon.
Interchange: Tim Mannah (Parramatta Eels)
Tim Mannah displayed plenty of razzle-dazzle, with great footwork helping him to make five tackle busts and a line break, providing a try assist for Bevan French. He ran for a total 134 metres making 27 tackles off the bench.
Interchange: Scott Bolton (North Queensland Cowboys)
Bolton was a resilient workhorse up front for the Cowboys, helping them to make metres up the middle. The veteran ran for 163 metres making 33 tackles with three tackle busts as the Cowboys nearly came away with an upset win in Cairns.
Interchange: Sam Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Seven days after the Denver Test, Sam Burgess kicked back into gear for the cardinal and myrtle with a tireless effort. Burgess was dangerous with every ball carry running for 173 metres, making 31 tackles, providing a try assist and even putting up a bomb which made Lachlan Coote vulnerable.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Melbourne Storm star Cameron Munster had a dream milestone game, scoring a try and getting a win. Fox League's Cooper Cronk tried to humble…
Melbourne's star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen has suffered a lower leg fracture in a nailbiting 22-20 win over the gallant Gold Coast. The rugby league…
Burgess' Warrington were stripped of an interchange before their win over Hull after naming a player on their bench who wasn't in their initial…
Wayne Bennett might be rumoured with a move elsewhere for 2025, but his Dolphins are far from done in 2024 after another stunning boilover…
The Cowboys desperately tried to kick a two-point field goal with seconds left, but should they have received a penalty earlier that would've seen…
Jack Bostock protested his innocence after being penalised for interfering with Kyle Feldt with replays showing Feldt throwing the ball behind him.
