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Three teams lead the competition at different stages of Round 19 with first place now determined solely by for-and-against.
The Storm narrowly defeated the Warriors while the Rabbitohs experienced an upset loss at the hands of the Wests Tigers and the Broncos humiliated the Panthers in Brisbane.
There was plenty of controversy this last weekend as well as some great individual performances from some of the competition’s best young players as well as some underrated prospects.
Here is the NRL team of the week for Round 19.
Fullback: Matthew Dufty (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Dufty had a night to remember as the young fullback tore apart the Cowboys in Townsville. Dufty set Jason Nightingale for a try early on before breaking through a tackle to burst through a gap and score a try of his own. He puts his body on the line with some great kick defusals and busted through eight tackles.
(AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
Wing: Jordan Rapana (Canberra Raiders)
His combination with Joseph Leilua was once again on display in the Raiders’ controversial loss at the hands of the Sharks. Rapana busted through seven tackles and scored a try on the wing for the green machine.
Centre: Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters)
Mitchell has carried his form over from the State of Origin arena with a solid effort against the Roosters.
The New South Wales Blues representative scored two tries on the left edge and set James Tedesco up for another, busting through three tackles and making two line breaks.
He also made 22 tackles in defence, holding Manly out.
Centre: Esan Marsters (Wests Tigers)
In a gritty defensive win by the joint venture, Marsters took centre stage. The New Zealand international scored the opening try and also provided a try assist.
He ran for 144 metres off the back of four tackle busts and made 17 tackles.
Wing: Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters)
Ferguson was really good on the right edge, doing well to defuse Manly’s fifth tackle options. He scored two tries for the Roosters in their 56-24 victory over the Sea Eagles.
Ferguson busted through five tackles and made two line breaks, running for a total of 146 metres.
Five-Eighth: Connor Watson (Newcastle Knights)
Watson led the way for the Knights, working off the back of the groundwork laid by his forwards.
The young five-eighth played a running brand of football with Mitchell Pearce taking back the responsibility of organising, playing what was in front of him to bust through ten tackles to run for a huge 161 metres.
He was also effective in defence, making 21 tackles.
Halfback: Kodi Nikorima (Brisbane Broncos)
Nikorima was the Broncos’ primary attacking weapon in their huge win over the Panthers as they put a half-century on the mountain men.
The New Zealand international picked off the Panthers for two intercepts, turning defence into attack.
It resulted in two tries for the attacking halfback and two try assists as Brisbane played an expansive, attacking brand of football.
Prop: Andrew Fifita (Cronulla Sharks)
Fifita punched holes through the middle against the Raiders, using his big frame to bust through ten tackles.
He ran for 146 metres and made 31 tackles, as well as scoring a barnstorming try.
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Hooker: Jake Friend (Sydney Roosters)
Friend found some spark in attack from acting half lifting the Roosters around the ruck. The skipper made six darts out of dummy-half for 46 metres, busting three tackles.
Friend also played the quick restart effectively to exploit the Sea Eagles through the middle.
He made 45 tackles in defence while providing two try assists as Easts moved back into the top four.
Prop: Daniel Saifiti (Newcastle Knights)
Saifiti played a no-frills brand of football, winning the battle in the middle of the park against an experienced Titans pack.
The Fijian worked hard up front, running for 177 metres and making 31 tackles in defence.
Back row: Tepai Moeroa (Parramatta Eels)
Tepai Moeroa was one of the Eels’ best in their crucial win over the Bulldogs. Moeroa contributed heavily in attack to get the Eels moving forward with 132 running metres and three tackle busts, also providing a try assist and making 41 tackles.
Back row: Mitchell Barnett (Newcastle Knights)
Barnett was effective on the edge for the Knights in a match-winning performance.
Not only did the resilient backrower score two tries off the back of some inspirational tackle busts and tough hit-ups, he worked hard in defence with 35 tackles.
Lock forward: Nathan Brown (Parramatta Eels)
In a match dubbed as the ‘spoon bowl’, Nathan Brown put in a fantastic performance through the middle.
The lock forward hung around the ruck to make 40 tackles while he also laid the platform for Mitchell Moses to work off with 249 metres gained.
Interchange: Matthew Lodge (Brisbane Broncos)
Lodge was relegated to the bench against the Broncos but it didn’t detract from his explosiveness.
He made a massive impact against the Panthers, working hard through the middle against his former club as he ran for 156 metres with five tackle busts and a try for his efforts late in the game.
Lodge also made 23 tackles in defence.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Interchange: Paul Gallen (Cronulla Sharks)
Gallen stepped up for the Sharks in the middle with a workhorse display.
He worked hard in attack, running for 155 metres through the middle with five tackle busts, and backed up in defence making 30 tackles.
Interchange: Wade Graham (Cronulla Sharks)
Graham was only on the field for the first half but he was instrumental in getting Cronulla off to a good start against the Raiders.
The backrower made a solid stint, running for 132 metres and busting through eight tackles while scoring a try early on for the Sharks.
Interchange: Tom Trbojevic (Manly Sea Eagles)
The Sea Eagles had a nightmarish afternoon at Brookvale Oval as they went down to the Roosters 56-24 however Tom Trbojevic refused to give up.
Trbojevic performed well for the full 80 minutes, running for 158 metres with six tackle busts and three line breaks.
He scored a try and set up another, as well as forcing a dropout.
He refused to give up defensively, saving a runaway Victor Radley try and was also good under the high ball.
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