NRL 2020: Stats Insider's Round 5 Team Of The Week
Jun 17, 2020, 9:00AM
Stats Insider’s NRL Player Ratings are an attempt to measure player performance in individual NRL matches.
Drawing on a number of concepts across the statistics/finance world, the rating system attempts to value how individual actions on the field generally contribute towards a team’s chance of winning a match.
Values can be positive or negative depending on whether actions are generally ‘good or bad’ for their team – so for example if a player scores a try you will see their rating go up, however if they then make an error on their next hit-up you’ll see their rating go down (but not by as much).
Based on Round 5's action, we've selected the first ever Stats Insider 'Team of the Week'.
1. James Tedesco
Fittingly, the best player in the game produces one of the best performances in recent years to lead Stats Insider's first NRL Team of the Week.
His stat line is mind-boggling:
- 3 tries
- 2 try assists
- 2 line breaks
- 5 line break assists
- 4 offloads
- 10 tackle breaks
- 231 running metres
2. Brett Morris
You could argue that it's easy to camp out on the Roosters right edge and pile up the numbers. There are few wingers that have ever capitalised on opportunities like Brett Morris, though. Round 5 was no different: one try, two try assists and three line breaks.
3. Waqa Blake
Waqa Blake squared up against his former club to produce a match-winning performance. His big 'don't argue' on young Stephen Crichton inspired Parramatta's comeback win.
4. Peta Hiku
The latest episode of the Peta Hiku Experience ended with a happy ending for the Warriors. It looked like it might be one of 'those' games for Hiku when he misjudged a grubber to concede the Warriors' second try. However, the centre bounced back to score three of his own in a TOTW performance.
5. Dane Gagai
Dane Gagai played well in a non-Origin game. Really, he did. The Rabbitohs winger ran for 173 metres and registered five tackle breaks on his way to scoring a double on Saturday afternoon.
6. Shaun Johnson
While lazy analysts might not highlight the good Shaun Johnson does, the TOTW recognises his 82 running metres, line break assist and try assist, and most notably, his three forced dropouts and ten line engaged runs. Johnson was Cronulla's only hope in a poor team performance.
To the Warriors fans asking, "where is Kodi Nikorima?"
Had he performed better in True Kicker Rating and avoided the try-cause, he would have finished here in place of Johnson. You have to laugh at this Johnson/Nikorima scenario, though.
7. Blake Green
It's been a while, but Blake Green finally justified his place in the Warriors starting side in Round 5. Guiding the team around the field and dominating with his boot through 438 metres and two forced dropouts, Green also added three try assists in an excellent performance.
8. Payne Haas
We can pencil Payne Haas in here to start every round. He's in this spot on the back of 191 running metres, four tackle breaks and 45 tackles on Thursday night. Some would call that a relatively quiet night for the 20-year-old.
9. Cameron Smith
As mentioned in the explainer: "sometimes the stats that are available just don’t adequately capture all the valuable things a player does."
Cameron Smith is a prime example of that. However, he had the numbers to back it all up in Round 5. The 36-year-old finished with 98 running metres, two try assists and a perfect 4/4 off the tee.
10. Addin Fonua-Blake
He wouldn't have been a blip on the model's radar at halftime, but a massive second half propelled Addin Fonua-Blake into the TOTW.
11. Angus Crichton
Angus Crichton didn't always need to do much more than run straight and put the ball down for his two line breaks and two tries on Monday night. He put himself in the right place at the right time to capitalise on a Tedesco masterclass, though.
12. Ryan Matterson
Ryan Matterson did a bit of everything on Friday night to score a try, run for 158 metres, throw three offloads and make 44 tackles.
13. Jason Taumalolo
Like Haas, we can assume Jason Taumalolo occupies this spot most weeks. In a match he was held to a season-low 137 running metres, Taumalolo made 55 tackles to make up for it.
*Outside Interchange players, the Stats Insider team of the week is selected based on the position a player was named to start the match. Halves are grouped into a single position for selection purposes.
