Workhorse Watch Round 11

2024 NRLCEO Workhorse Watch Round 11 – The Connor Watson Chronicles!

• Connor Watson is potentially a cheat code for the rest of season 2024
• Isaah Yeo shows off by taking a 10 minute spell
• A young Dolphin returns with a bang
• Do the Rabbitohs need to start building for 2025?

In Round 11 there were 66 players who scored a WH, with 2 players scoring a DWH.

WORKING HARD

Connor Watson (Roosters)

57 tackles, 11 runs for 91m in 80 minutes – DWH (0.85 stats per minute)

Watson scored his 2nd DWH of the season in what is a remarkable return to NRLCEO relevance. Those CEOs who picked him up a while back will be cheering now as he has the added benefit of a dual position Lock/Hooker. I did mention a few weeks back that the Roosters might be better served starting Watson at Hooker and using Cheese as a running forward off the bench, it appears this may be the way they are going. Watson plays the full 80 minutes and he plays a running forward role for some parts of the match which gives him the metres required for a DWH.

Beau Fermor (Titans)

45 tackles, 18 runs for 166m in 80 minutes – DWH (0.79 spm)

Fermor scored his first career DWH against the Knights last week. He has begun to run the ball more, scoring a ME in his last 2 matches which was well above his current season average of 103 metres a game. Fermor is a great captain choice at the moment, although he hasn’t been scoring tries like he was in 2022.

Max King (Bulldogs)

47 tackles, 15 runs for 119m in 62 minutes – WH (1.00 spm)

A huge effort from Max King against the Raiders, if only he had a bit more size about him he might be able to get the 150m needed for the DWH. King is a consistent performer who never stops working. Sadly not 1 attacking stat registered for 2024 but he will get you the WH.

Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

44 tackles, 17 runs for 143m in 70 minutes – WH (0.87 spm)

Yeo would have surely got a DWH if not for his stint in the sin bin. Apart from Dylan Edwards, he is probably the most important player for the Panthers right now. He does turn 30 at the end of this season but for the moment he shows no signs of slowing down.

HARDLY WORKING

Taniela Paseka (Sea Eagles) 

30 tackles, 8 runs for 92m in 47 minutes (0.81 spm)

Paseka has missed a WH in 3 of his last 4 matches. It is cause for concern as he has shown that he is capable of being a consistent WH scorer and an NRLCEO starter but he just can’t produce it consistently. 5 WH’s from his 11 matches so far this season is not what you want from a starting prop. If Manly would just name a back on the bench for a change he might get enough minutes to get to the WH each week. Paseka’s metres per game has dropped over the last few weeks which is another sign that the workload is being shared around.

Felise Kaufusi (Dolphins)

27 tackles, 6 runs for 52m in 45 minutes (0.73 spm)

Kaufusi had a great start to 2024 with a WH in each of his first 3 games. He was injured in Round 4 and has not come back with the same zest that he showed in those early rounds. He isn’t playing the full 80 minutes due to Euan Aitken being preferred in the back row now. Kaufusi is a drop now for me.

Trent Loiero (Storm)

19 tackles, 14 runs for 110m in 56 minutes (0.59 spm)

Loiero was a huge success to start the year with a WH in his first 6 games, playing big minutes at lock. He has recently been in and out of the starting side which has reduced his workload to the tune of only 1 WH scored in his last 3 games. It is cause for concern mid season, especially seeing as the Storm are unlikely to contribute any forwards to Origin so he won’t get a jump in minutes during that time. Trade him out if you can and let it be someone else’s problem.

Samuela Fainu (Tigers)

24 tackles, 6 runs for 64m in 57 minutes (0.53 spm)

He has got huge potential, but for the moment he is struggling to adjust to playing big minutes as a starter. He has all the attributes to become a great edge player and CEO scorer but for now you should cut him loose if you can find someone more trusted. For contract/keeper leagues I still like signing him long term, once he gets used to playing 80 minutes his workload will increase.

SPUD POOL LOOKOUT

Alex Twal (Tigers)

40 tackles, 15 runs for 112m in 53 minutes – WH (1.04 spm)

Finally Twal has a starting spot and you should have jumped on him when the teams were announced last week. He looks likely to remain in the lock role until Bateman returns which will give him dual Front Row/Lock status as well. Also owning Twal is always fun, waiting to see how long it is until he scores his next try.

Bryce Cartwright (Eels)

34 tackles, 14 runs for 114m in 80 minutes – WH (0.60 spm)

Cartwright scores his first WH of the season but do we trust this form? His is still competing with Ryan Matterson for the starting back row role, with the other coming off the bench. The new twist is the sacking of Brad Arthur so there could be some changes under interim coach Trent Barrett. He is worth picking up if he is named to start as he may get back to 2023 Bryce form.

Connelly Lemuelu (Dolphins)

35 tackles, 12 runs for 129m in 80 minutes – WH (0.59 spm)

After an injury in Round 1 saw him miss 6 matches, Lemuelu returned to the starting team with a bang against the Tigers. He scored a WH and a ME and I think Bennett is a big fan of his so hopefully he can hold onto that starting role. Perhaps Kaufusi will continue to play prop now on reduced minutes, allowing Lemuelu to play the full 80 minutes on an edge.

Erin Clark (Titans)

27 tackles, 15 runs for 156m in 52 minutes – WH (0.81 spm)

Clark is another player that I think could develop into a regular WH scorer if he is given a chance in the starting lock role permanently. He plays with aggression and energy and also has the ability to ball play. His minutes were also inflated with the loss of Jaimin Jolliffe early on but he is worth monitoring for the short term.

WORTH MENTIONING….

Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans)

27 tackles, 11 runs for 102m in 54 minutes – (0.70 spm)

Fotuaika should be smashing out WH’s and ME’s each week but he just isn’t producing at the rate that he did as recently as last season. He has missed a WH in 2 of his last 3 matches. If the injury to Jaimin Jolliffe is long term then surely Fotuaika should see an increase in performance to compensate. I am holding him because I know what he can do when he is on.

Lindsay Collins (Roosters)

31 tackles, 11 runs for 79m in 51 minutes – WH (0.82 spm)

Collins produced his 3rd WH of 2024 which is a shock to all CEOs who drafted him. Collins can perhaps smell Origin coming and as he is a Queenslander, they all find form at this time of the year. There are too many WH forwards at the Roosters and Collins just isn’t getting enough minutes to get a regular WH.

David Klemmer (Tigers)

23 tackles, 19 runs for 142m in 49 minutes – WH (0.86 spm)

See what happens when you declare a player’s CEO career done! Yes Klemmer has produced back to back WH’s but I still say he is past it. There are some of you who would be picking him up for sentimental value but in reality he is still not worth having in your squad.

Tallis Duncan (Rabbitohs)

22 tackles, 19 runs for 156m in 53 minutes – (0.77 spm)

Would someone please give this kid a starting spot. Get rid of Havili and put Duncan at lock until Murray returns, ad when Murray returns put him on an edge. Duncan is hard-working and a potentially damaging ball runner. The Rabbitohs may as well use the rest of this season to develop their talent and at the same time CEO’s might benefit from it.

WORKHORSE PACK OF THE WEEK (most involvements by eligible position)

8. Max King (1) (Bulldogs) – 62

9. Connor Watson (2) (Roosters) – 68

10. Jake Trbojevic (2) (Sea Eagles) – 55

11. Beau Fermor (2) (Titans) – 63

12. Kai Pearce-Paul (1) (Knights) – 54

13. Isaah Yeo (3) (Panthers) – 61

(1) – number of times featured in the Workhorse Pack of the Week

WH – Workhorse

DWH – Double Workhorse

ME – Metre Eater

DME – Double Metre Eater

SPM – Stats per minute played