Workhorse Watch Round 24

Workhorse Watch 2023 – The Tooth Fairy!

With no DWH’s in Round 24, we salute the man with the head made for rugby league, Cameron McInnes. A modest 62 involvements led the way  last week as well as scoring a try, LB and LBA. The Broncos served notice to the Panthers that they are coming for the title. The Eels are slipping and now must battle on without Moses. The Roosters are still alive and are basically playing elimination finals footy already. 59 players scored a WH in Round 24 with no DWH’s.

WORKING HARD

Cameron McInnes (Sharks)

46 tackles, 16 runs for 137m in 67 minutes – WH (0.93 stats per minute)

McInnes has now scored 14 WH’s in 2023 from his 19 matches which is a decent strike rate. His value should increase for the next 2 seasons as he surely transitions into a starter ahead of Finucane. Both are signed until end of 2025 at the Sharks but you would expect McInnes to play more minutes than Finucane.

Isaah Yeo (Panthers)

44 tackles, 14 runs for 138m in 80 minutes – DWH (0.73 spm)

Isaah has made it four years in a row of 100+ points which is super consistent for an NRL forward. He has only missed a WH in one match this season.

Tohu Harris (Warriors)

37 tackles, 19 runs for 140m in 80 minutes – DWH (0.70 spm)

Tohu played the full 80 minutes for the first time in a couple of months after the Warriors suffered a few injuries during their match. He has been carrying a few niggling injuries himself this season so it was good to see him go the distance. He still looks busted when he plays but as long as he racks up the involvements, CEO’s will be happy.

Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs)

42 tackles, 14 runs for 110m in 67 minutes – WH (0.84 spm)

We are blessed with some quality lock forwards in NRLCEO at the moment and I would have Murray in the top 3. I still think he can develop his attacking game which would elevate him in the draft pecking order.

HARDLY WORKING

Viliame Kikau (Bulldogs) 

28 tackles, 9 runs for 69m in 73 minutes (0.51 spm)

Kikau will drop to mid to late rounds of drafting next season unless your a diehard Dogs fan. He relied on his attacking stats at the Panthers to be relevant in CEO, at the Bulldogs those attacking stats are non-existent to the tune of 6 CEO points in 2023 (yes I know he has only played 6 matches). Fifita is so far ahead of him in terms of value and Kikau will need to become a regular WH scorer to gain any sort of CEO footprint for 2024.

Ryan Matterson (Eels)

28 tackles, 7 runs for 63m in 58 minutes (0.60 spm)

It is staggering that Brad Arthur does not name him to start in the back row ahead of Andrew Davey. Matterson must be on the nose at the Eels, which is a shame because he is an 80 minute back rower at his best who would be pushing a DWH most weeks. He is contracted to the Eels until the end of 2025 with a player option for 2026. I could not consider drafting him as one of my starting back rowers given the current situation.

Liam Martin (Panthers)

27 tackles, 8 runs for 93m in 80 minutes (0.44 spm)

I don’t know what he does on the field for 80 minutes. He is a great ball runner, quite under utilised by the Panthers halves I think, but his work rate has never been that great. Only 5 WH’s so far in 2023 is just not enough to get a start in a CEO team.

SPUD POOL LOOKOUT

Mark Nicholls (Dolphins)

39 tackles, 10 runs for 93m in 54 minutes – WH (0.91 spm)

I have always like Nicholls as a front rower. He has a great work rate, he just doesn’t quite get the minutes and is not a consistent starter. Nicholls will be 34 years old at the start of 2024 and is only contracted until the end of next season, which means his best is now probably behind him. Still with injuries hurting the Dolphins forward depth he could get you a WH over the next 2 weeks.

Ryan Couchman (Dragons)

37 tackles, 10 runs for 80m in 51 minutes – WH (0.92 spm)

Another player to watch over the next couple of seasons with spots up for grabs at the Dragons under new coach Flanagan. Both the Couchman brothers should be on CEO radars, they have great work rates and look decent in defence.

Terrell May (Roosters)

26 tackles, 18 runs for 194m in 39 minutes – WH (1.13 spm)

A mammoth performance in only 39 minutes of footy for May against the Dolphins. He has been putting up huge numbers in NSW Cup and showed what he can do in a limited opportunity. The Roosters front row stocks look very healthy in 2024 with Collins, Leniu, May and of course the veteran Waerea-Hargreaves.

Corey Waddell (Bulldogs)

56 tackles, 5 runs for 42m in 80 minutes – WH (0.76 spm)

A 2 week suspension to Jacob Preston will likely see Waddell take his spot in the back row. It has been a career best CEO season in 2023 from Waddell with 11 WH’s so far. For those CEOs who need to replace Preston for a semi or a GF then Corey is your man.

WORTH MENTIONING….

Apisai Koroisau (Tigers)

51 tackles, 4 runs for 32m in 80 minutes – WH (0.69 spm)

It has been a timely return to form for Api who was sitting in a few spud pools mid season. In his last 5 weeks he has scored 47 points with a WH in 4 out of the 5 matches. He has also taken over the goal kicking, which is not huge at the Tigers, but it increases his CEO value enormously. He would have been a handy pick up for those CEO’s who saw him wasting away in the spud pool.

Marata Niukore (Warriors)

26 tackles, 10 runs for 122m in 52 minutes – (0.69 spm)

I nominated Niukore for a strong season in 2023 but he has missed the mark. He has been inconsistent and often ill-disciplined to the tune of 7 WH’s and 4 sin bins. He has certainly been over shadowed by Jackson Ford who has been outstanding. Niukore looks like playing around the 50-55 minute mark each week given the Warriors bench rotations.

Tevita Pangai Junior (Bulldogs)

21 tackles, 8 runs for 94m in 27 minutes –  (1.07 spm)

His spm of 1.07 is fantastic but his attitude is horrendous. He continually offloads the ball coming out of the Bulldogs own end and it often leads to a mistake which then leads to an opposition try. Easily the most over rated player in the NRL, TPJ needs to decide if he even wants to play rugby league because I cannot imagine Gus Gould putting up with his shit much longer.

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

8. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans) – 54

9. Lachlan Croker (Sea Eagles) – 55

10. Max King (Bulldogs) – 50

11. Nat Butcher (Roosters) – 55

12. Isaiah Papali’i (Tigers) – 55

13. Cameron McInnes (Sharks) – 62

WH – Workhorse

DWH – Double Workhorse

ME – Metre Eater

DME – Double Metre Eater

SPM – Stats per minute played