Round 5 Team of the Week: Supersonic Sailor sparks Souths Logan
The backs of the game proved to be the stars of the week in a high-scoring round of the Hostplus Cup.
With all but one match decided by 10 points or more, there were tries galore in Round 5 and plenty of attacking spark around the grounds.
Tweed fullback Lindon McGrady was one who set the standard with the ball in hand, picking up the Hastings Deering player of the match against Wynnum Manly on Sunday.
And he wasn't alone, with fellow fullback Tristan Sailor also putting in an incredible performance in a huge 60-4 triumph over the Redcliffe Dolphins, earning him the title of this week's Hostplus strong performer.
Each round, Queensland Rugby League recognises the 17 best performers and names the Hostplus Cup Team of the Week, presented by Hostplus. These team selections are based not only on statistical data, but also take on board live and broadcast viewings of the games.
Round 5 Team of the Week
1. Tristan Sailor - Souths Logan Magpies (C)
The electric Souths Logan fullback played a major role in his team's domination of the Redcliffe Dolphins. Lethal in attack, not only did the hard-to-contain Sailor score two tries but he set up another two, ran for 224 metres and had 10 tackle busts. He also had two line breaks and an offload to his name in a stunning performance. The Brisbane Broncos development player has been going from strength to strength in the opening rounds of the season, flourishing with the impressive Magpies spine and under the tutelage of coach Karmichael Hunt. Elsewhere, Sunshine Coast No.1 Sualauvi Faalogo maintained his red-hot form while Corey Thompson was solid at the back for the Brisbane Tigers.
2. Ryland Jacobs - Tweed Seagulls
The Tweed Seagulls put Wynnum Manly to the sword in the Round 5 flockbuster and the outside backs played a starring role in that victory. Winger Ryland Jacobs - supported strongly by his teammates - was unstoppable against Wynnum Manly. He bagged a hat-trick and proved extremely dangerous with the ball in hand. He notched up 154 run metres, made a jaw-dropping 11 tackle busts and had three line breaks.
3. Bessie Toomaga - Western Clydesdales
Monster centre Toomaga will remember Round 5 of this year's competition forever, after he helped spearhead the Western Clydesdales' first win since returning to Cup. Toomaga was a force to be reckoned with against the Ipswich Jets. He collected 24 points, scoring two tries and kicking seven from seven conversions, plus one penalty goal. He ate up 248 metres off 25 runs, had four tackle busts, four offloads, and one line break assist. It was a huge effort from Toomaga and it paid off nicely.
4. Solomona Faataape - Brisbane Tigers
Toomaga's former Tigers teammate Solomona Faataape also made a huge impact in Round 5. Faataape nabbed a hat-trick in his team's solid win over the Mackay Cutters and recorded 160 metres off 12 runs, plus seven tackle breaks, one offload, one line break and one line break assist. PNG Hunters centre Rodrick Tai was also extremely dominant in a losing side, scoring one try and powering through 213 run metres, five tackle breaks and one line break.
5. Jack Smith - Souths Logan Magpies
Jack Smith, take a bow. With safe hands and fast feet, Smith piled on the points in Souths Logan's victory. It was a team performance across the board from the Magpies and Smith executed every time, scoring four tries and setting up another one for backrower, Tyler Coburn. He notched up a total of 112 run metres and had three line breaks and three tackle breaks. Elsewhere, Sunshine Coast winger Scott Galeano was a try-scoring hero in his side's statement win over the Burleigh Bears. Galeano bagged a double and made 157 metres off 13 runs.
6. Dantoray Lui - Northern Pride
The Northern Pride are three from four to start the season and five-eighth Lui was a standout in their most recent win against the PNG Hunters. The playmaker scored two tries in the 34-14 victory and set up another. He also ran for 70 metres and had one line break, one line break assist and one tackle break. Souths Logan's Radean Robinson was also impressive in a big effort from the entire Magpies spine.
7. Jack Campagnolo - Souths Logan Magpies
The international halfback was slick against Redcliffe on Sunday. While it was a true team performance against the Dolphins, Campagnolo led the way strongly. He set up two tries, ran for 93 metres, had three line break assists and kicked for 343 metres. The 24-year-old also kicked eight from 11 goals and had zero errors in a strong, all-round performance.
8. Bailey Butler - Central Queensland Capras
Butler is one of the competition's form players this season. Becoming quite a regular face in the Hostplus Cup Team of the Week, Butler continued his early season rampage against the Norths Devils in Round 5. The star prop scored a double, amassed 171 metres off 18 runs, had 10 tackle busts, two line breaks and 20 tackles in a damaging 64-minute performance.
9. Tyran Wishart - Sunshine Coast Falcons
The Falcons hooker was hard to handle against the Bears, notching up a try, one line break, one line break assist, three offloads and 26 tackles. Wishart ran for a massive 102 metres and finished with a personal haul of 14 points. Tyson Smoothy was also impressive with 41 tackles for Wynnum Manly. Elsewhere, Blake Mozer had one try, one line break, one tackle break and 54 run metres in just 34 minutes to set the tone for the Magpies while on the other side of the park, Dolphin Izaac Jackson made 42 tackles in a workhorse effort.
10. Benjamin Te Kura - Souths Logan Magpies
Te Kura fuelled Souths Logan’s engine room on Sunday. The Brisbane Broncos affiliate gained 145 metres off 13 runs – 38 of those metres post-contact – and amassed nine tackle breaks and two line breaks in a powerhouse performance. Up north, Northern Pride prop Paea Pua also put in the hard yards, making 153 run metres and 14 tackles against the always tough PNG Hunters pack.
11. Klese Haas - Tweed Seagulls
While it was the Seagulls' backs who ran rampant in Sunday's feature game, it was the forwards who set the platform. And 21-year-old Haas certainly helped open up the field in the ‘flockbuster’, scoring a try, running for 136 metres and recording one line break, three tackle breaks, two offloads and lightning quick play-the-balls at an average of 2.92 seconds.
12. Nixon Putt - Central Queensland Capras
The PNG international contributed to yet another strong Capras performance, putting in the hard yards for the competition leaders with 164 metres from 17 hit ups. Putt also had six tackle breaks, one offload and a tackle efficiency of 95 per cent, playing an important part in the shutout win over Norths Devils.
13. Sam Coster - Burleigh Bears
Ever a toiler, Coster was enormous despite his team ending up on the wrong side of the scoreboard. The Burleigh Bears lock made a round-high 45 tackles and did not miss a single one to boot. He also did not make a single error with ball in hand and ran for 91 metres. Meanwhile, Hunters captain Ila Alu was all effort in a loss to the Pride, with 110 run metres and 23 tackles at 100 per cent tackle efficiency in 53 minutes.
14. Lindon McGrady - Tweed Seagulls (VC)
The Tweed fullback brought spark and silky skills to his team's all-important victory over Wynnum Manly on Sunday. The Hastings Deering player of the match, McGrady had four tackle breaks, one try assist and one line break assist in an influential performance. The outside backs shone on Sunday and McGrady led that from the No.1 position.
15. Aaron Pene - Sunshine Coast Falcons
Up against an experienced pack in the Burleigh Bears, the Falcons prop did not take a backwards step as he led his side with 176 run metres and dished off four offloads. He also recorded one line break and one line break assist in a dominant display.
16. Lee Turner - Tweed Seagulls
In a week that belongs to the centres of the game, Turner is very unlucky to not appear in this week's starting side. Everything the Tweed centre touched turned to gold on Sunday against Wynnum Manly. While Ryland Jacobs was the one putting the points on the board, Turner was the one pulling the strings, with four try assists, four line break assists and three tackle breaks to put his side on the path to victory.
17. Melino Fineanganofo - Western Clydesdales
The Clydesdales’ bullocking centre created havoc for the Jets defence on Saturday, with a stunning nine tackle breaks and 193 run metres, including 77 metres post-contact. Fineanganofo had one try assist, one line break, one line break assist and a warp speed play the ball of 2.57 seconds on average to help get his side rolling.
