NRL MVP Index: Winger David Nofoaluma the only Wests Tigers player in rankings top 10
Loaded with potential, Brisbane’s Xavier Coates and Cowboys sensation Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow have yet to put it all together consistently on the football field.
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Premiership heavyweights the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs have attacking weapons all across the park, punctuated by the fact they have four of the top five wingers in the NRL.
Brett Morris and Daniel Tupou are first and second while new South Sydney recruit Josh Mansour is third and Rabbitohs Alex Johnston in fifth.
SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE NRL MVP INDEX FOR WINGERS
The odd man out is Wests Tigers powerhouse David Nofoaluma. His MVP Index total of 1460 from 20 matches was the most of any winger in the competition as Nofoaluma combined his customary work rate with a career-high 17 tries.
Given the Tigers’ attacking struggles and lack of other star power – Nofoaluma was the only player at the club to land in the top 10 in any position.
The 27-year old was overlooked for New South Wales Origin selection at season’s end, but Nofoaluma is planning to play the kind of football that makes him impossible for Brad Fittler to overlook.
“If I’m doing better than what I did last year and let my game do all the talking, good things will come from that,” Nofoaluma said.
“I’m a bit smarter in the game now, being in the right position at the right time.”
In Round 7 against Canterbury, he scored two tries, ran for almost 190 metres and busted seven tackles along the way.
He didn’t make an error or concede a penalty and made seven tackles without missing one.
Nofoaluma’s attacking stats are off the charts, and rate highly most weeks, but he has returned his share of poor defensive scores, missing more tackles than he made or being attributed as partially causing a try.
“I’ve been working really hard on my defence,” Nofoaluma said.
“People say this a lot, but there is always room to improve and as long as I keep that mentality I’ll be better than what I was and good things will happen.
“That’s what changed for me last year, and hopefully I can keep that this year and go to another level.”
SOUTHS LAND TITLE SHOT
The NRL MVP Index highlights why South Sydney’s late signing of former Penrith flyer Josh Mansour could be the acquisition that propels the Rabbitohs to their first premiership since 2014.
Already possessing a top-five MVP Index winger in Alex Johnston, the Rabbitohs added another stats monster in Mansour.
The 30-year-old was third overall and will bring an MVP Index of 73.4 to Redfern in 2021, where his strong ball-running ability looks to perfectly complement the passing game of fullback Latrell Mitchell.
With Mansour and centres Campbell Graham and Dane Gagai bringing the ball back from the Rabbitohs’ goal line, it will allow Mitchell to focus on his strengths, mainly creating opportunities for his teammates.
EVERGREEN B-MOZ
Fifteen years after he exploded onto the NRL scene as a tryscoring freak, Brett Morris is still producing at the highest level as the complete rugby league winger.
Morris, 34, topped the NRL MVP Index for wingers at 75.6, just ahead of Roosters teammate Daniel Tupou (74.53).
Teaming up with his brother Josh in 2020, the pair combined for 23 tries, adding to the 165 four pointers Morris has scored in his 269 career games.
His best performance came in a 42-6 Round 5 victory over Canterbury, where Morris scored a try, set up two more, had eight tackle busts and four linebreaks as he ran for 226 metres, and threw three offloads.
Morris consistently made linebreaks and busted a lot of tackles in 2020, and kept his MVP Index high by not making many errors or regularly conceding penalties.
OATES OUT OF SORTS
Corey Oates has been a try-scoring machine on Brisbane’s wing but in 2020 he ranked 64th out of 65 wingers.
He was hampered by injuries which affected his form but the tall timber is now set for a shift to the second row.
Former teammate and Broncos legend Justin Hodges believes Oates’ shift can prove beneficial.
“He’s a great player and I think sometimes he underestimates himself,” Hodges said.
“Having played with him and helped coach him in the Origin side, I think he’s a player that possesses so much potential as well.
“We all know the strong carries he still has and that can only help him in the back row.
“He can hit a hole like no other forward probably can.”
Hodges revealed “just keeping things simple” was the secret to getting the best out of Oates in 2021.
“The more tasks you give him, he probably overthinks things,” he said.
“A player of his calibre just needs to have one or two little goals in mind.”
THE YOUNG GUNS
They may have ranked 49th and 50th among wingers last year but Broncos star Xavier Coates and Cowboys sensation Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow both have the potential to be the best in the game, according to Justin Hodges.
The former Maroons and Australian great has backed both youngsters to improve significantly in the coming years.
“With Xavier, the limits he can achieve are endless,” Hodges said.
“He’s a marvelous talent and we’ve seen what he’s able to achieve.
“If he keeps on track the way he is playing, he could become the No.1 winger in the game.”
Meanwhile, Hodges said Tabuai-Fidow can only get better with more games under his belt.
“He’s got everything that every football player wants in his speed and explosiveness,” he said.
“The more opportunity he gets, the better he will become.
“He’s only young so he’s still finding his feet and you can see sometimes that he’s a bit hesitant to ask for the ball.
“He’s a player that can create something out of nothing.”
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