NRL Power Rankings; rank every club’s winger from 1 to 16

IN the next instalment of our power rankings, we take a look at every club’s wing pairing and rate them from 1 to 16.

NRL Power Rankings: Wingers

WHO are the leading wing duo in the NRL?

Like we have with fullbacks and props, we’ve ranked every wing combination in the NRL from 16th to first in our off season Power Rankings.

The rankings are based on a combination of 2015 form with consideration given to what the player is projected to achieve in 2016.

1. JORGE TAUFUA and PETA HIKU — Sea Eagles

The Sea Eagles duo was one of the most consistent combinations during the season and look set to continue their strong form into 2016. Together they busted more tackles than another combo with 113 busts.

The hard running Taufua missed the opening two months of footy with a knee injury but returned in round eight and was a handful for opposition defences all year.

Thanks to his versatility, Hiku was shuffled across the backline but enjoyed the most success on the edge. Six of his eight tries for the year came when he played on the right wing.

2. CURTIS RONA and SAM PERRETT — Bulldogs

The tall and speedy Rona emerged as one of the buys of 2015, making an immediate impact in the blue and white.

If there was a try to be scored, Rona had it covered with a number of highlight reel put downs to his credit. By season end he had the second most tries in the competition, with 23.

While veteran Bulldog Perrett is defensively one of the weaker wingers on our list, his attacking stats combine with Rona’s to make them on the most potent pairings in our rankings. Together they topped the stats for most tries, linebreaks, linebreak assists, try assists and busted 112 tackles.

YOUR SAY: Rank each club’s wing pairing from 1-16

3. SEMI RADRADRA and BURETA FARAIMO — Eels

The reigning Dally M Winger of the Year was almost unstoppable as he barnstormed his way to a record breaking 24 tries in only 18 matches. The flying Fijian only gets better as his all-round game matures. It’s no longer just catch and trample over anything in sight — he’s developed a passing game, as showcased by his 6 linebreak assists (second most) and five try assists (equal most). Faraimo, who has tree trunks for legs, gets the chance to cement a starting spot with Reece Robinson leaving the club. Like Semi, he can sniff out a try and carries the ball well out of his own end. Together they could form an imposing edge pairing.

4. JOSH MANSOUR and DALLIN WATENE-ZELEZNIAK — Panthers

These two slot into the fourth spot mostly on potential and on what we expect they can deliver in 2016 — if they remain fit and healthy. Mansour is a powerhouse when he’s on and is one of the most devastating wingers in the game — he eats up the metres and breaks a stack of tackles. DWZ joined the long injury list at the Panthers after suffering a collapsed lung. He was playing from fullback at the time but his natural talent was there for all to see. At just 20 he has a skill set well beyond his years.

YOUR SAY: Rank each club’s wing pairing from 1-16

5. COREY OATES and LACHLAN MARANTA — Broncos

He’s the young gun forward terrorising oppositions out on the wing. Corey Oates had a breakout year at the Broncos and while he’s being touted as a future backrow sensation, he also possesses all the skills needed to dominate on the flank. The 21-year old is big, strong and agile. Maranta was one of the biggest improvers at the Broncos and even finished the season as the grand finalists’ highest try scorer with 15. He’s solid under the high ball and is a strong defender but Dale Copley is likely to challenge Maranta for a starting spot in 2016.

6. ANTONIO WINTERSTEIN and KYLE FELDT — Cowboys

A mix of statistics and well … let’s face it, subjectivity goes into creating these lists and we’ve ranked this pairing at number six for one reason. A bloody good reason. THAT try. A try for the ages and highlights reels for many years to come. Kyle Feldt’s last gasp effort in the grand final to take the Cowboys into golden point — and then ultimately win the title — reminded us all why rugby league is the greatest game of all.

As for Winterstein, his season wasn’t too shabby at all. He crossed the line more times than any other Cowboy (16 tries) and was one of the safest wingers in defence of 2015, missing only 0.5 tackles a game.

YOUR SAY: Rank each club’s wing pairing from 1-16

7. SISA WAQA and EDRICK LEE — Raiders

One of many Fijian Flyers to feature in our rankings, Waqa hit the ground running at Canberra. His arrival at the green machine helped shore up their fragile edge defence. His try scoring all but dried up when he was shifted into the centres, but his versatility and professionalism has proved invaluable to the Raiders. Uninterrupted by injury, Lee had the opportunity to really showcase his ability. The lanky winger had his best season yet in the ACT once he found his feet, scoring nine tries since round 16 and will no doubt be looking to continue this form into next season. As a combo they topped the list for offloads with 51 for 2015.

8. DANIEL TUPOU and JOE BURGESS — Roosters

If we were ranking wingers individually, Tupou would be pushing for a top 5 spot. His attacking stats across the board are some of the strongest in the competition. He topped the league with 93 tackle busts, scored 16 tries and made 20 linebreaks. He’ll pair up with Super League import Joe Burgess in 2016. The former Wigan Warrior is a prolific tryscorer having scored 49 tries in 55 games. Burgess may have impressed in the UK but it remains to be seen how quickly he can find his feet in the NRL.

YOUR SAY: Rank each club’s wing pairing from 1-16

9. MANU VATUVEI and JONATHAN WRIGHT — Warriors

These two couldn’t have a more stark playing style if they tried. Vatuvei earned his reputation as ‘The Beast’ forasmuch as his powerhouse game as he did his 112kg frame. The hulking winger scores tries, eats metres, makes linebreaks and can certainly bust a tackle. Wright’s game is more on the low key side of things but he has had a solid season on the flanks and is a favourite of coach Andrew McFadden. He does however lack the strike power of the top wingers in the competition.

10. MARIKA KOROIBETE and CHEYSE BLAIR — Storm

Koroibete has always struggled to stay healthy, but in 2015 he played a career high 21 matches and was rewarded with 15 tries. He might still have some rough edges in his game, particularly defensively, but Koroibete’s physical abilities cannot be disputed and make him one of the more dangerous players in the competition. The 23-year old causes plenty of headaches for opposing teams thanks to his lightening fast speed and powerful carries, which included 79 tackle busts.

The Fijian is likely to pair up with Sea Eagles discard Cheyse Blair — a player with plenty of ability who has failed to make the most of his potential. But with Craig Bellamy’s superpower of turning the ordinary into extraordinary, Blair could emerge as a surprise packet in 2016.

11. ALEX JOHNSTON and AARON GRAY — Rabbitohs

Alex Johnston is a backline star in the making and Aaron Gray showed plenty of promise in his debut season. They placed last on the average metres gained stat, as the only pairing in our rankings to not make more than 100 metres a game. Individually, Johnston had a commendable season — he scored 17 tries, made 21 linebreaks and had five try assists. Gray will be looking to redeem himself in 2016 after he found himself in a life-threatening situation when he overdosed on painkillers in September.

YOUR SAY: Rank each club’s wing pairing from 1-16

Kevin Naiqama was solid for the Tigers in 2015.

12. KEVIN NAIQAMA and DAVID NOFOALUMA — Tigers

Naiqama knows impressive hairstyles and how to come up with a freakish play — think round 8 against the Bulldogs where he flick passed, as he tumbled over the deadline, for Tedesco to score one of the tries of the season. Despite his athletiscim and ability to come up with an acrobatic put-down he isn’t as potent of a strike weapon as the best flyers in the game, but part of that can be attributed to his move to the centres midway through the season. Nofoaluma’s season was punctured with injury but the right-side winger has all the hallmarks of a backline excitement machine. He averaged 145 metres per game, second only to Parramatta’s Radradra.

The Tigers duo are the weakest pairing defensively on our list, missing on average 7 tackles a game.

13. SOSAIA FEKI and GERARD BEALE — Sharks

This pairing is weakened by Beale’s likely switch, albeit from centre, out on to the right flank. With Valentine Holmes likely to move to fullback in 2016, Beale firms as the man set to replace him. The Kiwi brought plenty of experience into a young backline at the shire club but his stats show he doesn’t have the same potency as the elite outside backs in the game. Feki’s game continues to develop on the left hand side and he is a strong dummy half runner. He’ll be looking to build on his performances in 2016.

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14. JAMES MCMANUS and AKUILA UATE — Knights

Uate was a bright spot in Knights’ wooden spoon season. The Fijian speedster showed glimpses of the devastating form which earned him a spot in the NSW side in 2011. His attacking numbers also support his return to form — he was third for tackle busts, averaged 126 metres a game and was the top tryscorer for his side with 12 tries. McManus had a reasonable season and is seen a “Mr Reliable” type player by the Knights’ faithful. But with a ‘changing of the guard’ happening at Newcastle, he’ll need to continually impress to hold down his spot.

YOUR SAY: Rank each club’s wing pairing from 1-16

15. JASON NIGHTINGALE and KALIFA FAI FAI LOA — Dragons

Nightingale struggled to turn his attacking numbers into points, having only crossed the line five times during the season. But even the harshest of Dragons fans are likely to forgive the crowd favourite for a lacklustre year on the try-scoring front. With Eto Nabuli and Justin Hunt moving on from the club, the Red V have recruited Kalifa Fai Fai Loa from the Gold Coast. The 25-year old shapes as an exciting proposition out wide.

16. DAVID MEAD and ANTHONY DON — Titans

Not a noted try scorer like the best wingers in the game, Mead played with commitment but churned out what could be considered mediocre attacking numbers when compared to the names at the top of our rankings. He possess elite speed, but as an out and out finisher he’s at the mercy of the creative players on his inside. Don is a no nonsense type player who goes about his business with little fanfare. The Grafton junior scored 12 tries and made 16 linebreaks.

YOUR SAY: Rank each club’s wing pairing from 1-16

Originally published as NRL Power Rankings; rank every club’s winger from 1 to 16