NRL power rankings: Who is the best centre pairing in the NRL?
CENTRES have arguably the hardest defensive task on the field, while boasting a diverse array of attacking skills. In the next round of our NRL power rankings, we run the eye over each team’s centre pairing. Who tops the list?
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IN the next round of our NRL power rankings, we run the eye over each team’s centre pairing.
Centres have arguably the hardest defensive task on the field, with the best in the competition often receiving less credit then they deserve.
Therefore particular recognition has been placed on the men who excel without the ball in hand.
With a number of ageing stars and blossoming young guns in the position, there was great difficulty in separating each centre pairing from 1-16.
Very little separated the top three rankings, but I’ve very narrowly opted for the Broncos pairing with one eye on the future, and still with plenty of room for improvement at just 24 and 22 years of age.
1) BRONCOS: Jack Bird, James Roberts
James Roberts is nearing closer to Origin honours with each game.
His potency in attack needs no explanation, while his defensive issues reduce with experience. Arguably the most electric ball runner in the NRL, Roberts does at times fail to inject himself into games.
Seemingly restricted to his edge more often than a player of his ability should be, it’s on Wayne Bennett to use the speedster with greater regularity.
Get the Steeden in Roberts’ hands and let him do the rest.
Jack Bird is an astute pick up for the Broncos and will significantly tighten up the Broncos’ right edge defence.
Still just 22, the NSW rep continues to learn and develop his game in a daunting prospect for opposition teams.
Bird’s willingness to get involved with the dirty work, particularly coming out of the red zone, is an often overlooked attribute that is invaluable to any side.
2) RABBITOHS: Greg Inglis, Dane Gagai
Between Hymel Hunt, Siosifa Talakai, Aaron Gray and Tyrell Fuimaono, South Sydney’s achilles heel in 2017 was in the centres.
It’s fair to say they’ve found a solution to their problems.
The return of Greg Inglis is a thrill for fans and a disaster for opposing centres.
After many years at fullback, Inglis will return from an ACL injury in the position he made his own in the Queensland set up during their lengthy reign.
It remains to be seen whether or not he’ll return to fullback in place of Alex Johnston, with the recovery of his troublesome knee likely to determine if he shifts to the back.
With all due respect to the rebuilding Knights, Dane Gagai’s success at rep level and lack thereof in the NRL is mainly due to the troops around him.
Unfortunately Gagai isn’t a part of the new-era in Newcastle, however their loss is South Sydney’s gain.
It’ll be intriguing to see what the wiry centre can produce with a more cohesive group, with the hope he can match his outstanding feats we’ve witnessed at the game’s highest level.
3) STORM: Will Chambers, Curtis Scott
While his job has been made all the simpler playing in a stellar Melbourne side his entire career, Will Chambers has for many years been among the NRL’s elite centres.
Benefiting from the ultra-professional Storm regimen, Chambers built his game around an outstanding defensive ability.
While not immensely blessed with superior speed or footwork to his opposition, Chambers has consistently fine tuned his attacking game to become a constant threat.
The ability to run a hard line off his halves combined with a strong offload ensures Chambers always poses a threat to the opposite number.
While he may well possess more natural talent than his centre partner, Curtis Scott is blending into a Will Chambers clone.
While different in their own right, Scott is a strong and reliable defender for a player of such little experience and has future rep labelled all over him.
The top criteria for a Melbourne Storm player is awareness and level-headedness, to which Scott appears to have plenty of. Expect a big year from the young gun.
4) RAIDERS: Jarrod Croker, Joey Leilua
In recent years Jarrod Croker has significantly improved on defensive woes that blighted the early stages of his career.
While there is still room for improvement, the previously worrying issue has been well rectified.
Croker has that gift possessed by few players of giving an extra one per cent at all times. Whether it be keeping a runaway player from scoring under the posts or adding kick pressure to a bomb he’ll never reach.
He’s as reliable in attack as any centre in the game, and the addition in recent years of the fend and offload out of the back of the hand has added a much needed dimension to his game.
Croker’s exemplary goalkicking under pressure proves invaluable to the club, while his willingness to put his hand up for tough carries out of trouble often goes unnoticed.
Joey Leilua is well renowned as the ultimate rocks or diamonds player.
He is in the top echelon of destructive ballrunners in the NRL, and boasts a truly unpredictable offload.
I called for BJ to be named for NSW after his stellar 2016, but have dramatically change my tune over the past year.
Joey’s defensive read is not up to Origin standard let alone NRL, with the Raiders suffering far too often as a result of his lapses on his own line.
It’s an issue that many desperately want to see resolved, but unfortunately there’s plenty of work to be done. If Joey can sure up his decision-making ability, the Raiders can become true premiership contenders.
5) DRAGONS: Euan Aitken, Tim Lafai
Tim Lafai had a slow start to his career in the Red V after signing in 2016 from Canterbury. Last season, the Samoan international returned to his lofty heights with an exceptional year for the Dragons.
Aided by a rampant Gareth Widdop, Lafai made 14 linebreaks, was a clear second in the competitions for offloads with 62 and busted 75 tackles in the process.
With Ben Hunt steering the ship in 2018, a 26-year-old Lafai entering the peak of his career could be a real breakout story of the competition.
Still just 22-years-old, Euan Aitken has stamped himself as a defensive beast at NRL level.
While not huge in stature, Aitken possesses mountains of strength that has seen him become an intimidating presence in all facets of the game.
Injury has halted Aitken’s progress early in his career, however representative honours seem imminent with his style of play almost tailor-made for the Origin arena.
Expect a big season from the youngster should he remain free of injury.
This pairing could be top of the power rankings list in 2019.
6) EELS: Michael Jennings, Jarryd Hayne
While it seems the absolute best of Jarryd Hayne may be lost to seasons past, his addition to a balanced backline with a solid forward pack can only be of benefit to the club if he can truly commit to the centre role.
On top of all this, the upside for the man is undeniable and Eels fan will have fingers crossed that shades of 2014 may return in the upcoming season.
Michael Jennings’ defensive prowess has been among the game’s elite for many years.
He’s shown enough toe in recent seasons to suggest he’ll remain an attacking threat in 2018. With the Parramatta side expected to fire this year, we could see vintage Jennings with the men inside him creating plenty of space for the speedster to use.
7) BULLDOGS: Josh Morris, Will Hopoate
With notable mentions to Will Chambers and Michael Jennings, Josh Morris has for an extensive period been the best defensive centre in the NRL.
The Bulldogs veteran has seen a natural decline in attacking output in recent years, but this can somewhat be credited to the inability of the men inside him to create space on the flanks. Should Kieran Foran get the side playing more directly off the back of a hopefully improved forward pack, Morris will be one of the biggest winners with a little more room to move.
It remains a real question mark on whether or not Morris can regain his attacking ability, but it appears father time may have arrived in this department.
Will Hopoate had reasonable success at fullback last season, but probably lacked either additional size or speed to make an impact in what was a truly dour Dogs attack.
He returns to centre where he’s excelled in the past, and the side will benefit immensely should the Moses Mbye experiment at one succeed.
With a quality passing game and strength in finishing on an edge, Hopoate’s natural ability is often underappreciated.
Expect to see Marcelo Montoya in open space on far more occasions with Hopoate on his inside.
8) SEA EAGLES: Brian Kelly, Dylan Walker
Here’s hoping Dylan Walker’s broken leg won’t hinder his return to football in a dramatic fashion.
Walker was considered very unlucky not to score a centre spot in Origin last year when overlooked for Jarryd Hayne.
Walker was a standout for Manly last season when his role was expanded by Trent Barrett to allow him to roam the field.
Walker’s presence when popping up in all corners of the field proved lethal throughout the year.
With a generally strong defensive game and constant attacking threat, the further rep honours Walker has previously experienced shouldn’t be too far away.
Brian Kelly began his debut year in 2017 in outstanding fashion and may well have been one of the season’s most underrated rookies.
Similar to his centre partner, Kelly is light on his feet, has plenty of speed and can create tries as well as he can finish them.
At just 21, Kelly seems to have cemented his place in the run on side and is sure to continue his development in the upcoming season.
9) PANTHERS: Waqa Blake, Tyrone Peachey
Waqa Blake is fast evolving into one of the game’s most potent centres.
His strong physique combined with relative speed and crafty footwork had Blake devastating opposition throughout 2017.
As his development in the game continues to progress, Blake could soon become one of the NRL’s premier centres.
The fear for Tyrone Peachey is his attitude towards the upcoming season.
While there’s no indicator to suggest he’s anything but primed for a big year, his constant presence on the bench last season and inability to get a release to the Titans may well play on his mind.
Peachey was touted as a NSW Origin bolter as a utility last season but never quite reached his expected heights.
Almost impossible to tackle at times and with a knack for seeking out the ball, Peachey could be a real force for Penrith this season.
10) COWBOYS: Kane Linnett, Justin O’Neill
Kane Linnett suffered a pectoral injury in the Cowboys’ trial match against Melbourne and is expected to miss the opening 10 weeks of the competition.
Linnett is likely to be replaced by youngster Javid Bowen, who has been presented with a long-awaited opportunity to press his case for a permanent role in the team.
Linnett cops plenty of stick from the public but has proven to be a fairly reliable centre throughout his career.
He’s been the beneficiary of playing in a very good team for a number of years. While he’s not the explosive type to break a game open, Linnett has made the most of his opportunities and cemented his place as a regular first grader.
Australian and Queensland centre Justin O’Neill has proven a dangerous attacking threat for several seasons.
Without detracting from his ability at club level, O’Neill’s place in the outstanding Cowboys set up has certainly aided his representative call ups.
Nonetheless, he’s proven over the years to be a strong defender who is exceptionally light on his feet.
11) ROOSTERS: Latrell Mitchell, Joseph Manu
Season 2018 could be the year of Latrell Mitchell. The frighteningly strong youngster was outstanding in the preseason trial against Manly, hopefully in what will be a sign of things to come.
His axing to NSW Cup last year was the wake-up call the youngster needed, with full plaudits going in the way of Trent Robinson for cracking the whip.
Mitchell returned and set upon fulfilling his potential as a future star, and he appears well on the way to achieving his goal.
With James Tedesco and Cooper Cronk holding defenders up inside him, Latrell has every opportunity to excel this season.
Having played just 20 NRL games, Joseph Manu is still somewhat of an unknown prospect heading into 2018.
What we do know about Manu is that he’s highly regarded at the club and like his centre partner has loads of potential.
Manu ran down Bevan French in a 90m dash last year which says all we need to know about his wheels.
Manu has issues with his defensive read, but at the ripe age of 21 he has plenty of time to rectify the issues.
With Mitchell Aubusson and Cooper Cronk on his inside, Manu will have the best in the business to help progress his talent.
12) SHARKS: Josh Dugan, Ricky Leutele
Josh Dugan is where he belongs at centre. He’s terrifying to tackle and is always willing to shoulder a workload when not clutching at a body part.
After playing fullback his entire career with immense success, his inability to ball play ultimately caused him to fall behind the elite number ones in the game.
This shouldn’t be a concern, as the proven rep star has an opportunity to reinvent himself on an edge.
Dugan is far too explosive to restrict to the narrow centre corridor, so hopefully Shane Flanagan presents him with a licence to roam at will when the situation presents itself.
Granted he is an NRL grand final winner, Ricky Leutele is proving to be one of the game’s true quiet achievers.
Leutele is a dependable defender, a strong finisher and with each year appears to grow an extra leg in attack.
Leutele may continue to fly under the radar next to many of his star teammates, but it’s safe to say Shane Flanagan will be well aware of the job his centre does each week.
13) KNIGHTS: Tautau Moga, Sione Mata’utia
With the relatively successful back row experiment over, Sione Mata’uti a rightly returns to centre for the 2018 season.
His success as an outside back earned the 21-year-old the accolade of Australia’s youngest ever representative in 2014.
The Newcastle junior’s size and strength will ensure he is a force to be reckoned with out wide, in a daunting prospect for his opposite number.
The addition of Tautau Moga makes for a robust centre combination in the Hunter. After injury cruelled the early stages of his career, Moga began to fulfil his vast potential in the back end of 2017 with Brisbane.
At times a liability in defence, Moga’s read will have been of high priority for coach Nathan Brown throughout the preseason.
14) WARRIORS: Peta Hiku, Solomone Kata
Peta Hiku is an undervalued rock of many defensive units. The former Panther is a gifted footballer with plenty of natural ability.
While he rarely makes headlines after a game, he does what’s required of him at both ends of the field with little error.
After three seasons in the top grade Solomone Kata has made little improvements to his game. Unfortunately he may be a victim of the unprofessional environment in New Zealand.
A change of club may be exactly what Kata needs to take his game to the next level.
While he can be brutal with the ball in hand, his defensive issues are a reoccurring problem.
15) TIGERS: Kevin Naiqama, Esan Marsters
Kevin Naiqama has been somewhat a victim of the Tigers’ poor performances over the past several years.
With his speed and strength Naiqama regularly poses a threat in attack, despite the side finishing second last in points scored last season.
The Fijian international undeniably has defensive issues that need to be addressed.
Both his read and inability to stick to tackles has been an area of concern throughout his career.
It must be said that all defence starts from the middle of the field, and the Tigers’ entire unit has been paltry for some time.
The victims are the outside backs such as Naiqama, whose task difficulty is amplified immensely as a result of the faulty inside work.
Hopefully for Naiqama’s sake, and the entire team, the unit as a whole make each other’s jobs far easier in 2018.
Esan Marsters is a promising prospect who showed mountains of potential in his debut season in 2017.
The robust utility can play in the pack or out wide and is a shining light heading into the year.
You get the feeling we’ve only seen the icing of what will hopefully be a long career for the talented 21-year-old.
16) TITANS: Konrad Hurrell, Brenko Lee
The Titans centre pairing are of serious concern.
Despite his undoubted attacking threat, Konrad Hurrell couldn’t get a look in at the Warriors on several occasions due to his inept defensive capabilities, with Blake Ayshford preferred.
It must be noted that attitude played a role in his demotion to reserve grade in New Zealand. Since crossing the Tasman Hurrell has improved significantly in defence, but he had a long way to come.
With the footy in hand he’s a wrecking ball, and will again prove vital to the club’s scoring output.
Copy paste the above for Brenko Lee, minus a trip across the Tasman and amplify the defensive woes.
Canterbury’s dismal attack last year was well-documented, yet Brenko still managed to tear his opposition to shreds on a weekly basis.
The bullocking centre has size, footwork and a deadly offload that will prove a key weapon at the Titans’ disposal.
What he doesn’t have is the ability to make decisions in defence. Unlike Hurrell, Brenko has failed to show improvement in this department as his career has gained momentum.
The drubbing of information he’s received evidently plays on his mind as he opts to shoot in or slide out on his line.
Here’s hoping Brenko has improved in the off-season, but the trial match against Brisbane doesn’t make for good viewing.
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