NRL MVP Index: Edge forward of the future Luciano Leilua in stunning monster game

The best performance by a forward in the NRL went by in 2020 without fans, the media or even the player himself knowing it — until now.

In a group featuring the likes of Payne Haas, Jason Taumalolo, Josh Papalii, David Fifita and Ryan Matterson, one NRL forward stood out with a monster performance that has gone unnoticed — until now.

The forward who had the best game of any forward in the NRL last season?

Surely it has to be one of those Taumalolo specials where he cranks out 200 metres or more?

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Maybe a Haas ironman effort where he plays the full 80? Or one of those times when Cameron Murray turned into the Energizer Bunny and ran a side ragged?

Not according to the NRL MVP Index — the best 80 minutes any forward put together last year was from the Wests Tigers’ Luciano Leilua in the club’s 48-0 demolition of Brisbane in Round 10.

Leilua scored two tries, made two linebreaks, churned out 147 metres, broke six tackles, threw two offloads and made 33 tackles without a miss, didn’t make an error or give away a penalty.

“Sometimes the system throws up some surprises, but when you watch the games back and look at the player’s stats it doesn’t seem to tell too many Furphys!” Fox Sports Lab’s Aaron Wallace said.

Tigers Luciano Leilua on the charge against the Bulldogs in 2020. The MVP Index reveals his true impact on the game. Picture: Brett Costello

“Luciano Leilua was certainly a surprise, but his stats in that game against the Broncos were pretty much faultless.”

Leilua’s big night added up to an MVP Index of 95.7, the best of any forward in a single game last year and the fourth-best score of any player.

Even the man himself was a bit surprised to hear it.

“No way? I guess the numbers don’t lie!” Leilua said.

“It was one of my best games, definitely one of my favourites.

“The Broncos were in a rough period and they had a few games where that happened to them. But I’ll take it!”

KNIGHTS GO ALL-IN ON FRIZELL

In handing out a big-money contract to Origin forward Tyson Frizell, the Newcastle Knights are going all-in to the tune of $2.1 million to contend for the NRL title.

A change of scenery will do the former Dragon a world of good and he was consistently solid, albeit rarely spectacular, for the Red V last year.

Frizell’s NRL MVP Index total of 1386 was the highest in the league last year and his 69.31 average was good enough for seventh overall.

At his best, Frizell is the kind of player who can take Newcastle to the next level and given his experience at the highest level, he’s sure to help the Knights deal with the greater expectation they must bear in 2021.

Tyson Frizell is one of Newcastle’s big hopes in their search for a title. Picture: Jonathan Ng

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With the 29-year-old set to start on the right edge, the Knights will have strike power across the park.

Exciting young centre Bradman Best will work from the left side, with fullback Kalyn Ponga lurking around him.

Frizell, meanwhile, will rekindle the combination he struck up with halfback Mitchell Pearce during their time in the Origin arena.

As a Test an Origin regular, Frizell can help give the Knights a winning edge and build on last year’s finals run, which marked their first trip to the playoffs since 2013.

“The thing with pressure is the more you’re subjected to it, the better you get at bearing it,” Fox League’s Matty Johns said.

“A number of players were there from when they were getting multiple wooden spoons and they weren’t expecting success — that quickly becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“The very fact they were there last year makes a huge difference.”

BAD STATS, GOES GOOD

Edge forward is one of the positions where the numbers don’t always tell the full story.

Whereas middle forwards generally gain more metres, outside backs score more tries and spine players are credited with more creative-based stats like try assists, second rowers can be left out in the cold a bit.

There’s no way to measure the impact of a decoy runner, or to quantify a second effort, or put a number on the impact of a strong cover tackle.

As such, players like Liam Martin (ranked 39th with an MVP Index of 61.87 per game) or Elliott Whitehead (ranked 32nd with an MVP Index of 63.26) can have an outsized impact to what the numbers may say.

“The one percenters really matter, sometimes the fans just see the finished product,” Leilua explained.

“Those little things, at training or in games, they all add up. Tyson Frizell showed me that at the Dragons when I was coming up and that’s what I’ve been trying to do ever since I came here.”

MATTO THE MONSTER

Parramatta’s right edge received a boost in 2020 with the signing of former local junior Ryan Matterson.

With Manu Ma’u leaving for the UK Super League, the Eels turned to Matterson, who was looking to step up after an unhappy year at the Wests Tigers followed a bit-part role at the Sydney Roosters.

And the 26-year-old delivered.

Playing off halfback Mitchell Moses, Matterson and his right-edge combination of Waqa Blake and Blake Ferguson were a big reason the Eels secured a top-four finish to the season.

Matterson recorded the best MVP Index average of any edge player scoring 73.06 from his 17 games.

Ryan Matterson delivered for Parramatta after his departure from the Wests Tigers. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)

Sydney Roosters and NSW Origin back-rower Angus Crichton’s impressive year was confirmed with a score of 72.96, while unheralded Shark Siosifa Talakai was a surprise, finishing fourth overall for edge players with 69.63.

Talakai, 23, had played 11 games in two seasons at South Sydney in 2016-17 before he was cut. He took a job as a garbage collector, running around the streets of Balmain and Leichhardt at 4am – and it almost certainly saved his footy career.

He re-emerged in Cronulla and last year made 16 appearances proving an absolute steal.

In his six games starting in the back row, Talakai (69.63) finished with a better average than David Fifita (69.35), Frizell (69.31) and Viliame Kikau (67.84). - 1 was excellent (88 points), 2 good (82, 78) and 3 average (61,56,53)

His best game was came against the Warriors in Round 18 when Talakai had one try assist, ran for 199 metres, busted five tackles, had an offload and 33 tackles, missing just one. In round 14 against the Titans, he ran for more than 200 metres, scored a try and made three offloads.

Those impressive returns helped attain his lofty place on the list, aided by the fact he only started six games in that spot.

Originally published as NRL MVP Index: Edge forward of the future Luciano Leilua in stunning monster game