Telstra Tracker data: Fastest player in the NRL for 2024 officially revealed

While the award for the NRL’s fastest man goes to a known speedster, a shock contender has claimed No.2 honours. We reveal the fastest players at every club in 2024 based on official Telstra Tracker data.

Even with 50 guesses, you wouldn’t have picked it.

Although Manly winger Jason Saab has clocked the fastest pace across the NRL for another season in 2024 with a time of 37.7 km/h, an unknown rookie is nipping at his heels in second.

Rising Gold Coast fullback Jaylan De Groot has come from the clouds to beat out noted flyers Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Dom Young for top speed clocked in an NRL game in 2024, according to data collected by Telstra Tracker.

De Groot recorded a speed of 37.2 km/h in his NRL debut against the Knights in round 26, where he scored a try after being called in late as a replacement fullback for Keano Kini.

His top pace beats that of Dolphins flyer Tabuai-Fidow, who was recorded at 36.8km/h, and Roosters gun Young with 36km/h who round out the top four.

There was a moment during against the Knights where de Groot stumbled in a chase against a flying Bradman Best but recovered to help bring the tearaway centre down.

The news stunned the 22-year-old himself.

“It’s pretty shocking to be honest, I didn’t think I’d be that quick, I know I’ve got a bit of speed on me but I didn’t think I’d be anywhere near the top,” he said.

Relatively unknown rookie Jaylan De Groot surprisingly clocked the second fastest speed of any player in 2024. Picture: NRL Photos

“I used to do sprints when I was a kid, but that’s faster than I’ve ever done, for sure.”

The time puts him as fastest at the Titans above tryscorer Alofiana Khan-Pereira, who is one of the fastest in the competition with a speed of 35.9km/h in 2024.

“I reckon a lot of the boys will be shocked, I don’t reckon they would look around and pick I’d be the second fastest in the entire comp, to be honest with you,” De Groot laughed.

“We do a lot of speed at training and I think that just helps just all your position of how you run, your heels, your toes and how that all comes together, but some of it too is just when it happens, you just go as quick as you can.”

De Groot is a backup fullback at the Titans behind Kini and the biggest surprise name on the list of fastest NRL players in the competition.

Renowned jets Josh Addo-Carr (35.6), Herbie Farnworth (35.8) and Charlie Staines (35.6) are also on the list which features the top two fastest players at each club.

Knights second rower Dylan Lucas has the honour of the fastest forward in the game with a time of 34.4km/h recorded last season, closely followed by Titans fun Beau Fermor with 34.09km/h.

Hudson Young (33.8), Jordan Riki (33.6), Angus Crichton (33.5), Haumole Olakau’atu (33.08) and Jacob Liddle (33) round off the top seven.

As for endurance, North Queensland gun Tom Dearden takes the cake.

He topped the list of biggest distance in a game last season with 10.44kms. Lachlan Galvin (Tigers), Blayke Brailey (Sharks), Jack Cole (Panthers), Will Kennedy (Sharks), Mitch Kenny (Panthers) and Xavier Coates (Storm) also clocked up more than 10kms on the field in a game.