Telstra Tracker: Three fastest players at every NRL club revealed by official GPS data

Just two forwards made the list of the top three fastest players at every NRL club in 2023. See the incredible results from the official GPS tracking data for the NRL.

Wests Tigers powerhouse Stefano Utoikamanu isn’t exactly renowned for his speed but maybe he should be.

Utoikamanu, who made his State of Origin debut for NSW this year, has emerged as the king of the NRL’s big men when it comes to maximum speed after making a shock appearance in the official GPS tracking data for the 2023 season.

Obtained exclusively by News Corp, the Telstra Tracker measured 502 first-graders this season across six major statistical categories.

An analysis of the top three speedsters at each club has revealed:

• Cronulla try-scoring machine Ronaldo Mulitalo emerged as the fastest man in the NRL, beating out some noted flyers in Josh Addo-Carr, Jason Saab and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow;

• Rugby-bound Sydney Roosters star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is the youngest speedster on the list, with the 20-year-old posted the 11th-quickest in-game time in 2023. Roosters teammate Daniel Tupou (32) is the oldest player on the list, followed by North Queensland’s Kyle Feldt (31);

• The Bulldogs had the quickest collective trio of all 17 teams with Josh Addo-Carr (5), Jake Averillo (9) and Blake Wilson (14) all registering top-15 speeds; and

• Two forwards posted top-three times at their club — Utoikamanu and St George Illawarra back-rower Jaydn Su’A.

Dragons forward made the cut.

Stefano Utoikamanu is top of the props. Picture: NRL Photos

The biggest surprise from the data may have been the performance of Utoikamanu. The 23-year-old, who made his bow for the Blues in the second game of this year’s Origin series, stands 191cm and weighs 115kg.

Remarkably, Utoikamanu reached a top speed of 34.8km/h this season, faster than some of the game’s genuine speedsters. His top speed put him on par with the likes of Canberra’s Sebastian Kris and Warriors centre Adam Pompey.

Only boom rookie Jahream Bula (35.748km/h) recorded a faster pace on the field than Utoikamanu at the Tigers. Utoikamanu’s former coach, current New Zealand mentor Michael Maguire, is a huge fan of the emerging Tigers prop.

Told of Stefano’s recorded speed, Maguire said: “Wow, geez, that’s moving for a big fella. Stefano is only at the start of his career.

“I really enjoyed coaching Stefano, he is developing as a player and when I was at the Wests Tigers I knew he would become a good first grader. He has a long career in front of him.

“Stefano moves really well for a big man. That’s what makes him such a good player, he gets across the ground well and he has a lot of growth in him.

“Bula is a great talent as well.”

Utoikamanu was the bedrock of the Tigers pack this season, managing 21 appearances and forcing his way into Brad Fittler’s NSW side through sheer weight of performance.

Maguire’s imminent appointment to the Blues coaching job is likely to be good news for Utoikamanu, as he looks to force his way back into NSW calculations — he missed the side for the final game of this year’s series.

His speed of foot for the Tigers was just about matched by Su’A, who ranked third on the Dragons’ list of flyers behind Tyrell Sloan and Mikaele Ravalawa.

The hard-hitting Su’A is more renowned for his copybook tackling technique but the Telstra Tracker has put his speed on the map at a time when he is about to enter the final year of his deal with St George Illawarra.

Su’A and Utoikamanu feature in a list that is largely dominated by outside backs, although Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses (38.108km/h) managed to crack the top 10.

Originally published as Telstra Tracker: Three fastest players at every NRL club revealed by official GPS data