It was a blockbuster week of rugby league action, and we fans were treated to some blistering performances across the round.
Tigers hooker Apisai Koroisau put on a masterclass to orchestrate his side’s upset victory over the Sharks and was flanked by prop Stefano Utoikamanu.
A Roosters trio were simply excellent in a cross-town rout that fans of the Tricolours club will never forget.
Meanwhile, four Panthers ran riot against an understaffed Broncos side while their former teammate delivered his best performance yet in Bulldogs colours.
Read below for the Fox Sports Lab’s Team of the Week after Round 3!
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FULLBACK
James Tedesco — 2 tries, 157 metres, 1 try assist, 1 contribution, 6 tackle busts, three linebreak assists
Never doubt a champion. That’s the lesson James Tedesco has taught those who doubted his quality last season, scoring twice and assisting another against the Rabbitohs.
Tedesco had a hand in everything to down his side’s cross-town rivals and showed he’s very much still one of the first names on the NSW teamsheet come Origin time.
He also had the most carries of any player in the game with 19, one more than his teammate Dom Young on the wing.
WINGERS
Brian To’o — 2 tries, 229 metres, 15 tackle busts
Brian To’o rarely has a bad game and delivered in spades against the Broncos.
The 25-year-old took 20 hit-ups against the Broncos and broke a staggering 15 tackles to consistently break Brisbane’s defence.
It won’t be the last time we see this man’s name on this list.
Dominic Young — 1 try, 2 try assists, 174 metres, 14 tackle busts, 4 linebreaks
Has Dominic Young got even faster in the off-season?
The former Knights winger took flight against the Broncos on multiple occasions, scoring off the back of a James Tedesco pass.
He also streaked away down the right side of the field in blistering fashion before finding halfback Sam Walker on the inside.
CENTRES
Izack Tago — 2 tries, 125 metres, 6 tackle busts, 2 linebreaks
Tago is truly in a purple patch.
Yet another ridiculous performance from the Panthers young gun, scoring twice to go with a pair of linebreaks.
He’s already giving the Penrith outfit returns after he was handed a mammoth contract extension that will see him remain at the club until at least the end of 2028, reportedly worth north of $700,000 per-season.
Valentine Holmes — 1 try, 1 assist, 200 metres, 7 tackle busts, 2 linebreaks
The Cowboys massacred the Dragons after an early scare on Saturday.
Holmes played a massive part in the performance and tallied 18 points, to go with 200 running metres and a try assist.
The veteran centre was electric and has once again almost certainly locked in his spot in the Maroons’ backline.
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FIVE-EIGHTH
Sandon Smith — 3 try assists, 1 try contribution, 7 kicks, 1 forced drop out
Standing in for Luke Keary, Sandon Smith was excellent in his side’s grudge match.
The 21-year-old only had 17 NRL games under his belt prior to Round 3, but showed poise and maturity beyond his years.
He orchestrated a trio of tries against the Rabbitohs, but did also miss five tackles at five-eighth.
HALFBACK
Nathan Cleary — 3 try assists, 1 contribution, 10 tackles, 1 miss, 10 kicks, 332 kick metres
Mitchell Moses also delivered a huge performance against the Sea Eagles, but it was hard to go past a Thursday night Nathan Cleary masterclass.
The eighth Immortal, Andrew Johns, labelled his display the best he’d ever seen Cleary play and one try assist for a Tago four-pointer stole the show.
He bamboozled three defenders before hitting his centre who scored untouched, and that effort alone earns him this spot.
PROPS
Stefano Utoikamanu — 61 mins, 16 runs, 160 metres, 7 tackle busts, 24 tackles
The engine room of the Tigers.
Utoikamanu had a huge game for Benji Marshall’s side and was an unsung hero in the victory that included an masterclass from his teammate in the No.9.
He played big minutes for a prop and did the dirty work in the middle of the park.
Addin Fonua-Blake — 49 minutes, 142 metres, 1 try, 3 tackle busts, 23 tackles, 1 missed
He’s getting rid of the stigma that props don’t score tries.
Fonua-Blake burst through his opposition’s defence once again to score against the Raiders, charging onto a Shaun Johnson pass.
He also tallied three tackle busts and 142 running metres from only 12 carries.
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HOOKER
Apisai Koroisau — 67 minutes, 2 try assists, 6 runs, 40 tackles, 4 missed
Potentially Koroisau’s best performance in a Tigers jersey.
Despite battling a case of gastro and feeling so weak he could hardly walk, the former Panther delivered to steer his side to an unlikely victory and the first of the Marshall era.
One of the finest displays of work around the ruck we’ve seen in recent years and a performance that was so good he could pick himself in the No.9 for NSW.
BACK ROWERS
Viliame Kikau — 80 minutes, 1 try, 1 assist, 116 metres, 17 tackles
Kikau’s Bulldogs career got off to a rocky start, having suffered a ruptured pectoral that restricted him to only nine appearances in 2023.
But in 2024, Kikau looks a new man and is back to his rampaging best.
His performance against the Titans was his best in the famous blue and white Canterbury-Bankstown strip and the former Panthers trio of Crichton, Burton and Kikau was back in full swing.
Jackson Ford — 80 mins, 146 metres, 1 linebreak, 39 tackles, 2 missed
Another player who goes about his business without heavy praise.
Ford gets through a mountain of work and plays 80 minutes every time he starts for the Warriors.
The 26-year-old ran for 146 metres and tackled his heart out to help his New Zealand outfit win their first game of the season.
LOCK
Isaah Yeo — 72 minutes, 122 metres, 6 line engagements, 1 try contribution, 3 offloads, 32 tackles, 0 missed
The Panthers’ engine room.
Everything Penrith do goes through this man and Isaah Yeo was at his clinical best against the Broncos.
With a knack of knowing when to unleash his outside backs or take the ball into contact, the gun No.13 controls Penrith’s tempo.
He ran for 122 metres, took on the line six times and also made 32 tackles without missing a single one.
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