Rookie Watch – Round 6

RLPA.com.au will be providing a new weekly feature article on the performances of NRL rookies each round and highlighting who is in contention for the end-of-season Rookie of the Year award at the Players’ Champion. 

Every Monday, RLPA.com.au will look at which rookies made a considerable impact in the weekend’s matches and provide their notable statistics.

So far this season, 26 players have made their first grade debut and are in contention for the honour which was taken out by Rabbitohs’ utility Cody Walker in 2016.

Other recent winners of the RLPA Rookie of the Year honour include Cameron Munster, Luke Brooks and George Burgess.

Three players debuted in Round 6, with Malakai Watene-Zelezniak from the Penrith Panthers, Hame Sele from the Dragons and Morgan Boyle from the Gold Coast Titans making their way into the NRL.

Bulldogs duo Marcelo Montoya and Matt Frawley were among the standout performers from the weekend, with Montoya scoring a double and Frawley making a huge impact in the halves against Newcastle.

Corey Harawira-Naera and Nick Cotric continued their strong run of form early in the season.

 

NRL – ROUND 6

 

Broncos vs Roosters

No rookies played.

 

Knights vs Bulldogs

Luke Yates (Newcastle) – 27 minutes, 41 metres, 17 tackles.

Brad Abbey (Bulldogs) – 26 minutes, 49 metres.

Marcelo Montoya (Bulldogs) – 78 minutes, 88 metres, 2 tries, 3 line-breaks

Matt Frawley (Bulldogs) – 55 minutes, 79 metres, 10 tackles, 1 line-break, 1 try-assist

 

Panthers vs Rabbitohs

Malakai Watene-Zelezniak* (Panthers) –  80 minutes, 117 metres, 1 try-assist

Corey Harawira-Naera (Panthers) – 60 minutes, 88 metres, 24 tackles, 1 line-break, 1 try

Braidon Burns (Rabbitohs) – 80 minutes, 108 metres, 7 tackles

 

Sea Eagles vs Dragons

Brian Kelly (Sea Eagles) – 80 minutes, 137 metres, 8 tackles

Hame Sele* (Dragons) – 29 minutes, 77 metres, 16 tackles

 

Titans vs Raiders

Tyronne Roberts-Davis (Titans) – 80 minutes, 126 metres, 7 tackles

Max King (Titans) – 44 minutes, 48 metres, 26 tackles

Morgan Boyle* (Titans) – 30 minutes, 92 metres, 20 tackles

Nick Cotric (Raiders) – 80 minutes, 138 metres, 1 try

 

Cowboys vs Wests Tigers

Gideon Gela-Mosby (Cowboys) – 79 minutes, 86 metres, 15 tackles

Moses Suli (Wests Tigers) – 80 minutes, 109 metres, 16 tackles

 

Warriors vs Eels

No rookies played.

 

Storm vs Sharks

Ryley Jacks (Storm) – 80 minutes, 55 metres, 28 tackles, 1 line-break

Joe Stimson (Storm) – 20 minutes, 30 metres, 9 tackles

Jayden Brailey (Sharks) – 52 minutes, 38 tackles

 

*NRL debut in Round 6