Brisbane Broncos Training Session
Tesi Niu leads a shrinking list of fullback targets for the Newcastle Knights. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

In a condensed Round 17 which saw just four games, it’s the four winners who have taken the bulk of spots in this week’s team of the week.

15 of the 17 spots went to players on the winning teams, with the Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Cronulla Sharks and Brisbane Broncos all handing out heavy scorelines to their opponents.

Of the two players who made it from losing teams, only one was in the starting side, with the other squeezing into the final spot on the bench after being a late demotion out of his club’s starting team on Sunday afternoon.

A reminder that the team of the week is picked completely objectively, all based on an algorithm that calculates each player's stats and generates a total score.

The interchange players must also play from the bench.

Here is the Round 17 team.

1. Tesi Niu (Brisbane Broncos)
Tesi Niu showed no impacts of his long stint on the sidelines, putting in a wonderful display for the Broncos on Sunday as he took back the jersey he vacated when he was injured.

Scoring a try, the young gun also came up with a pair of assists and ran for 171 metres among plenty of other big numbers to his performance.

2. Richie Kennar (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
I'm going to take a punt and say Richie Kennar scoring a hat-trick wasn't on too many people's 2022 NRL bingo cards.

But that's exactly what he did to the Knights in a performance which saw him run for almost 100 metres. Won't play many more games this year, but he will have this one to remember.

3. Jesse Ramien (Cronulla Sharks)
Ramien has shown glimpses of what he is capable of throughout his first-grade career, but played close to his best game on Thursday, scoring a hat-trick and making 137 metres which included an enormous eight tackle breaks.

Consistent form like that would have him in the conversation among the best centres in the competition.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 10: Jesse Ramien of the Sharks watches on during the round 14 NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Wests Tigers at Southern Cross Group Stadium on June 10, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

4. Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos)
Staggs is the second Bronco into this week's team, and didn't he churn through the Broncos on the edge. Scoring a double, he came up with 136 metres and three line breaks in a performance which saw him monster his opposite number for the most part.

It was a performance which undoubtedly helped set up Brisbane's big win over the Red V.

5. Delouise Hoeter (Brisbane Broncos)
A late addition to the side after Corey Oates was called away into Queensland State of Origin camp, Hoeter scored the game's opening try and followed it up with another later in the piece.

Add that to some strong runs for 127 metres and a couple of line breaks, and it's not hard to see why he ultimately made the cut for the second wing spot.

6. Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Cody Walker at his best is an absolute sight to behold, and that's what he was against the Knights.

He has struggled for form at times this year, but three try assists and two tries of his own had him leading his side to a strong win, despite some defensive fragilities.

7. Mitchell Moses (Parramatta Eels)
Moses might have struggled for control in the early going of this one against the Tigers, but came good later in the contest, running 100 metres, kicking for plenty, and laying on a try to go with one of his own.

8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Parramatta Eels)
Campbell-Gillard, on face value, didn't appear to have the best game of his life on Saturday night.

But in a condensed round, a try, a tackle break and 29 tackles without a single miss has given him the edge to be named in this week's team on stats.

NRL Rd 1 - Eels v Bulldogs
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 12: Reagan Campbell-Gillard of the Eels is tackled during the round 1 NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Canterbury Bulldogs at Bankwest Stadium on March 12, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

9. Blayke Brailey (Cronulla Sharks)
Blayke Brailey was the indisputable number nine this week, running for 85 metres, tackling at a high efficiency, scoring a try and not putting a foot wrong for the Sharks.

10. Keenan Palasia (Brisbane Broncos)
Palasia has struggled to find minutes in Brisbane's side in recent weeks, but there was no such issue this week with the Broncos missing plenty of forwards.

As he did early in the season, Palasia was enormous, tackling his heart out and running for 157 metres. A real good news story for Brisbane given all of his injury troubles.

11. Isaiah Papali’i (Parramatta Eels)
Isaiah Papali'i is fast shaping up as the hardest player to reduce out of a list which features plenty of talent for the Eels on the way out in 2023.

Another 150 metres, another 28 tackles and five tackle breaks to go with a try. Papali'i is a freak.

12. Mitch Barnett (Newcastle Knights)
The first of two players to make the cut from a losing side this week, Barnett simply never stopped trying for the Knights in their loss to South Sydney.

He scored a try, added 105 metres from 13 carries and came up with a line break, but also made 42 tackles to lead his team in that department.

13. Kobe Hetherington (Brisbane Broncos)
Kobe Hetherington was called into the starting 13 jumper for the Broncos after the departure of Pat Carrigan to Origin camp, and had his way with the Dragons' middle third.

He made 142 metres and was incredibly dangerous with the football in hand.

14. Cameron McInnes (Cronulla Sharks)
It doesn't seem to bother McInnes whether he starts or comes off the bench, or what position he plays once he makes it onto the park - he will just continue to churn through enormous amounts of work.

In 57 minutes, he ran the football 20 times for 150 metres with almost 70 post-contact metres, while he also had 36 tackles in a strong effort.

NRL Rd 4 - Sharks v Knights
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 01: Cameron McInnes of the Sharks makes a break during the round four NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Newcastle Knights at PointsBet Stadium on April 01, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

15. Aiden Tolman (Cronulla Sharks)
Tolman's toil continues to do good things for the Sharks off the bench, with the veteran forward running for 100 metres and making 34 tackles without a miss on Thursday.

16. Rhys Kennedy (Brisbane Broncos)
Kennedy's first appearance in the team this year.

A fringe forward at the best of times for the Broncos, he put in a monster turn of work against the Dragons, running for 134 metres from just 15 carries.

17. Jack de Belin (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Demoted to the interchange bench, de Belin was enormous once he came onto the park, playing 55 minutes and desperately trying to keep his side in a losing battle.

Ultimately, it wasn't enough, but he ran 127 metres from 15 carries.