The Penrith Panthers domination job of the New Zealand Warriors on Friday night has handed them four spots in the Round 24 team of the week.
Plenty of Penrith players will push for spots in the final stats-based team of the year, which will be revealed following next week's team of the year and be based on the number of nominations players have received to this team throughout the course of the year.
The Parramatta Eels and Gold Coast Titans were the other most heavily represented teams this week, claiming three spots each after big wins over the Brisbane Broncos and Newcastle Knights respectively.
Other spots went to players from the Canberra Raiders, South Sydney Rabbitohs (two each), the St George Illawarra Dragons, Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters.
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 24 team.
1. Clint Gutherson (Parramatta Eels)
Clint Gutherson has had some strong games this year. He has also had some average ones.
Thursday night's destruction job against the Broncos though was almost undoubtedly his best of the year to date. Scoring a double and assisting another two, he ran for 189 metres and added five tackle busts, as well as six offloads in a performance where he was impossible to contain.
2. Taylan May (Penrith Panthers)
May has struggled to find the tryline in recent weeks, but didn't miss against the Warriors, crossing for a double as the Panthers ran up 46 points.
He also had 171 metres and 6 tackle breaks in a strong performance.
3. Sebastian Kris (Canberra Raiders)
Kris continues to grow as a footballer and was outstanding again for the green machine in their demolition of the Sea Eagles on Saturday afternoon in the nation's capital.
He ran for 138 metres, scored a try and added two try assists, to go with 6 tackle breaks.
4. Joseph Manu (Sydney Roosters)
Manu was phenomenal for the tri-colours in their win over the Storm - one which was narrow and hard-fought in a physical encounter all the way.
Manu did all the hard yards for his side, running 172 metres and finding the tryline to go with breaking out of eight tackles.
5. Brian To'o (Penrith Panthers)
To'o has long been regarded as one of the best ball-runners in the NRL, and that's exactly what he was against the Warriors. It's something the Panthers will need in spades during the finals.
He had 199 metres and 7 tackle busts against the Warriors to go with a try-scoring double like his wing partner.
6. AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans)
It has been a remarkably long season for the Titans, but AJ Brimson is starting to show signs that he is moving into the number six jersey now.
Scoring a double, he also added 137 metres and had a pair of try assists in a wow of a performance to lead the Titans past the Knights on Sunday.
7. Sean O'Sullivan (Penrith Panthers)
O'Sullivan has been excellent when called upon to fill in for Nathan Cleary throughout the year, and did so again against the Warriors as he led the minor premiers around the park.
His ball running was the key with 121 metres, while he also had a try assist, a try of his own and a strong kicking performance.
8. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)
Tino. Wow.
Whatever he had for breakfast should be on the menu every week moving forward. 80 minutes, 257 metres from 25 carries, a try assist, a line break assist, three offloads and three tackle busts, and 35 tackles. Unstoppable.
9. Siliva Havili (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
No Damien Cook, no worries this time around for the Rabbitohs.
The late exclusion should have rocked Jason Demetriou's side, but instead, Siliva Havili stepped up and put on a wonderful performance in the number nine jumper at both ends of the park. Added a try assist and 29 tackles among other stats.
10. James Fisher-Harris (Penrith Panthers)
There is no dispute as to who leads this Penrith forward pack. James Fisher-Harris, even on his bad days, is still one of the best props in the game.
He was heavily involved against the Warriors, running for 181 metres with 20 carries of the ball, to go with a couple of tackle breaks in 60 minutes on the park.
11. Jaydn Su'A (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Undoubtedly the best performance of the season for Jaydn Su'A, and in a week where speculation around his future rose to the surface no less.
The former Rabbitoh crossed for a try but was up and about for the entire 80 minutes with 222 metres and 6 tackle breaks, while 63 of his metres were post-contact.
12. Isaiah Papali'i (Parramatta Eels)
The Eels forward pack has plenty of excellent players, but none have the ability to play week in and week out to the level that the gun Tigers-bound second rower does.
He found his way over for yet another try against the Broncos, but also ran for 146 metres, had two line breaks and assisted another try.
13. Cameron McInnes (Cronulla Sharks)
The Sharks lose a lot when Dale Finucane is out of the side, but it would be a lot more if it wasn't for Cameron McInnes.
In 56 minutes against the Bulldogs, he came up with 119 metres from 13 carries, but was excellent in ball playing and had a trio of offloads to go 37 tackles.
14. Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast Titans)
He might have been relegated to a bench role, but Moeaki Fotuaika wreaked havoc from start to finish for the Titans.
168 metres from 12 carries, 6 tackle busts and a danger everytime he touched the ball.
15. Thomas Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Thomas Burgess has turned himself into one of the competition's most valuable bench players, churning out another 174 metres on Saturday against the Cowboys. 53 metres were post-contact, while he also had a line break and a try.
16. Emre Guler (Canberra Raiders)
Guler has at times struggled to be anywhere near his potential throughout the 2022 campaign, but he couldn't be accused of that on Saturday.
Coming off the bench, he came up with 151 metres from 13 carries, broke four tackles and didn't miss a tackle. A worthy recipient of a spot in this week's team.
17. Ryan Matterson (Parramatta Eels)
A bench spot being reserved for Ryan Matterson has been a common theme throughout the year and he is a shoe-in to be selected in the team of the year based on team of the week nominations which will be revealed next week on Zero Tackle.
It might have been the last spot this week, but was still excellently effective with 153 metres and 24 tackles without a miss.
