NRL: South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell has finally broken his media silence, in the main to celebrate teammate Campbell Graham's milestone match.
Latrell Mitchell and Herbie Farnworth are regarded as the best centres in the game, but a breakout star from the Raiders is upsetting the world order .
The Rabbitohs are flying high despite a tight loss to the Knights in Round 9, and their superstar centre has led the way. Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports |WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Latrell Mitchell leads the Red Bull High Flyer Playing Rankings when it comes to players who wear the No.3 and No.4 jerseys this season, having slotted back into the role full-time this year. The 28-year-old finished with a score of +6.33 as a clear-cut winner, sitting 0.52 above his nearest rival in breakout Raiders gun Simi Sasagi.
Mitchell has been back to his barnstorming best in his best position since returning to centre in 2026 and his running game has been a major factor in leading Wayne Bennett’s side to fourth place after nine rounds, as he has scored 11 tries in eight games. The Souths gun has been lethal on the left edge and has been terrorising opponents with his mix of silky ball skills, speed, size and strength as seen when he steamrolled Kalyn Ponga for a try last start.
Who saw this one coming? Ricky Stuart sure did. Simi Sasagi has been simply superb for the Raiders since moving to the centre position full-time in 2026 and has been scoring tries for fun, with four in eight games to start the season. Sasagi was even moved to back row when Hudson Young was out and still scored a double, which shows how dangerous he has been on the edge, despite Canberra’s early struggles.
Jake Averillo wasn’t even guaranteed to crack the Dolphins starting team this season, but he has been one of their most reliable and consistent performers and looks set to ink a contract extension. The versatile star can cover any position in the backline, but he has shown that centre is his best position and he is benefiting from an extended run in the role in 2026, scoring six tries in seven games.
Widely regarded as the best centre in the game, Farnworth has been at his lethal best to start the season, despite the Dolphins getting off to a hot and cold start and has scored four tries in eight games. No wonder the Englishman is being chased by half the competition to leave the Dolphins, but the NRL’s 17th team would be wise to give him a blank check.
In a team as good as the Panthers it isn’t always easy to stand out, but McLean has been just about the best player in the team this season, at least in attack. The 19-year-old New Zealander is even being linked to a Blues debut such is his impressive form in 2026 and he has scored three tries and is setting them up with ease.
Like the Roosters Toia got off to a slow start, but just as his team is starting to click he is finding his best form heading into the Origin period and has scored four tries in seven games. Toia’s performances on ANZAC Day and in the win over the Broncos showed his class on both sides of the ball and he looks set for another crack at Latrell Mitchell for the Maroons this year.
The Cowboys have been one of the surprise packets of the NRL this season to sit sixth and Purdue has been arguably their most damaging ball runner on the edge, scoring five tries in nine games. The versatile star has the speed and skills to play five-eighth and fullback, which makes him a nightmare for opposition defences when he pops up all over the field for Todd Payten’s side.
Iro became the first Sharks player ever to score back-to-back hat-tricks against the Cowboys and Tigers in his last two starts and like his team he is starting to find his form and consistency. Iro has brilliant footwork and the speed and skills to set up tries and score them with ease and his defence is also brutal on the edge, while has scored eight tries in eight games this season.
The Titans have had a mixed start to the season, but Jojo Fifita has been one of their most consistent performers, scoring five tries in eight games to start the season. Fifita is a powerhouse ball runner and acts like another back-rower charging out wide on the end of the Titans backline.
Chester is finally starting to realise his potential, after putting a wretched run of injuries behind him to play all but one game this season for the flying Cowboys. Deceptively strong for his size, Chester has the ability to score tries himself and set them up for his wingers and has been solid off the ball in an improved Cowboys defensive unit in 2026. It is worth clarifying that PSV is not a score out of 10.
Instead, each player is ranked relative to their PSV, a model which measures how much each player contributes to the final scoreboard. The system processes more than 15,000 data points per game, analysing every run, pass, kick, error and penalty as the game unfolds. The model is based on deriving the intrinsic value of every single action that occurs in a match relative to the final scoreboard using a proprietary AI model.
It means that every moment in the game is assessed based on how it changes a team’s likelihood of scoring. For instance, if an action such as a linebreak or linebreak assist improves the chance of points, the player responsible gains PSV. If they concede a penalty or drop the ball, however, it reduces the chance and their PSV decreases accordingly.
These changes are tracked across the entire game to produce a total performance value for every player, allowing them to be ranked based on their overall impact on the game rather than just traditional statistics. Because every action is valued on the same scale, PSV allows players across different positions to be compared fairly and highlights the moments that have the biggest influence on the result.
Now, of course, there is going to be some variation among positions as forwards generally build their scores through repeated involvements such as runs and tackles while spine players and outside backs are more involved in scoring actions and hence likelier to see bigger spikes in their score.
Starting Team Media Silence Silky Ball Skills Rivals Circle Powerhouse Ball Runner Flyer Player Rankings Opposition Defences Wayne Bennett Matty Johns Player Responsible Todd Payten Centre Position Final Scoreboard Versatile Star Superstar Centre Match Relative Gold Coast Titans Spine Players TOM CHESTER Fox League Contract Extension Campbell Graham Epic Surge Looks Set Mitchell's FLYER RANKINGS WORK Performance Value Data Points Consistent Performers Breakout Surprise Packet Herbie Farnworth Form Heading Ricky Stuart Robert Toia Latrell Mitchell Single Action Flyer Rankings World Order Red Bull
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Murray and Bennett lament defensive lapses in Knights victory over SouthsSouth Sydney Rabbitohs player Cameron Murray and coach Wayne Bennett discuss their team's 42-38 loss to the Newcastle Knights, highlighting the impact of the six-again rule and defensive issues. Both expressed frustration with the high-scoring nature of the game and the difficulty of regaining momentum once lost.
Read more »
‘Don’t know what team was out there’: Benji fumes at poor Tigers as Luai denies big contract claimNRL: Tigers coach Benji Marshall speaks post game after a disappointing loss to the Cronulla Sharks.
Read more »
NRL updates: Benji Marshall slams woeful Wests Tigers, Penrith hang on to beat Manly, Souths lose Jack WIghton to broken arm in Newcastle defeatBenji Marshall said he could not recognise his Wests Tigers side after a humiliating second half saw Cronulla dominate at Shark Park, while there were also wins for Newcastle and Penrith on a bumper Sunday of NRL football.
Read more »
Luai circus exposes transfer farce; Gus’ fingerprints all over Dogs debacle: CrawlsNRL: Tigers coach Benji Marshall speaks post game after a disappointing loss to the Cronulla Sharks.
Read more »
Dolphins prop Daniel Saifiti retires from NRL due to ongoing shoulder problemsDaniel Saifiti's stellar career with the Dolphins, Newcastle, NSW, and Fiji comes to a premature end due to injury.
Read more »
NSW and QLD Cup Stars Pressing for NRL OpportunitiesPlayers in the NSW Cup and QLD Cup are delivering standout performances, creating selection dilemmas for NRL coaches and pushing for first-grade opportunities. This report details key performances and potential impacts on NRL lineups.
Read more »