Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

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greeneyed
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Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by greeneyed »

Canberra Raiders prop Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Meninga Medalist and Canberra Raiders' Fans' Choice Player of the Year, Josh Papalii, has been named one of the top five NRL players of 2019, in the Official Rugby League Annual. It is the third time that Papalii has won both the Meninga Medal and Fans’ Choice - and he was not only the Raiders' best player, but was the Queensland Maroons' best player in the 2019 Origin series. He was recalled to the Australian Kangaroos for the end of season Tests, no doubt the first prop chosen, after Kangaroos coach labelled him the "best front rower in the game".

Every year, the Official Rugby League Annual, authored by historian David Middleton, names the top five players of the season, as well as the Team of the Year.

Papalii was named alongside Damien Cook (Rabbitohs), Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs), James Tedesco (Roosters) and Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters) in the 2019 "top five".

Canberra Raiders Jack Wighton, who won the Clive Churchill Medal for the best on ground in the Grand Final, was unusually selected out of position in the Team of the Year at No. 3. Wighton played just three games at centre this season - all for the New South Wales Blues. Josh Papalii was named at prop. Raiders back rower, John Bateman, was a surprise omission from both lists - with the Raiders somewhat under-represented, given their Grand Final appearance.

2019 Team of the Year

1. James Tedesco (Roosters)
2. Maika Sivo (Eels)
3. Jack Wighton (Raiders)
4. Joseph Manu (Roosters)
5. Josh Addo-Carr (Storm)
6. Cameron Munster (Storm)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)
8. Josh Papalii (Raiders)
9. Damien Cook (Rabbitohs)
10. Siosiua Taukeiaho (Roosters)
11. Kenny Bromwich (Storm)
12. Cameron Murray (Rabbitohs)
13. Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)

The Annual also names the Team of the 2010s, with not a single Raiders representative - but given the Raiders finished 11th in the competition for most wins in the 2010s, that's not a surprise. Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker finished third on the list of players with most appearances in the 2010s (236), behind James Maloney (243) and Cameron Smith (242).

Team of the 2010s

1. Billy Slater
2. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
3. Greg Inglis
4. Jamie Lyon
5. Brett Morris
6. Johnathan Thurston
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
9. Cameron Smith
10. Matt Scott
11. Sam Burgess
12. Boyd Cordner
13. Jason Taumalolo
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by BadnMean »

Bromich and Murray over Bateman? Seems odd.

Cook over Hodgo is rubbish. Is this the Origin award or best NRL award? Cook had nothing at the end of the year, looked a bit out of ideas and 1 dimensional.

Jack and Munster was a coin toss for most of the year, but Jack finished far better in the games that count.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by edwahu »

Well he at least got it right picking Papalii but picking Murray and Wighton out of position is a shocker. Cook is also overrated in the top 5, he had a very average finals series for the second year in a row. Murray is a bit questionable as well.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by zim »

Wighton I can sort of understand because he actually played rep centre but Murray played no second row all year.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by greeneyed »

John Bateman won the Dally M Second Rower of the Year, but can't get one of two spots? Seems very strange.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by Seiffert82 »

That is a bit odd.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by Northern Raider »

greeneyed wrote: December 5, 2019, 3:09 pm John Bateman won the Dally M Second Rower of the Year, but can't get one of two spots? Seems very strange.
Even stranger they face one spot to a lock forward.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by Northern Raider »

BadnMean wrote: December 5, 2019, 2:34 pm Bromich and Murray over Bateman? Seems odd.

Cook over Hodgo is rubbish. Is this the Origin award or best NRL award? Cook had nothing at the end of the year, looked a bit out of ideas and 1 dimensional.

Jack and Munster was a coin toss for most of the year, but Jack finished far better in the games that count.
Form over the whole season Munster gets the nod. Jack definitely finished the season stronger.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by The Nickman »

Jack shouldn't be picked in team of the year at centre, it cheapens that position for the other centres. He should either beat Munster (which he probably does to be perfectly honest) or he shouldn't be there at all.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by BadnMean »

The Nickman wrote: December 5, 2019, 4:40 pm Jack shouldn't be picked in team of the year at centre, it cheapens that position for the other centres. He should either beat Munster (which he probably does to be perfectly honest) or he shouldn't be there at all.
Yeah it's a bit of a trend at the moment in the game across the board. Origin centres are far more likely NOT to play there for there club these days but get put in the centres in Origin.

Wayne Bennett picks an entire touring squad with one specialist centre in it.

And this type of thing on top.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by The Nickman »

BadnMean wrote: December 5, 2019, 4:45 pm
The Nickman wrote: December 5, 2019, 4:40 pm Jack shouldn't be picked in team of the year at centre, it cheapens that position for the other centres. He should either beat Munster (which he probably does to be perfectly honest) or he shouldn't be there at all.
Yeah it's a bit of a trend at the moment in the game across the board. Origin centres are far more likely NOT to play there for there club these days but get put in the centres in Origin.

Wayne Bennett picks an entire touring squad with one specialist centre in it.

And this type of thing on top.
Look, I agree with club halves and fullbacks being picked in the centres for rep duty, as they are generally the best players in each team, however when you're picking a team of the year by position, you don't put players out of position to fit them in. Jack wasn't the best centre of the year, he was either the best five-eighth or he wasn't.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by greeneyed »

Latrell Mitchell can probably feel hard done by... Dally M Centre if the Year, but can’t get one of two centre spots.


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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by The Nickman »

Mitchell and Croker should be the two centres.

I have spoken.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by BadnMean »

greeneyed wrote: December 5, 2019, 5:03 pm Latrell Mitchell can probably feel hard done by... Dally M Centre if the Year, but can’t get one of two centre spots.


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Pains me to say it but he made the big play perfectly in the GF too.
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Re: Josh Papalii named one of the top five players of 2019

Post by Seiffert82 »

Yeah, hard to argue for Wighton over Mitchell. I can definitely see him over Munster though, but that could go either way.

Bateman should definitely be there over Murray.
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