This is the fifteenth instalment of 2019 in review. As usual, now the Raiders' season is over - the best for 25 years - we are reviewing all 26 players who pulled on a green jersey in first grade this year. So far, we've looked at Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Nick Cotric, Jarrod Croker, Joey Leilua, Jordan Rapana, Jack Wighton, Aidan Sezer, Josh Papalii, Josh Hodgson, Sia Soliola, John Bateman, Elliott Whitehead, Joe Tapine and Bailey Simonsson.
Emre Guler made his NRL debut, aged 20, towards the end of 2018, playing the final three matches of the season - all off the bench. The Junior Kangaroos and Blues representative looked right at home in first grade. And many expected he'd be a regular member of the 2019 team. It didn't quite turn out that way - but it still ended in a Grand Final appearance.
Guler played just 11 NRL games in the season just passed, all off the bench. He played just one game in firsts, in the first half of the season - the Round 7 loss to the Sea Eagles. He returned to first grade in the Round 13 win over the Wests Tigers, and missed just five games in the second half of the year. He played the final four matches of the season, including the Grand Final, forcing his way back into the team because of his impact off the bench. He played 14 matches for Mounties this year in NSW Cup.
Guler's statistics in first grade this season reflect the fact that was used solely as an interchange player and played low minutes. His numbers when starting in NSW Cup were a bit variable, but at times were very impressive indeed. In his NRL matches, he averaged 53 running metres from around six runs and 13 tackles per match. His running metres per carry (9.2) were pretty handy - as good as Josh Papalii. His tackle efficiency rate (89 per cent) was not too bad, similar to the rates posted by Hudson Young and Elliott Whitehead - but not up with the benchmark forward at the club, Josh Papalii (94 per cent). He posted just one try cause, and very few errors and penalties.
I rated him an average of 5.3/10 for his 11 games, with his best rating (7) coming in the Round 25 loss to the Warriors. In that match he made 142 running metres, 70 post contact metres, one tackle break and 19 tackles. Guler put in a very good 26 minutes in the Grand Final as well. He didn't receive any points in Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Player of the Year voting.
Guler finished the season with selection in the Under 23s Kangaroos team, that played France in Wollongong - which says a lot about the potential of a very young prop forward. Hopefully he can start 2020 in the same sort of form in which he finished 2019.
How did you rate Emre Guler's 2019? Tell us below.
Emre Guler's 2019: 4/10
2019 Statistics: (Stats from Fox Sports Lab)
Games: 11
Average minutes: 22.9
Points: 0
Tries: 0
Try assists: 0
Try contributions: 0
Total try involvements: 0
Total kicks: 0
Kick metres: 0
Total runs: 64
All run metres: 586
Average metres per carry: 9.2
Average metres per game: 53
Tackle breaks: 3
Offloads: 3
Line breaks: 0
Line break assists: 0
Tackles: 146
Average tackles per game: 13.3
1 on 1 tackles: 10
Missed tackles: 8
Average missed tackles per game: 0.7
Tackle efficiency: 89 per cent
Try causes: 1
Line break causes: 1
Errors: 2
Penalties conceded: 3
