Round 13 Team of the Week: Can't go past Polselli

BMD Indigenous Round saw some close matches take place across the Round 13 games, with some upsets adding extra excitement to the results.

It was also a round where the big boys up front stood up, with some outstanding forward displays, while young Redcliffe Dolphins halfback Cody Hunter claimed the Hastings Deering player of the match honour in his side's victory over Brisbane Tigers.

However, the form of Sunshine Coast Falcons fullback Luke Polselli could not be denied, earning him this week's captaincy and the title of Hostplus strong performer. 

Each round, Queensland Rugby League recognises the 17 best performers and name the Hostplus Cup Team of the Week, presented by Hostplus. These team selections are based not only on statistical data, but also take on board live and broadcast viewings of the games.

Round 13 Team of the Week

1. Luke Polselli - Sunshine Coast Falcons (c)

No stranger to Team of the Week selection, the Falcons fullback was at his impressive best again in Round 13, scoring a try in both halves of his side's comeback victory against Townsville Blackhawks. This week's Hostplus strong performer, Polselli also ran for 224 metres - which included 11 tackle breaks - and produced a try assist, a line break assist, an offload and a line break.

2. Setu Tu - Redcliffe Dolphins

After scoring three impressive tries in his side's Round 13 BMD Indigenous Round victory and running for 184 metres, the tall Dolphins wingers was one of the first names jotted down on the list for this week's team. Tu also made a line break and a tackle break and gained 17 metres from an effective and try-producing kick. 

3. Denzel Burns - Ipswich Jets

With two tries to his name - including an impressive long-range effort off a scrum play - Burns was in fine form for the Jets in their BMD Indigenous Round win against PNG Hunters. As well as his four-pointers, the Toowoomba-born talent also ran for 191 metres, produced a try assist, a line break assist, made two line breaks and nine tackle breaks. 

4. Blake Paskins - Mackay Cutters 

The Cutters centre is making a habit of appearing in the Team of the Week with his solid performances for the North Queensland side. In Mackay's win against Souths Logan Magpies, Paskins scored his 10th try of the season after posting a double. He also made 149 metres from 11 runs which included nine tackle breaks and two line breaks. 

5. Brayden McGrady - Norths Devils 

While his side left it until the second half to put any points on the board, it was McGrady who did most of the scoring to help North Devils to a respectable finish against Wynnum Manly Seagulls. McGrady crossed for a double and made 149 metres in the match, as well as producing a try assist, making a line break and two tackle breaks. In another commendable performance in a losing side, Magpies winger Jordan Pereira ran for 237 metres with 13 tackle breaks, while Sunshine Coast Falcons winger Will Warbrick also put in the hard yards, running for 243 metres with two line breaks and six tackle breaks. 

6. Max Plath - Wynnum Manly Seagulls

The young gun Seagulls five-eighth was busy in Wynnum Manly's win against Norths Devils, not only crossing for a try and kicking two goals, but also making 96 metres from 10 runs. He also had a try assist, a line break assist, made one line break himself and five tackle breaks. Defensively, Plath made 21 tackles. Bryce Donovan was part of a strong halves pairing for the Dolphins and pushed hard for a place in this week's team with two try assists, a line break assist and a tackle break. 

7. Brandon Finnegan - Mackay Cutters 

When your side is in a close game, every point matters and Finnegan slotted over five from five conversions in Mackay's 30-24 win over Souths Logan Magpies in Round 13. He also scored a try to bring his personal points haul to 14. In the match, Finnegan also produced a try assist and a line break assist, as well as making one himself. He also made 219 kick metres from six kicks. 

8. Nick Lui-Toso - Northern Pride

It is back-to-back entries for Pride prop Lui-Toso who again impressed in Round 13 with his work rate in his side's upset win against top-of-the-table Burleigh Bears. Running for a round-high 244 metres, the Minchinbury Jets junior also had a line break assist, an offload and four tackle breaks, as well as making 10. 

9. Tristan Hope - Wynnum Manly Seagulls

In his fifth game starting at hooker his season, Hope played for the full 80 minutes and in that time made 32 tackles, scored a try, made a line break and four tackle breaks. Joshua Williams was also effective off the bench for the Ipswich Jets, with two try assists and two line break assists in his 40 minutes on the field. 

10. Lachlan Timm - Redcliffe Dolphins 

Playing for almost an entire game, in his 77 minutes of on-field time, Timm put in the hard yards with 180 metres run and two tackle breaks. He also made a game high 44 tackles in defence, missing only one. 

11. Ioane Seiuli - Tweed Seagulls 

While Tweed's win against Central Queensland Capras in torrid conditions at Browne Park was more due to a good old "all round team effort", Seiuli's contribution would have been appreciated by his side, with 85 metres, a try assist, a line break assist and 18 tackles made. 

12. Jake Elmore - Souths Logan Magpies

Playing the full 80 minutes for only the second time this season, the young backrower put in an impressive stint in a losing side, including defending for a game-high 41 tackles while also running for 78 metres.

13. Sam Coster - Burleigh Bears 

A recent 100-gamer for the Bears, Coster always puts in a solid effort for his team, and this week was no different, despite Burleigh going down to Northern Pride in an upset. In his 80 minutes on the field, Coster made 161 metres, made a line break, had three tackle breaks and made 41 tackles. He also scored his side's last try of the match. 

14. Cody Hunter - Redcliffe Dolphins 

The Hastings Deering player of the match in the Round 13 feature game, Hunter is only four games into his Hostplus Cup career, but looks comfortable at this level. In the win against the Tigers, Hunter produced a line break assist, a tackle break and 221 kick metres. 

15. Lucky Pokipoki - Ipswich Jets

Two games into his Cup career has seen two consecutive wins for the young Jets forward - a lucky charm perhaps? In their Round 13 victory against  PNG Hunters, Pokipoki - who was part of the extended squad for Cook Islands during the recent Pacific Tests - scored a try, ran for 115 metres, produced a try assist, a line break assist and a line break and made nine tackle breaks in 53 minutes. 

16. Julian Christian - Northern Pride 

The flashy fullback may not have scored any tries in Northern Pride's close 26-22 win against Burleigh Bears, but his two try assists, line break assist and line break more than made up for that, as did his 143 metres run. Christian also put in four kicks amassing 49 metres gained. 

17. Judah Rimbu - PNG Hunters

The young fullback put in a solid effort in a losing side, producing three try assists and two line break assists. Playing in the halves at the start of the season, Rimbu has been performing admirably for the Hunters at the back in recent weeks.