Round 17 Team of the Week: Trai takes the trifecta

Redcliffe Dolphins fullback Trai Fuller has capped off a stunning weekend for his team by taking out the captaincy honours for the Hostplus Cup Team of the Week.

With many players worthy of selection in Round 17 in a hotly-contested weekend of football, Fuller was rewarded with the captaincy for his efforts for the Dolphins in a nail-biting showdown with Tweed on Sunday.

The inaugural Liam Hampson Cup was one of the games of week, as Redcliffe and Tweed battled it out until the dying minutes, with the Dolphins walking away victorious.

Fuller, who claimed the Hastings Deering player of the match and the Liam Hampson Medal, made a real difference for his side in an emotional game at Cbus Super Stadium.

Each round, Queensland Rugby League recognises the 17 best performers and names 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 17 Team of the Week

1. Trai Fuller – Redcliffe Dolphins (C)

Always a force within the Hostplus Cup, Redcliffe fullback Fuller was a game-changer in an extremely tough showdown with Tweed Seagulls on Sunday. Not only did his efforts earn him the Hastings Deering player of the week, but also the inaugural Liam Hampson Medal. And he has also now taken out captaincy honours for Team of the Week following an influential performance that saw him score the try to bring the Dolphins back into the game in the 71st minute. Fuller recorded an astounding 18 tackle busts, 196 run metres and one line break and one offload. Elsewhere, Julian Christian and Tahj Wood were huge for the Northern Pride and Brisbane Tigers respectively, with Christian notching up 202 run metres while Wood set up three tries in the Tigers' victory over the Western Clydesdales.

2. George Jennings – Brisbane Tigers

Jennings had an absolute blinder against the Western Clydesdales on Saturday. Not only did he score a hat-trick within the space of seven minutes, but the Tigers' dangerous right edge helped him to one more four-pointer in the 49th minute. Jennings also ran for 224 metres and had 12 tackle breaks, three line breaks and one offload in an explosive performance.

3. Sami Sauiluma – Burleigh Bears

Sauiluma became a record-breaker on Saturday, with his 72nd Cup try - the most by any Bears player. The record was previously held by his former teammate Kurtis Rowe with 71 tries. Sauiluma also ran for a massive 211 metres, had seven tackle breaks, one line break, one offload and six tackles with zero misses in a tight showdown with the PNG Hunters in Port Moresby.

4. Kane Bradley – Brisbane Tigers

Inside of Jennings on Saturday, Bradley also had a field day against the Clydesdales. The right edge ran riot, with Bradley notching up 222 run metres with six tackle busts, one offload and 11 tackles with zero misses. Elsewhere, Kea Pere was particularly strong for Burleigh while Dominic Macumboy nabbed a double for Ipswich in their loss to Townsville.

5. Kaleb Ngamanu – Tweed Seagulls

In one of the games of the round, Ngamanu was an absolute star for Tweed. The Seagulls' left edge was on fire against the Dolphins and Ngamanu not only opened the scoring in the third minute, but found his way over the try line for a second four-pointer in the 57th minute. He also ran for 144 metres, had two tackle busts, one line break and one offload. Many wingers starred across Round 17, including PNG duo Brandon Nima and Solo Wane, Burleigh pair Ken Maumalo and debutant Nick O’Meley, and Sunshine Coast's Grant Anderson and Townsville's Robert Derby.

6. Tom Steadman – Burleigh Bears

The match-winner in a tight clash with PNG, Steadman was a standout for the Bears on Saturday. His try in the dying seconds sealed the deal for the away team. Steadman also set up another two tries in the 30-22 victory and ran for 118 metres with three tackle breaks, two line breaks, one line break assist, one offload and 14 tackles. Elsewhere, Radean Robinson made a huge impact for Souths Logan against the Sunshine Coast, Gerome Burns continued his red-hot form for Ipswich with four try assists, and Tweed's Will Brimson played one of his best games of the season with 181 run metres, one try assist and one tackle break.

7. Jock Madden – Wynnum Manly Seagulls

In his second game for Wynnum Manly, Madden has once again earned Team of the Week honours. The crafty halfback scored a double against the Northern Pride, ran for 101 metres, kicked for 417 metres, and posted four tackle breaks, two line breaks, one offload and 18 tackles.

8. Daniel Hindmarsh-Takyi – Northern Pride

A force to be reckoned with, Hindmarsh-Takyi may have been on the losing side on Saturday against Wynnum Manly, but the Pride prop was destructive through the middle. In a 60-minute performance, Hindmarsh-Takyi amassed 259 run metres - 133 metres were post-contact - and made 23 tackles.

9. Oliver Pascoe – Wynnum Manly Seagulls

In another big week from hookers across the competition, Pascoe gets the Team of the Week honours for a starring performance out of Wynnum Manly's seventh straight win. Pascoe continues to step up in the absence of Tyson Smoothy and shone once again on Saturday with one try assist, one line break assist, three tackle breaks, 58 run metres and a huge 40 tackles with just one miss. Pat Politoni was also a standout for Burleigh with a jaw-dropping 43 tackles and zero misses, while Redcliffe's Sheldon Pitama, Tweed's Kruise Leeming, Souths Logan's Callum Eggerling and Brisbane's Tristan Hope all starred.

10. Tyson Cleal – Redcliffe Dolphins

Cleal flexed his muscle and aimed up against a tough Tweed pack on Sunday, in what was an emotional match for many. Not only did the prop score a try off the back of a Jack Bostock one-on-one steal, but he also ran for 153 metres, made 15 tackles and recorded one tackle bust. Elsewhere, Xavier Willison starred for Wynnum Manly while Jordan Grant, Darryn Schonig and Clayton Mack also stood up for Brisbane Tigers, Western Clydesdales and the Ipswich Jets respectively.

11. James Walsh – Redcliffe Dolphins

The Redcliffe young gun packed a punch when he came into the Round 17 clash against Tweed Seagulls on Sunday. Fresh off the bench, Walsh scored a try for the Dolphins to give them an 18-6 lead. He then went on to amass 164 run metres, with a massive 10 tackle busts, three offloads, one line break and 25 tackles with just one miss.

12. Josh Patston – Burleigh Bears

It's never easy coming up against a PNG Hunters pack, but Patston did a solid job on Saturday. The backrower set up a try, ran for 157 metres, had three tackle busts, three offloads, one line break and 25 tackles with zero misses. 

13. Taniela Sadrugu – Townsville Blackhawks

It was another big week for the locks of the competition, but it was bench forward Taniela Sadrugu who made a massive impact on Saturday to take out Team of the Week honours. In a 28-minute stint, Sadrugu wreaked absolute havoc against the luckless Ipswich Jets. Playing in the middle, the Fijian put on an attacking masterclass as he scored a hat-trick, made a jaw-dropping 12 tackle busts, three line breaks and 77 run metres. Elsewhere, the usual suspects starred with Rory Ferguson once again influential for Souths Logan and Ila Alu doing his best for PNG in a tough battle against Burleigh. Redcliffe's Mason Teague, Wynnum Manly's Luke Gale and Brisbane's Alec MacDonald were also strong.

14. Tristan Sailor – Souths Logan Magpies

In a performance worthy of a starting spot, Sailor has only been relegated to the bench this week due to the efforts of Trai Fuller. But the Souths Logan custodian was not far behind his Redcliffe counterpart, with another sensational showing for the Magpies. The Brisbane Broncos affiliate - who recently earned a contract upgrade - scored a try for the competition leaders and amassed 198 run metres with two tackle breaks, one line break assist and one offload in a nice win over the Sunshine Coast Falcons.

15. Brent Woolf – Tweed Seagulls

With the word "run" scrawled across his wrist tape in honour of his late friend and former teammate, Liam Hampson, Woolf went out against the Redcliffe Dolphins on Sunday with a real purpose. And run he did as the versatile utility notched up 118 metres with one try assist and one line break assist. Woolf also put in a huge effort in defence, making 36 tackles in a tough loss for Tweed.

16. Sam Coster – Burleigh Bears

Mr Reliable stood up once again for Burleigh, in a gritty battle against PNG. Coster made a huge 48 tackles for the Bears - with just one miss - and ran for 115 metres with two tackle breaks and two offloads.

17. Luke Polselli – Sunshine Coast Falcons

The Falcons were unable to get the win over competition leaders Souths Logan on Saturday, but Polselli added plenty of attacking spark from the bench as he tried his best to get Sunshine Coast the two points. With Souths Logan up 32-0, the 24-year-old came into dummy-half and posted the first points for his side with a try in the 55th minute. The ever-determined Polselli also set up another try, made 43 metres off three runs, had two line breaks, one line break assist, one tackle break, one offload and 14 tackles in a 33-minute stint.