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With a quarter of the NRL regular season already done and dusted a number of players have put their hands up to be in the running for the best buys of 2021.
From Titans pair Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita to cut price Souths star Benji Marshall and reborn Eels forward Isaiah Papali’i, a number of players are showing their old clubs just what they are missing out on.Read on for the 10 Best Buys of the 2021 NRL season to date.
1. ISAIAH PAPALI'I (EELS)
A few eyebrows were raised when the Warriors let Isaiah Papali’i leave the club to join the Eels. The 22-year-old was viewed as a prodigious star of the future at the Warriors, but had so far failed to dominate at NRL level, despite debuting back in 2017. However after signing for $200,000 less at Parramatta, Papali’i is starting to finally fulfil his potential. Eels coach Brad Arthur revealed Papali’i is one of the best trainers he has ever coached and has come in every day since signing with the Eels wanting to get better. Papali’i has the second most run metres for any Eels forward with 806 behind only Reagan Campbell-Gillard (836) after six games. Papali’i also has four linebreaks, 22 tackle busts and four tires and has been the perfect replacement for Ryan Matterson, who has struggled with concussion issues since being hit by Storm star Felise Kaufusi. Arthur has a welcome selection headache when Matterson makes his return in the coming weeks.
2. ANDREW MCCULLOUGH (DRAGONS)
Fans were blowing up when the Dragons showed an interest in signing Andrew McCullough to play hooker with then skipper Cameron McInnes tipped to shift to lock, before joining the Sharks in 2022. However after McInnes went down with a season-ending injury and Ben Hunt started to return to his best at halfback, the McCullough signing proved to be a masterstroke from Anthony Griffin. McCullough may be 31 and coming off a long-term hamstring injury, but his strengths have always been his ability to hold a defensive line together in the middle and provide consistent and slick service. McCullough has not only helped improve the Dragons’ leaky defence, but his clean early ball has allowed Hunt and Corey Norman to rediscover their mojo in the halves. Given the Broncos are chipping in a chunk of McCullough’s salary this year he will go down as one of the steals of the season.
3. BENJI MARSHALL (RABBITOHS)
Prior to the season it looked like signing Benji Marshall might have been overkill for the Rabbitohs with no clear role for him in the team. Skipper Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker were firmly entrenched in the halves and carrying a specialist half as a bench utility was not something Bennett has done a lot of in his career. However after just six games signing Marshall has proved a masterstroke with the 35-year-old veteran developing into an excellent utility covering the halves, hooker and a hybrid third playmaker role. Marshall has even filled in at five-eighth against the Broncos after Walker was banned for an incident in the Round 4 clash against the Bulldogs. Marshall’s playmaking skills will become more important during Latrell Mitchell’s four-week ban for a late hit on David Nofoaluma. Adding to all this is the fact Marshall is on a cut price contract and is also helping develop the next wave of Souths’ playmakers at training every week, plus the Rabbitohs are second on the ladder behind only the unbeaten Panthers.
4. TINO FA’ASUAMALEAUI (TITANS)
A combination of David Fifita’s Titans-Broncos contract saga and the fact Tino Fa’asuamaleaui signed his Titans deal back in 2019 meant there wasn’t a whole lot of hype around the 21-year-old’s move ahead of this season. But six rounds in, there’s certainly been plenty of praise heaped his way and it’s well-deserved. Fa’asuamaleaui has been the Titans’ most consistent performer this season. He’s ran for 100 metres in every game this year — even in the losses. In fact in Round 4, despite the Titans losing to the Raiders, Fa’asuamaleaui ran for an incredible 201 metres, had seven tackle busts and one linebreak. That performance sums up the versatile forward’s attitude and willingness to deliver for his team.
Fa’asuamaleaui really came of age last season. He won a premiership with the Storm and went on to make his State of Origin debut, which is what really makes this signing a masterstroke. The Titans secured him before his star really started to shine bright and locked him in before anybody else could.
5. DAINE LAURIE (TIGERS)
Don’t let the Tigers being in 15th on the ladder fool you, fullback recruit Daine Laurie has been in sparkling form so far in 2021. Laurie was set to join the Tigers in 2022, but the Panthers chose to let him go early and the Tigers have reaped the rewards. The 21-year-old has only played nine NRL games, but already has three tries in six games for the Tigers this season. Laurie has run for the second most metres of any Tiger with 809 to go with four linebreaks, 21 tackle busts, 13 offloads and a try assist. Laurie has drawn comparisons to another lightweight Tigers fullback Brett Hodgson, who tore up the NRL, despite his lighter frame. The young gun is still learning his trade as an NRL fullback, but his impressive start to his full-time first grade career has him earmarked for big things in the coming seasons, which could make his cut-price deal look like a steal.
6. DAVID FIFITA (TITANS)
He may be the most expensive off-season recruit not just last season but in the history of the NRL, but so far David Fifita has been worth every penny. Fifita was poached from the Broncos in the off-season on a three-year deal worth a reported $1.25 million a season. In six games for the Titans, Fifita has run for 826 metres, made 42 tackle busts, 16 offloads and scored six tries while making seven linebreaks, the equal fourth most in the NRL. Fifita’s ability to break tackles at will gives the Titans a potent attacking threat on the edge and a player to give them great go-forward and quick play-the-balls out of dummyhalf. Fifita has shown he can score tries on his own out of nothing and if he doesn’t score he opens up the field for players like Ash Taylor and AJ Brimson to run riot. If the Titans can continue to build their squad especially around their spine players, then Fifita can be the man to lead them to an elusive first premiership over the course of the next three years.
7. RYAN JAMES (RAIDERS)
Given they boast one of the best packs in the NRL over the last few seasons, eyebrows were raised when Ricky Stuart signed injury-prone Titans prop Ryan James for the 2021 season. However a rejuvenated James has put most of his more fancied teammates to shame in the early part of the year and will again start ahead of Origin star Josh Papalii’i in Round 7. James managed just six games over the course of the last two seasons, but has already played five games in 2021 and has 392 metres from just 172 minutes primarily off the bench to go with two linebreaks and 14 tackle busts. The 29-year-old is proving he has plenty left in the tank after 149 NRL games and looks keen to make up for lost time in his new role for the ‘Green Machine’.
8. DANIEL ALVARO (DRAGONS)
He may not be one of the bigger names on this list, but the former Eels and Warriors forward has given the Dragons some serious bang for their buck in 2021. Alvaro is averaging the second most metres by any Dragons forward with 526 from just 245 minutes off the bench. For perspective starter Tariq Sims has 510 metres from 448 minutes albeit on the edge. Alvaro has a linebreak, five tackle busts, seven offloads while making 163 tackles for the Dragons. St George Illawarra have shocked the NRL to sit sixth after six rounds and a lot of it is down to the go-forward and impact Alvaro is providing off the bench. If the Dragons can maintain the rage and make the finals then the 27-year-old will have been a big reason why.
9. JACK BIRD (DRAGONS)
Given his injury history in recent seasons, the Dragons’ signing of Jack Bird was always going to be a risk, but so far it has been outweighed by the rewards. The former Origin representative managed just 17 games in three seasons at the Broncos and missed all of last year with an ACL injury. However Bird has scored one try in five games for the Dragons in 2021 and would have played every game so far were it not for a suspension for a contrary conduct charge from the Dragons’ clash with Manly. Given the Broncos are paying a fair chunk of his salary this season, Bird could end up being one of the best value for money signings in the NRL and an Origin recall is not out of the question. Bird has run for 518 metres to go with two linebreaks, 19 tackle busts, two try assists and a try as the Dragons have won four of their first six games to sit in sixth place.
10. JAI ARROW (RABBITOHS)
There was little doubt Arrow was going to be a success after signing with the Rabbitohs, but the way he has created more balance in the side has the Bunnies flying in second place. The knock on Souths in recent years is they have struggled to replace big bodies and club legends Sam Burgess and John Sutton in the middle third of the field. Arrow’s arrival has allowed smaller players like Cameron Murray to stick to his strengths and provide Souths’ with an extra playmaker and support player in the middle. Arrow has been content to do the hard yards in the middle of the field and provide good go-forward for Souths’ dangerous spine to play off the back of. Arrow has the second most metres of any Souths forward with 762 behind only George Burgess, to go with 10 tackle busts, six offloads and 133 tackles with just six misses. The 25-year-old has more than held his own, but it is the positive impact he is having on his teammates and the balance of the side that is unlocking the Rabbitohs’ potential and has them as arguably the second favourites for the title.
