Justis Kamu: NRL team of the week

Greg Inglis was in fine form against the Panthers last weekend. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

Justis Kamu rates the standout players after round three of the NRL.

Fullback - Billy Slater (Storm)
The Storm's backfield weapon crossed for two tries in a typically dazzling performance which he surpassed Rhys Wesser's record for most tries by a fullback in premiership rugby league history. The 'big three' of Smith, Cronk and Slater combined to allow the latter to burst through a gap before his lethal speed and swerve took him around William Zillman. His second try (to eclipse the record) was a breath-taking effort that saw him race behind the uprights, leap for Smith's kick and incredibly take a one-handed catch and ground the ball just inside the dead-ball line. With a try tally of 130 tries from 205 games since his debut in 2003 - an incredible rate of 1.5 tries per game - 'Billy the Kid' is the without doubt the finest fullback of the 2000s era.

Wing - Brett Morris (Dragons)
Played at fullback but usually a winger speeding down the tramlines for the Dragons, he was shifted to the backfield after a late pre-game reshuffle. He was outstanding in igniting the backline with his pace; breaking several tackles as the Tigers struggled to keep him caged. Running for 195 metres off 23 carries, he also laid on the final pass to tryscorers Dan Hunt and Ben Creagh. With Kyle Stanley's ordinary form this season Morris could see more minutes at the back after his outing on Friday night.

Centre - Justin Hodges (Broncos)
During the peak of his powers (2006-2009), Hodges was arguably the finest centre in the NRL. One of his main strengths is his ability to chew plenty of metres out of the ruck and from set-piece using his swift footwork and acceleration to confuse the defence. Against the Knights he ran for a massive 202 metres from 16 carries plus a brilliant solo try. One off the scrum, Hodges ran wide across field before an injection of speed allowed him to drift between tacklers and go in untouched from 40 metres.

Centre - Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs)
Inglis cut the Panthers to shreds with a barnstorming return to the position where he initially made his name. While wearing the number four on his back he provided the x-factor that had been lacking in recent weeks. Running 193 metres, five tackle breaks and two line breaks, the Queenslander was at his destructive best. His brilliant individual try exhibited his pace, strength, and power - he showed the ball before sliding through a gap, hitting top speed he went swerved to the sideline and bounced off his opposite Laclan Coote in Jonah Lomu fashion.

Wing - Ashley Graham (Cowboys)
Every team appreciates a winger who has the ability to finish when try-scoring opportunities arise. That's what the Cowboys have in the 166 game NRL veteran who scored a hattrick against the Eels on a wet night in Townsville. An honest toiler, the 2011 Cowboys Player of the Year, used his dancing feet to get him across for his first, followed by a straight-forward catch and run for his second and a perfectly timed catch for his third. One of the most underrated players in the competition, Graham carried the ball 12 times for 116 metres.

Five-eighths - James Maloney (Warriors)
Entering his final season of a three year deal, the Roosters bound standoff made an encouraging contribution against the Bulldogs. Despite being on the wrong end of a 32-18 scoreline, the Australian was in fine form scoring a try while running for 133 metres, busting six tackles and making two line breaks. Deceptively quick and intelligent in his line running, for the second week Maloney scored off a Mateo pass after an angled run sliced open the defence before outsprinting Ben Barba over 30 metres.

Halfback - Cooper Cronk (Storm)
The Storm halfback has been in scintillating form in the opening rounds of the 2012 season. It only took two minutes for Cronk to put his imprint on the game delivering a fine kick behind the defence for Matt Duffie to slide over in the corner. He served up the team's second try on a plate for Sika Manu after stepping inside his marker before dishing off the final ball to his second rower.

Prop - Sam Kasiano (Bulldogs)
The Bulldogs are blessed with props in their ranks with Aidan Tolman, Martin Taupau and the recent acquisition of Great Britian prop James Graham. Yet it is the form of Kasiano that is leading the side upfront on their impressive 3-0 run. Standing a little less than two metres at 1.96m and weighing 122kgs the Auckland born prop is a damaging ball runner and packs a punch in defence. For a big man he can play plenty of minutes and impressed with 146 metres from 16 runs in the 28-18 win over the Warriors.

Hooker - Isaac Luke (Rabbitohs)
Given a full 80 minutes on the park, Luke put it in a commanding shift in the engine of the forward pack in their 40-24 thrashing of the Panthers. The man from Hawera was a constant threat with his quick-scoop and dart out of from dummy-half causing headaches for the opposition. Scooting for 120 metres (most in the Souths pack) from 20 carries and completing 23 tackles, the Kiwis hooker exhibited his value at the Redfern club in their first win of the season.

Prop - Paul Gallen (Sharks)
The Cronulla skipper was inspirational in 80 minutes producing 30 hitups, running an enormous 259 metres and executing 35 tackles in defence. His incredible performance brought back memories of his outstanding display during game two of State of Origin last year, regarded by some as the greatest ever in a Blues jumper. A fierce competitor with a huge motor his superhuman effort was the key reason the Cronulla club toppled the defending champions on a wet night.

Second row- Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys)
The North Queensland second rower showed why he is one of the most exciting talents in the competition with a terrorising performance against the hapless Eels. Still just 18-years old, the Auckland born forward scored with his first touch of the game in a monster-like run past five would-be tacklers to score. His second touch brought similar reward, this time for Graham's second try, slipping out of Ben Roberts tackle with ease he sprinted 35 metres before laying on the final pass to his winger.

Second row -Feleti Mateo (Warriors)
In his second year with the Auckland based side, Mateo continues to justify his $400,000 plus salary. His repertoire of skills is a blessing for the Warriors who have used the Tonga captain at centre, second-row, and standoff - a skill-set only few possess in the competition. A ball-playing forward, he was the standout player in his team's defeat to the Bulldogs, running 105 metres, crossing for a try, providing two try assists, five tackle breaks and a line break. He scored a 'Mateo classic' - receiving the ball on the 20 metre line he threw a dummy before a hop-step took him past the defence and his right fend held off a last ditch tackle.

Lock - Matt Gillett (Broncos)
The meteoric rise of the Bribie Island junior continues as he provided the spark off the interchange bench with a couple of bone-shattering hits and bullocking runs against the Knights. A member of the Maroons Emerging Squad, he played 53 quality minutes at Hunter Sports Stadium. Charging 111 metres, including six tackle breaks, two line breaks, the lean backrower sealed the win for the Brisbane club with a 70th minute try.

Coach: Michael Maguire (Rabbitohs)
Desperate for a win at his new club, the former Wigan coach reorganised his lineup after in-different results against the Roosters and Storm in the opening weeks. Five changes were made and it had a positive impact on the side who rumbled their way to a convincing win - their first of the season. It was the move of Inglis to fullback that proved the masterstroke as he cut apart the Panthers in a free-roaming role. If Maguire can conjure up ways to get the ball to him in space, Rabbitohs fans are in for plenty of tries on the flanks during the season.

Rookie watch: Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys)
A game-high two line breaks off the back of 125 metres from ten carries against the Eels. Stephen Kearney and Mal Meninga are keeping close watch on him after he decided not to declare his international allegiance earlier this year, a bizarre move as he played for the Junior Kiwis in 2011.

Big man, big metres: Paul Gallen - 259 metres from 30 carries.

Team: Billy Slater, Brett Morris, Justin Hodges, Greg Inglis, Ashley Graham, James Maloney, Cooper Cronk, Paul Gallen, Isaac Luke, Sam Kasiano, Jason Taumalolo, Feleti Mateo, Matt Gillet. Coach: Michael Maguire.