The Stats Lab Primetime is a brand new GameDay Squad competition for 2026, where coaches can only select players from the Thursday and Friday night games each round. We're proud to partner with GameDay Squad on this one and the unique challenge it brings every week.
Quick word on every call, position by position.
Hooker
Grant — the premier hooker, and he's back this week. He returns from a hamstring injury that's kept him out since Round 21, so there's a touch of risk coming off the layoff, but he's the best dummy-half going, averaging 53 with a high of 86 and a genuine try threat out of the ruck. If he comes through fit, he's a top-tier pick.
Middle
Lindsay Smith — a middle whose ceiling is all about minutes, and the case is compelling. When he plays at lock he's averaging 70 a game, and he backed that up with a 67 in just 52 minutes last week. If he keeps the lock duties the upside is significant.
Haas — no overthinking this one. He's arguably the best middle forward in the game and you pick him on that alone. He's averaging 60 with a high of 82, and he's coming off a 72 last week. Set and forget.
Utoikamanu — one of the more explosive middles going. He's averaging 56 off around 50 minutes, with a high of 88 in recent weeks and 59 across his last five. The tackle breaks and the ceiling off limited minutes make him a strong option.
Edge
Sasagi — this looks a risky pick given he's lining up in the centres, but the numbers back it. He's averaging 55 at centre this season, and he comes up against the Broncos, who are the second-best matchup going for right centres this year. There's plenty of attacking upside in his recent form too, with real output across his last few games. The base is genuinely strong on top of that, his tackle and run-metre work alone has banked 53 against the Warriors, 44 against the Dolphins and 56 against the Cowboys. Add the context, the Raiders are an outside finals chance but they'll be fighting hard, and there's every chance we see a big game out of Canberra. A strong base plus that attacking upside makes him a decent option this week.
Plath — a bit of a spicy pick at edge this week. He hasn't played there at all this season, but he did feature in five games on the edge last year for an average of 52. Coming off the interchange lately he's banked three scores of 50 or better in limited minutes, all between 55 and 60 on the field, across his last four. I'd be surprised if he doesn't get the full 80 this week, and in his two 80-minute games this season he posted 54 and 62, so the extra time only adds to the case. He fell away a touch last week, but he shapes as a really good POD play this week.
Halves
Cleary — the easiest lock in the squad. He's averaging 76, comfortably the best half you can pick, with the goal kicking giving him a floor nobody else can match. He's cleared 90 plenty of times this year with a high of 100. Auto pick.
Katoa — a steady halves option with a reliable base. Setting aside one game he left early through injury, he's averaging 48, built on a heavy general-play kicking game and topped up by tries and assists, with a high of 70. He's not on goal-kicking duty, so it's all through general play, but he plays the full 80 and gives you a dependable floor.
Centre
McLean — a spicy pick at centre, but the setup this week is interesting. He returns from a hand injury and should slot back onto the left edge alongside Thomas Jenkins for the Panthers. He's averaging 38 with a high of 74, so it's a ceiling play, but he runs into a Storm right edge that's been leaking big points to opposing left-side backs, so there's real potential for a big game here.
Farnworth — the standout centre in the squad and an easy inclusion despite a quiet one last week. He's averaging 64, one of the best in the position with an enormous ceiling, a monstrous 114 to his name and double-digit tackle breaks a feature of his game. A class pick who'll bounce back.
Wing
Isaako — the boom winger with a goal-kicking floor. He's averaging 55 and owns one of the biggest ceilings going, a huge 119 to his name this year, and he's coming off a 74 last week. The kicking points give him a base most wingers can't match, and the tries stack on top.
Faalogo — in cracking touch, and the fact he's getting the fullback job for the Storm is exactly why he scores like this. He's averaging 63 with a high of 100, and a 75, a 69 and a 65 among his recent scores. The big run metres, line breaks and try involvement come week after week, and the matchup helps too, with the Panthers allowing 59 to opposing fullbacks over their last five games.
Fullback
Edwards — about as safe as they come at fullback. He's averaging 57 with the huge run metres every week doing the heavy lifting, and a high of 100. He rarely gives you a genuine dud, so he's a reliable anchor at the back.
Bench
Willison — a forward trending up nicely. He's averaging 47 but has lifted lately with a 66, a 60 and another 66 among his last few, and a high of 80. The minutes and output are climbing, so he's a sneaky option with a bit of upside.
Carrigan — a safe option to round out the forwards. In games where he's played 60 minutes he's averaging 54, and he remains a big part of the Broncos pack even with Payne Haas alongside him. The mild concern is consistency, he's had five scores under 50, two of them in the last three weeks, so the floor has wobbled a touch. He's coming off a 66 last week though, and the tackle base makes him a dependable inclusion.
Munster — the toughest call in the whole squad, and honestly a coin flip. For me it's him or Mitchell Moses, and Moses is coming off 65 and 74 in back-to-back weeks, so there's real risk going the other way. I'm leaning on the narrative here, the Storm still have a pulse and an outside shot at the eight, and they'll be desperate. Harry Grant's return should take some weight off Munster's shoulders too, and his quiet 16 last time out may well have come from carrying too much of the load without him. He's boom-or-bust with a high of 82, so it's a genuine risk, but he gets the nod.
Tabuai-Fidow — an explosive fullback with a big ceiling. He's averaging 52 with a high of 82 and a 78 as recently as Round 20. When he's involved he can go big, so there's plenty of upside here.
Jenkins — the boom-or-bust winger with a big ceiling. He's averaging 55 with a high of 97 and multiple big scores this year, though he can go quiet too. You're picking him for the upside, and there's plenty of it.
