Former NRL prop Ruben Wiki reminded everyone how to pull off a text book tackle last weekend when he crunched a naked streaker. Now it’s the players turn – but thankfully they’ll be clothed.
With just a week until the 2013 season kicks-off, online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au has opened markets on who will be the leading tackler at each NRL club this year.
While some clubs have players at $1.01, like the Raiders with Shaun Fensom, the Storm with Cameron Smith, Manly with Matt Ballin, the Panthers with Kevin Kingston and Jake Friend with the Roosters, other teams are much harder to pick.
Andrew McCullough is the $2.50 favourite at the Broncos but has Corey Parker ($3.00) breathing down his neck, Dragons trio Mitch Rein, Cameron King and Dan Hunt can’t be split, all priced at $3.50, and the same goes for Nate Myles and Ashley Harrison at the Titans, each opened at $2.75.
Luke Lewis ($3.00) just shades Paul Gallen ($3.50) at the Sharks, Chris Houston ($1.75) is favourite ahead of Danny Buderus ($2.50) at the Knights, Michael Crocker ($2.50) is tipped to edge Isaac Luke ($2.75) and Liam Fulton ($2.50) is favoured to make more tackles than Robbie Farah ($3.00).
“After watching the Ruben Wiki tackle on Youtube, we’re tipping he’d have second thoughts about putting the hit on if he had his time again but let’s not go there,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said.
“The one thing the markets tell us is that the wingers have the best gigs in the game!”
Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au
Top tackler per NRL club in 2013
Brisbane Broncos
$2.50 Andrew McCullough
$3.00 Corey Parker
$5.50 Sam Thaiday
$5.50 Josh McGuire
$8.00 Ben Hannant
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
$1.20 Michael Ennis
$3.50 Aiden Tolman
$26 Dene Halatau
$41 Josh Jackson
$41 Sam Kasiano
Canberra Raiders
$1.01 Shaun Fensom
$51 Josh Papalii
$51 Glenn Buttriss
$51 Joel Edwards
$51 David Shillington
Gold Coast Titans
$2.75 Nate Myles
$2.75 Matt Srama
$3.50 Ashley Harrison
$6.50 Luke Douglas
$17 Dave Taylor
Melbourne Storm
$1.01 Cameron Smith
$51 Ryan Hinchcliffe
$51 Kevin Proctor
$51 Ryan Hoffman
$51 Bryan Norrie
Manly Sea Eagles
$1.01 Matt Ballin
$34 Anthony Watmough
$81 Brent Kite
$81 Jason King
$81 Jamie Buhrer
Newcastle Knights
$1.75 Chris Houston
$2.50 Danny Buderus
$5.50 Jeremy Smith
$26 Kade Snowden
$26 Beau Scott
North Queensland Cowboys
$1.40 Dallas Johnson
$2.75 Gavin Cooper
$13 James Tamou
$26 Matt Scott
$41 Rory Kostjasyn
New Zealand Warriors
$1.70 Nathan Friend
$3.00 Elijah Taylor
$5.00 Simon Mannering
$11 Todd Lowrie
$26 Feleti Mateo
Parramatta Eels
$1.40 Matt Keating
$4.00 Ben Smith
$10 Joseph Paulo
$10 Nathan Ryan
$26 Tim Mannah
Penrith Panthers
$1.01 Kevin Kingston
$51 Cameron Ciraldo
$51 Nigel Plum
$51 Sam McKendry
$51 Tim Grant
Cronulla Sharks
$3.00 Luke Lewis
$3.50 Paul Gallen
$4.00 Chris Heighington
$5.50 John Morris
$5.50 Isaac De Gois
St. George Illawarra Dragons
$3.50 Mitch Rein
$3.50 Trent Merrin
$3.50 Dan Hunt
$5.00 Matt Prior
$8.00 Ben Creagh
South Sydney Rabbitohs
$2.50 Michael Crocker
$2.75 Isaac Luke
$3.50 Sam Burgess
$8.00 Roy Asotasi
$15 Ben Lowe
Sydney Roosters
$1.01 Jake Friend
$51 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves
$51 Martin Kennedy
$51 Boyd Cordner
$51 Aidan Guerra
Wests Tigers
$2.50 Liam Fulton
$2.75 Aaron Woods
$3.00 Robbie Farah
$17 Adam Blair
$17 Keith Galloway