Stat Attack: NRL's surprise post-contact king
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When it comes to those all-important post-contact metres that bend the defensive line and sap serious energy in the process, the NRL's usual suspects abound.
Metre-eating big men Jason Taumalolo, David Klemmer, Paul Gallen and Marty Taupau churn through 60-plus metres after contact a game, while bustling wingers Josh Mansour and Corey Oates do likewise coming out of trouble.
But when it comes to the most potent per individual run, it's one of the game's up and comers that leads the way.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles prop Addin Fonua-Blake is 22 years old, 118 kilos wide and a hell of a handful, averaging an NRL-best 5.16 post-contact metres with each carry last year.
With 94.6 running metres a game and 55 tackle busts in 2017, the former St George Illawarra Dragons forward also provided plenty of quality at a reasonable quantity from the Sea Eagles bench.
His form led to a New Zealand Test debut at the World Cup, a more than fitting reward for more than matching the game's most damaging ball-runners.
An unfortunate ankle injury to Darcy Lussick now also opens the door for Fonua-Blake to claim a starting role for Manly in round one, though his ability to push through tacklers may well diminish if he's facing a fresh opposition.
