Halves move doesn't slow hard-working Watson
A move to five-eighth didn't quell Connor Watson's powerful running game as the versatile Knight proved hard to contain in a win over the Sea Eagles.
Watson, who turned 25 on Monday, was a standout on the VB Hard Earned index - scoring 77 and breaking a round-high six tackles.
According to data provided by VB, Watson had 15 runs - seven being for eight or more metres - and clocked up 127m overall.
He also engaged the line six times, produced two offloads and got through 23 tackles without a single miss on Sunday.
A proud Gamilaroi man, it was fitting that Watson's performance came in Indigenous Round in which his Cultural Choice Association charity promotes the Boots for Bright Futures initiative.
While Watson was the highest-scoring back on the index - far exceeding the average for a five-eighth (33.7) - Panthers prop James Fisher-Harris (89) and Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (88) put in Herculean efforts to finish in the top two spots.
Rabbitohs second-rower Keaon Koloamatangi also scored 88.
Waerea-Hargreaves punched out 80 minutes in a win over the Raiders and Fisher-Harris's typically gut-busting display preserved his place atop the overall leaderboard ahead of Isaiah Papali'i.
Penrith winger Brian To'o, whose exceptional form has been rewarded with NSW selection, is ranked third overall - the only back inside the top eight - and he showed why against the Bulldogs.
A metre-eating specialist, To'o churned out a whopping 24 carries - 21 being for eight or more metres - as well as busting three tackles in a 30-4 victory that kept his team's undefeated streak alive.
Isaah Yeo, another Panther selected for the Blues, is behind To'o in the season's standings with Warrior Tohu Harris trailing him.
