Murray tops VB Hard Earned Index as Rabbitohs rise continues

Author: NRL.com
Timestamp: Tue 16 Aug 2022, 11:09 AM

A tireless effort across his 73 minutes on the field last Friday saw Cameron Murray top the VB Hard Earned Index for round 22, as the South Sydney skipper helped his side to a 26-0 shutout of the Eels.

Murray registered 14 line engagements – the second highest number by any player last weekend – and made over eight metres on seven of his 13 carries in the victory, which saw the Rabbitohs climb to fifth position on the Telstra Premiership ladder.

His Index score of 96 was helped along by making 38 tackles without a miss and four offloads.

Joining Murray in the week’s top 10 are Rabbitohs teammates Jai Arrow (82), Damien Cook (80) and Tevita Tatola (79), with Tatola’s 20 runs bettered only by Panthers duo Brian To’o (24) and Sunia Turuva (21).

Warriors captain Tohu Harris had the second-best score of the round with 91, gaining over eight metres on 11 of his 17 carries and engaging the line 12 times.

Powerful Sharks centre Jesse Ramien led all backs in round 22, making 17 runs and busting through seven tackles for an overall score of 67, followed closely by Roosters custodian James Tedesco who was a key man in his side’s victory over the Cowboys, clocking a round-high 10 tackle busts and making 17 runs.

Despite a quiet week by his standards which saw him score 55, Eels forward Isaiah Papali’i remains clear at the top of the overall leaderboard, with his nearest challenger, Joseph Tapine, missing round 22 through injury.

After scoring 63 on the Index last weekend, Wests Tigers forward Joe Ofahengaue is now hot on the tail of Tapine in the race for second place and trails the Canberra big man by just 41 points ahead of his side’s clash with the Roosters this Saturday.