The extra mile: Data shows Edwards is NRL’s hardest-working fullback

The extent of the effort put in by Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards across the 2022 season has been revealed ahead of Sunday’s Grand Final, with Telstra Tracker data showing the 26-year-old is the hardest-working No.1 in the NRL this year.

Data collected on Edwards across his 24 games this season, compared to the equivalent league average for fullbacks, shows the Penrith custodian sits well clear at the top in terms of total distance achieved in games, intensity off the ball and workload at high speeds.

On average Edwards clocks up 8,429 metres in total distance per game this year, 282 metres more than the league average for fullbacks.

While some of that is done with ball in hand – with Edwards averaging more run metres (220.3) per game this year than any other player – much of the work is away from the action and focus of the TV cameras.

Tracker data also shows when the Panthers aren’t in possession of the ball, Edwards plays at an intensity that is 8.5 percent higher than other fullbacks when their team isn’t in possession, with Edwards moving 95.4 metres per minute compared to the fullback league average of 87.6 metres per minute.  

Edwards averages 35 efforts above 20 km/h per game, three more than the fullback league average, and per minute of match play the Panther covers 19.7 percent more high speed distance (metres > 20 km/h) than the average for a fullback whose team is on defence.

While he fell short of being named the Dally M Fullback of the Year earlier this week, with eventual winner James Tedesco and Cowboy Scott Drinkwater finishing ahead of him, Edwards’ efforts were well recognised by voters in 2022 and he finished fourth in overall voting.  

Meanwhile the data also revealed some of the key drivers behind the Eels’ unlikely run to the NRLW Grand Final.

Parramatta sat dead last heading into the final round, before toppling the Broncos and previously undefeated Roosters to keep their season alive, with Tracker metrics showing a huge lift in their match intensity and high speed distance covered over the past fortnight.

In the past two rounds, the intensity of the Eels’ interchange has increased by 4.9 percent and they have covered an extra four more meters per minute that they have been on the field, compared to the first four rounds of the regular season. 

Over that same period Parramatta’s back five (15.4 percent increase), halves (4.1 percent increase), props (36.5 percent increase), back row (17.7 percent increase) and interchange (17.6 percent increase) have improved the distance that they cover at or above a speed of 17.5 km/h.

The Eels will need to continue that team-wide lift in effort if they are to down the Knights and finish their incredible late-season surge with a maiden Premiership.