NRL 2023, NRL Fantasy winners and losers from Round 21, Kotoni Staggs, James Tedesco, Nathan Cleary, Nicho Hynes updates and scores

Author: NRL.com
Timestamp: Mon 24 Jul 2023, 12:01 PM

There were plenty of points on offer for Fantasy coaches in Round 21 as a host of big names delivered in the best way possible.

With a welcome return from injury for Nathan Cleary, a welcome return to form from James Tedesco and a not-so-welcome to New Zealand for the Raiders courtesy of another Shaun Johnson masterclass, take a look at all the highs and lows from another round of action as we inch closer to the finals!

Round 21 Winners

In a high-scoring round, Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs stole the show with a dominant performance against the Rabbitohs to finish with 90 points. Despite his side's big win, Staggs was only one of three players to top 50 points for the Broncos with regular middle stalwarts Payne Haas (55) and Patrick Carrigan (52) scoring strongly, albeit slightly below their season averages.

The Roosters' big win over the Titans on the Gold Coast came courtesy of a return to form for captain James Tedesco, who scored 87 points, while teammate Egan Butcher racked up 77 – the second and third highest scores of the round.

Teddy at his best

Brother Nat Butcher just missed out on selection in the Team of the Week with 68 while Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (61) and Brandon Smith (59) also impressed.

Shaun Johnson (75) once again delivered for coaches and the Warriors alike with a match-winning effort against the Raiders – the highest score of the round by any player owned by more than 20 percent of coaches.

The Sharks' late comeback against Manly helped save the score of the most popular man in Fantasy, Nicho Hynes, who finished with 59, while Kalyn Ponga (55), Nathan Cleary (51) and Joey Manu (45) all had their usually strong games.

Cleary on the comeback

Of players owned by less than five percent of coaches, Junior Tupou was the pick of the differentials with 77 points in Wests Tigers' defeat to the Dragons with Erin Clark (76) and Clint Gutherson (75) hot on his heels.

Round 21 Losers

A knee injury to Taniela Paseka saw the Sea Eagles prop finish with zero points and likely facing a stint on the sidelines with Panthers young tyro Spencer Leniu in a similar boat after he succumb to an injury – having scored just four.

Alofiana Khan-Pereira disappointed without his try-scoring exploits, scoring four, while recalled Bulldogs fullback Hayze Perham (7) also landed in single digits.

Perham wasn't the only Canterbury player to struggle against the defending premiers with Reed Mahoney dropped back to the bench after battling a flu all week, only to come on and play limited minutes for 10 points.

Tanah Boyd was taken off in the second half as the Titans struggled against the Roosters, finishing with just 14 points.

At the other end of the price range, popular Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses (35) was well down on his 60-plus season average despite a late try against the Cowboys, as was highly-owned Storm hooker Harry Grant (33), who struggled to get anything going as his side went down to the Knights.