Hooking in: Vote for the RLWC2026 Team of the Week

Brandon Smith has reignited his bid for a World Cup jersey as competition with Jeremy Marshall-King and Phoenix Crossland heats up for the Kiwis hooking role.

Smith (Rabbitohs), Marshall-King (Dolphins) and Crossland (Knights) have each been nominated for hooker in the RLWC2026 Team of the Week after playing starring roles in their team's Round 17 wins.

After an injury disrupted start to the season, Smith is starting to find form and turned in his best performance so far in South Sydney's 32-12 defeat of Parramatta.

Marshall-King also missed the start of the season with a knee injury, and is yet to taste defeat as the Dolphins have enjoyed seven consecutive wins since he returned to climb to second spot on the NRL ladder.

Crossland turned in another 80-minute performance at hooker for the Knights and produced 64 tackles in the 12-6 defeat of Wests Tigers to ensure Kiwis coach Stacey Jones has plenty of food for thought as he ponders his World Cup squad. 

The Kiwis have rarely had so many options for key spine positions with Knights captain Kalyn Ponga and Gold Coast's Keano Kini both nominated for fullback in the World Cup Team of the Week.

Newcastle's Dylan Brown, Dolphins five-eighth Kodi Nikorima and Warriors halfback Te Maire Martin are among the playmakers nominated.

Others include Samoa superstar Stephen Crichton, whose switch into the halves for the Bulldogs has coincided with back-to-back wins, and Lebanon playmaker Adam Doueihi, who made a stunning return from injury for Wests Tigers.

Tonga great Jason Taumalolo, the first player from the Pacific nation to play 300 NRL games, and Cowboys team-mates Jeremiah Nanai, Murray Taulagi (both Samoa), back Zac Laybutt (PNG) and halfback Jake Clifford are nominated after their 26-12 win over the Panthers.

Each week, fans vote for their RLWC2026 Team of the Week from players nominated after the previous weekend's NRL and Super League matches who are eligible for the 10 nations contesting Rugby League World Cup 2026. 

The RLWC2026 Team of the Week is announced each Wednesday.

The latest World Cup Team of the Week nominations features 12 players who are eligible for England, 11 for New Zealand, nine for Samoa, four for Tonga, two for Papua New Guinea, Lebanon and Fiji, and France hopeful Latrell Siegwalt.

Among the players in contention for this week's World Cup Team of the Week are:

• Kiwis fullbacks Keano Kini (Titans) and Kalyn Ponga, playmaker Dylan Brown and hookers Phoenix Crossland (all Knights), Brandon Smith (Rabbitohs) and Jeremy Marshall-King, winger Jamayne Isaako, five-eighth Kodi Nikorima (all Dolphins), halfback Te Maire Martin (Warriors) and props Joseph Tapine (Raiders) and Naufahu Whyte (Roosters).
• Toa Samoa centre turned five-eighth Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs), props Payne Haas (Broncos) and Terrell May (Wests Tigers), winger Murray Taulagi, secondrowers Jeremiah Nanai (both Cowboys) and Connelly Lemuelu and outside back Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (both Dolphins).
• England centre Herbie Farnworth, locks Morgan Knowles (both Dolphins)and Victor Radley, outside back Billy Smith (both Roosters), halfback Jake Connor, props Mikolaj Oledzki (both Leeds) and Max King (Bulldogs), wingers Dom Young (Knights) and Josh Charnley (Leigh), fullback Jack Welsby (St Helens) and hooker Brad O’Neill (all Wigan). Roosters and Queensland Origin halfback Sam Walker is also eligible for England.
• Tonga prop and 300 NRL game hero Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys), secondrower Haumole Olakau’atu and outside back Tolu Koula (both Sea Eagles). Rabbitohs prop Keaon Koloamatangi is also eligible for Tonga.
• Papua New Guinea back Zac Laybutt (Cowboys) and forward Jacob Alick-Wiencke (Leigh).
• Lebanon playmaker Adam Doueihi and secondrower Tony Sukkar (both Wests Tigers)
• Fiji wingers Jethro Rinikama (Bulldogs) and Maika Sivo (Leeds).
• France centre Latrell Siegwalt (Rabbitohs).

Vote for the RLWC2026 Team of the Week