Samoa fan have backed the State of Origin recalls of Blues centre Stephen Crichton and Maroons secondrower Jeremiah Nanai after the pair were among four Toa stars in the RLWC2026 Team of the Week.
Crichton, whose move into the halves has coincided with back-to-back Bulldogs wins, was the highest polling playmaker, while Nanai earned a secondrow berth after his man-of-the-match performance in the Cowboys' defeat of Penrith.
Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Broncos prop Payne Haas were the other members of Samoa's World Cup squad in the RLWC2026 Team of the Week.
The Dolphins, who have moved into second place behind the Panthers after edging the Warriors to record their eighth consecutive win, have five players in th World Cup Team of the Week.
Joining Tabuai-Fidow are wingers Selwyn Cobbo (Australia) and Jamayne Isaako (New Zealand), centre Herbie Farnworth (England) and hooker Jeremy Marshall-King (New Zealand).
In a sign of the depth available to Kiwis coach Stacey Jones ahead of the World Cup opener against the Kangaroos at Allianz Stadium on October 15, Marshall-King outpolled New Zealand hooking rivals Brandon Smith and Phoenix Crossland.
Marshall-King, Smith (Rabbitohs), and Crossland (Knights) were each 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 in his seven appearances for the Dolphins.
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 Kalyn Ponga and Keano Kini both nominated for fullback and Dylan Brown, Kodi Nikorima and Te Maire Martin are among the playmaking candidates.
Tonga great Jason Taumalolo, the first player from the Pacific nation to play 300 NRL games, won a frontrow berth alongside Haas, while Nanai and Tonga's Haumolo Olakau'atu were the secondrowers.
Round 17: Ever seen a flying Cowboy?
England-born Roosters halfback Sam Walker and the Rabbitohs pair of Cameron Murray and Tallis Duncan round out the World Cup Team of the Week.
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 featured 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 were:
- 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).
View voting for the RLWC2026 Team of the Week
Rugby League World Cup 2026 returns to Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. Where nations clash, heroes rise, and legends are forged. 3 World Cups. 26 Teams. The World’s Best. Tickets are now on sale from $19. Don’t miss the pinnacle of global Rugby League.
