Kangaroos hooker Harry Grant has been usurped for the first time in voting for the RLWC2026 Team of the Week, with Cronulla's Blayke Brailey edging him for the No.9 jersey.
Grant, the 2025 IRL Golden Boot winner, is a huge fan favourite and had polled as the No.1 hooker each week he has been nominated for the World Cup Team of the Week - until now.
Brailey, who was Grant's understudy during last year's Ashes series but remains eligible for England as he did not play, received 36% of votes for hooker after his performance in the Sharks 66-0 defeat of the Dolphins.
In comparison, Grant polled 35% of votes to fall just short of being the hooker in the RLWC2026 Team of the Week for the first time after a match in which he has led the Storm to victory.
The Melbourne captain has polled highest among hookers after each of the Storm's previous seven wins as well as their 28-24 Round 4 loss to the Cowboys - receiving more than 70% of votes on some occasions.
Meanwhile, Tonga winger Daniel Tupou polled the highest of any player in Round 19 matches after scoring a hat-trick of tries in his 300th NRL appearance for Sydney Roosters. Tupou received 51% of votes for wingers.
Daniel Tupou gets a hat-trick in game 300
Warriors winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira, who is eligible for Samoa, was next highest with 12% of votes.
Khan-Pereira was one of four Warriors players in the RLWC2026 Team of the Week, along with Kiwis captain and prop James Fisher-Harris, lock Erin Clark and halfback Te Maire Martin.
Rabbitohs prop Keaon Koloamatangi, who was also a member of last year's Kangaroo tour to England but has played for Tonga, centre Tallis Duncan and secondrower David Fifita were also in the Team of the Week.
Fifita and Manly's Haumole Olakau'atu form an all Tongan secondrow, while Sharks centre KL Iro represents Cook Islands.
Cronulla playmaker Nicho Hynes, who scored a record 30 points against the Dolphins and produced four try assists, polled 39% of votes for halves, while Cowboys match winner Scott Drinkwater is the fullback.
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.
Among the players nominated for the World Cup Team of the Week were:
- Kiwis fullback contenders Keano Kini (Titans) and Kalyn Ponga, playmakers Dylan Brown (both Knights), Te Maire Martin (Warriors) and Jahrome Hughes, winger Will Warbrick (both Storm), lock Erin Clark, props James Fisher-Harris (both Warriors), Naufahu Whyte (Roosters), Jack Williams (Eels) and Joseph Tapine, and centre Matt Timoko (both Raiders).
- Toa Samoa winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira, secondrowers Jacob Laban (both Warriors), Ata Mariota (Raiders) and Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys) and props Spencer Leniu (Roosters) and Oregon Kaufusi (Sharks).
- England centres Billy Smith (Roosters) and Harry Newman (Leeds), and hooker Brad O'Neill (Wigan).
- Tonga wingers Daniel Tupou (Roosters), Sione Katoa (Sharks) and Lehi Hopate, secondrowers Haumole Alakau’atu (both Sea Eagles), David Fifita (Rabbitohs) and Siua Wong (Roosters), and prop Jason Taumalolo (Cowboys). Rabbitohs prop Keaon Koloamatangi is eligible for Tonga and represented his heritage at the last World Cup.
- Cook Islands centre KL Iro (Sharks), Lebanon centre Jordan Samrani (Eels) and France secondrower Matthieu Jussaume (Toulouse).
View voting for the RLWC2026 Team of the Week
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