Local Cronulla junior and Sharks-contracted prop Kurt Dillon has been rewarded for his outstanding season playing for the Jets in the Intrust Super Premiership by being named in the NSWRL.com Team of the Year.
The 22-year-old Dillon was a standout for the Jets in 2017, taking their team forward with the football in hand and leading the Newtown side defensively in the middle of the ruck throughout what has been a difficult season.
Dillon’s 32 average tackles and 145 run metres per game emphasised his worth to the Jets during their just-completed Intrust Super Premiership campaign.
The only Newtown player to make the ISP Team of the Year, Dillon joins a list featuring some former and current NRL players as well as a collection of the next breed of up and coming stars of the game.
Selected by the NSWRL.com.au staff writers in consultation with experts from broadcast partners Fox League, Steele Sports, Hawkesbury Radio and Triple H FM, the side highlights the most consistent performers who have played the majority of the 2017 season in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW.
Selections are also influenced by the amount of times players have featured in the Team of the Week, published after each round on NSWRL.com.au, with Dillon named in the weekly team on eight separate occasions.
Dillon has been named in Sharks extended squads and has come close to making his NRL debut on a number of occasions throughout 2017.
Below is the ISP NSW Team of the Year.
The NSWRL.com.au ISP Team of the Year
1 – Luke Sharpe
Club: Wyong Roos
13 line-breaks, 84 tackle-breaks, 12 tries, 123 metres per game.
2 – Tom Hughes
Club: Newcastle Knights;
17 tries, 18 line-breaks, 120 metres per game, 49 tackle-breaks.
3 – Matt Ikuvalu
Club: Wyong Roos;
Six tries, 10 line-breaks, 133 metres per game, 55 tackle-breaks.
4 – Ed Murphy
Club: North Sydney Bears;
Four tries, seven line-breaks, 47 tackle-breaks.
5 – Bureta Faraimo
Club: Warriors (formerly Wentworthville Magpies);
13 tries
6 – Josh Cleeland
Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs;
12 tries, 10 try assists, 13 line-breaks, 57 tackle-breaks.
7 – Cameron Cullen
Club: Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles;
Eight tries, 12 try assists, 11 line-breaks, 13 line-break assists, 58 tackle-breaks.
8 – Eloni Vunakece
Club: Wyong Roos;
Three tries, 102 metres per game, 27 tackles per game, 44 tackle-breaks.
9 – Mitch Rein
Club: Penrith Panthers;
Seven tries, eight line-breaks, five try-assists, 40 tackles per game.
10 – Kurt Dillon
Club: Newtown Jets;
Three tries, 145 metres per game, 32 tackles per game.
11 – Jamil Hopoate
Club: Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles;
Four tries, 134 metres per game, three try-assists, 33 tackles per game.
12 – Rhyse Martin
Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs;
Seven tries, 53 goals, 122 metres per game, 30 tackles per game.
13 – Cheyne Whitelaw
Club: North Sydney Bears; 37 tackles per game, 104.1 metres per game, two tries.
INTERCHANGE
14 – Mason Lino
Club: Warriors;
142 points, 15 try assists, seven line-break-assists.
15 – Toafofoa Sipley
Club: Warriors;
1771 total metres, seven tries, 307 tackles
16 – Scott Sorensen
Club: Mounties;
1951 total metres, 408 tackles, four tries, nine line-break assists, six line-breaks.
17 – Rod Griffin
Club: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs;
132 metres per game, 30.9 tackles per game, 45 tackle-breaks.
COACH – Rip Taylor
Club: Wyong Roos.
For more on the ISP Team of the Year, go to the following link - CLICK HERE
Lead photo - courtesy Mike McGee, below Gary Sutherland
