With 10 rounds of the NRL gone, we have some fairly solid data on which to base our positional player rankings — and one of the No.1s in their spot is a forgotten man when it comes to representative chatter.

Warriors hooker Wayde Egan rates top of the No.9s again in this edition of Fox Sports Lab’s rankings, and perhaps people forget he’s from NSW given that he gets virtually no Blues buzz, even with a relatively new incumbent in place; Cowboys rake Reece Robson.

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Again, before we run through the positions and the current pecking order, here is how the rankings were reached.

Fox Sports Lab selected five of the most relevant stats per position; in some cases, two lesser but still-relevant stats were combined.

Players were given a percentile ranking based on performances so far this season; 100 is the maximum score, so across five stats, a player’s total score is therefore out of a possible 500.

Some notes.

While the stats selected are the most relevant, they don’t capture the full picture of a player’s performance; if different stats were included, the outcome would be different. Arguments could also be had about the weighting of certain stats, in terms of relative importance.

Stats aren’t infallible and produce different results to the ‘eye test’; busy players always fare better in statistical analysis, as opposed to lower-volume players who may otherwise be clearly superior footballers.

And we have kept the rankings to the top 10 — the standings are meant to champion players, not shame them for running 17th.

FULLBACKS

Stats used: Try involvements, run metres, tackles busts + offloads, errors per 100 possessions, attacking kick defusal percentage

1. James Tedesco (Roosters) — percentile ranking total 310.95

2. Connor Tracey (Bulldogs) — 277.11

3. Clint Gutherson (Dragons) — 253.88

4. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Warriors) — 251.91

5. Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm) — 250.52

6. Jahream Bula (Wests Tigers) — 249.64

7. Scott Drinkwater (Cowboys) — 246.61

8. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins) — 221.70

9. Jye Gray (Rabbitohs) — 220.23

10. Dylan Edwards (Panthers) — 204.62

James Tedesco has surged into the lead after ranking just seventh after five rounds, while Kalyn Ponga has dropped from second to 15th in line with a poor run of form from Newcastle. Tedesco has clocked 15 try involvements this season, trailing only Ryan Papenhuyzen (21) and Scott Drinkwater (19), while he tops the average run metres charts with 177m per game. Connor Tracey’s excellent form for the Bulldogs has included 13 try involvements and an 80% attacking kick defusal rate, trailing only Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (84.6%).

WINGERS

Stats used: Try involvements, line break involvements, run metres, effective tackle percentage, errors per 100 possessions

1. Christian Tuipulotu (Dragons) — percentile ranking total 421.21

2. Jacob Kiraz (Bulldogs) — 412.12

3. Daniel Tupou (Roosters) — 381.81

4. Xavier Coates (Storm) — 378.78

5. Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks) — 339.39

6. Jesse Arthars (Broncos) — 333.33

7. Josh Addo-Carr (Eels) — 330.30

8. Murray Taulagi (Cowboys) — 327.27

9. Thomas Jenkins (Panthers) — 324.24

10. Paul Alamoti (Panthers) — 318.18

Christian Tuipulotu and Jacob Kiraz are top of the pops on the strength of just five games thanks to injury, but are front-runners for try involvements per game after each notching eight so far. Tuipulotu has scored seven tries, level with Josh Addo-Carr and Murray Taulagi, though trailing Samuel Stonestreet (8), Sunia Turuva (9) and Jesse Arthars (10). NSW Origin contender Kiraz rates fourth for run metres per game (172), trailing only Greg Marzhew (172.2), Brian To’o (175.5) and Lehi Hopoate (179.6).

CENTRES

Stats used: Try involvements, runs/line engagement, tackle busts + offloads, effective tackle percentage, errors per 100 possessions

1. Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins) — percentile ranking total 452.77

2. KL Iro (Sharks) — 429.16

=3. Jaxon Purdue (Cowboys) — 340.27

=3. Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles) — 340.27

5. Gehamat Shibasaki (Broncos) — 312.50

6. Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs) —298.61

7. Bronson Xerri (Bulldogs) — 290.27

8. Matthew Timoko (Raiders) — 286.11

=9. Mark Nawaqanitawase (Roosters) — 281.94

=9. Valentine Holmes (Dragons) —281.94

Herbie Farnworth handles the ball a lot for a centre (22.3 possessions per game), highlighting his influence on the Dolphins, and he clocks a try involvement per game on average alongside 136.9 run metres. He’s also clean, making just 2.7 errors per 100 possessions; though KL Iro is the gold standard there, with fewer than one mistake per 100 touches. Mark Nawaqanitawase’s impressive switch from rugby union has him leading the centres for line break involvements, with eight from just five games, though he’s also making a error on 7% of his possessions.

HALVES

Stats used: Try involvements, kick metres + forced dropouts, runs/line engagement, effective tackle percentage, errors per 100 possessions

1. Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles) — percentile ranking total 416.21

2. Isaiya Katoa (Dolphins) — 414.86

3. Nathan Cleary (Panthers) — 408.10

4. Jamal Fogarty (Raiders) — 379.72

5. Nicho Hynes (Sharks) — 347.29

6. Jahrome Hughes (Storm) — 344.59

7. Kyle Flanagan (Dragons) — 331.08

=8. Toby Sexton (Bulldogs) — 327.02

=8. Tom Dearden (Cowboys) — 327.02

=10. Dylan Brown (Eels) — 322.97

=10. Adam Reynolds (Broncos) — 322.97

Eels star Mitchell Moses is a notable absentee here on account of having played just three games so far this season, while Daly Cherry-Evans has gone from second after five rounds to top spot. For all the heat on him after announcing his Manly exit, DCE leads the NRL for try involvements per game, with 21 from nine appearances. Adam Reynolds has the same total from 10 games, while the highest totals belong to Isaiya Katoa (22) and Jamal Fogarty (23). Nicho Hynes has 20 for the Sharks, including 12 direct assists, showing that his form is on the rise; despite having topped the halves category after five rounds. Hynes runs/engages the line on average 21.3 times per game, trailing only Nathan Cleary (22) and Katoa (22.3), with the young Dolphin now rating among the NRL’s elite playmakers.

HOOKERS

Stats used: Try involvements, runs/line engagement, tackles, effective tackle percentage, errors per 100 possessions

1. Wayde Egan (Warriors) — percentile ranking total 413.3

2. Blayke Brailey (Sharks) — 363.3

3. Connor Watson (Roosters) — 343.3

4. Tom Starling (Raiders) — 323.3

5. Harry Grant (Storm) — 283.3

6. Jeremy Marshall-King (Dolphins) — 280.0

7. Apisai Koroisau (Wests Tigers) — 276.7

8. Peter Mamouzelos (Rabbitohs) — 266.7

9. Cory Paix (Broncos) — 260.0

10. Sam Verrills (Titans) — 246.7

Wayde Egan notches a try involvement per game for the Warriors, trailing only Harry Grant, makes virtually no errors and is also one of the most effective defenders among the No.9s. He’s from NSW, if anyone was wondering, and with plenty of this form on the board would make a fair opponent for Grant in the Origin arena if ever picked. Egan was also No.1 at Round 5, so he’s been doing it all season — and a fair way back past then. Egan’s 59.5 run metres per game rank him first among hookers and that threat is invaluable at any level.

EDGE FORWARDS

Stats used: Line break involvements, tackle busts + offloads, effective tackle percentage, errors per 100 possessions + infringements, efforts (runs + line engagements + supports + decoys)

1. Dylan Lucas (Knights) — percentile ranking total 463.5

2. Beau Fermor (Titans) — 447.2

3. Hudson Young (Raiders) — 429.7

4. Haumole Olakau’atu (Sea Eagles) — 420.2

5. Eliesa Katoa (Storm) — 408.1

6. Angus Crichton (Roosters) — 402.7

7. Siua Wong (Roosters) — 398.6

8. Keaon Koloamatangi (Rabbitohs) — 394.5

9. Jacob Preston (Bulldogs) — 393.2

10. Jaydn Su’A (Dragons) — 375.6

Arise, Sir Dylan. The young Knight rates strongly for run metres (109.2) and tackles busts (2.8) per game, and where he skips ahead of some bigger names here is with his discipline, barely making errors and getting his tackles made. Beau Fermor, Hudson Young and Haumole Olakau’atu have all been mentioned as top Origin contenders and their numbers back them up.

PROPS

Stats used: Run metres, Tackle busts + offloads, tackles, tackles, effective tackle percentage, errors per 100 possessions + infringements

1. Payne Haas (Broncos) — percentile rankings total 447.7

2. Terrell May (Wests Tigers) — 406.8

3. Joseph Tapine (Raiders) — 363.6

4. Addin Fonua-Blake (Sharks) — 354.5

5. Pat Carrigan (Broncos) — 336.3

6. Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans) — 313.6

7. Max King (Bulldogs) —288.6

8. Toby Couchman (Dragons) — 284.0

=9. Corey Horsburgh (Raiders) — 279.5

=9. Naufahu Whyte (Roosters) — 279.5

Four of the top five here are marquee front-rowers, while Terrell May remains in buy of the season territory. The Wests Tigers recruit is pumping out 142.8 run metres per game, trailing only Payne Haas, Addin Fonua-Blake and Pat Carrigan; though latest reports are that it won’t earn him a NSW Origin debut. The rationale is that his defence is shaky… and though he makes a whopping 36.1 tackles per game to rate near the top of the props, his 916% efficiency ranks him only in the 64th percentile.

LOCKS

Stats used: Line break involvements, tackle busts + offloads, effective tackle percentage, errors per 100 possessions + infringements, efforts (runs + line engagements + supports + decoys)

1. Isaah Yeo (Panthers) — percentile rankings total 423.2

2. Erin Clark (Warriors) — 398.2

3. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Titans) — 366.0

4. Victor Radley (Roosters) — 360.7

5. Cameron McInnes (Sharks) — 358.9

6. Trent Loiero (Storm) — 342.8

7. Jack De Belin (Dragons) — 339.2

8. Mat Croker (Knights) — 276.7

9. Dylan Walker (Eels) — 273.2

=10. Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles) — 267.8

=10. Jackson Ford (Warriors) — 267.8

The likes of Isaah Yeo, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Victor Radley are no surprise here, but what an appearance from Erin Clark after his switch to the Warriors. He’s in the 90th percentile for efforts and stacks up solidly across the board, also contributing close to a try contribution per game; while the man who came the other way from New Zealand, Eels signing Dylan Walker, is a welcome arrival here amid a tough season for Parramatta,