Full Back - Lachlan Coote
Ben Barba is perhaps the most talented player I've ever seen in Super League, and his 2018 season was one of the best individual seasons that I've witnessed, so perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay Coote is that I've hardly noticed Barba's absence. Replacing the departing Barba was always going to be an almighty challenge, but Coote has helped make Saints into a more well-rounded side than they were in 2018, and his creative game has been outstanding, as has his own production rate, with eight tries and 13 assists, including a hat-trick in the win over Salford on Friday. There have been a few other impressive full backs this season: Peter Mata'utia at Castleford, Darnell McIntosh at Huddersfield and Jamie Shaul for Hull FC, while Stefan Ratchford has been largely solid in a Wire shirt in 2019. However, none of them get close to Coote, who as the Saints faithful are singing, is the reason they're top of the league this season...
Winger - Tommy Makinson
Makinson was my pick for this edge, with ten tries in 14 appearances in Super League for the Saints this season, eight of which have come in his last six matches after a slow scoring start to the season. Makinson is also an excellent winger in a defensive sense, his all-round play is very good and this is perhaps demonstrated best by the fact that he is Super League's top metre maker for 2019. There wasn't really anyone else I properly considered for this spot, although Tom Johnstone had been in splendid form for Wakefield until his gutting injury earlier in the year.
Centre - Kevin Naiqama
Naiqama has bagged nine tries for St Helens this season, the centre putting in a series of excellent displays, particularly his man-of-the-match showing at Craven Park two weeks ago as the former Wests Tigers centre scored a hat trick to help defeat Hull KR. Naiqama and Makinson have formed an excellent partnership out wide and he has been a very good signing for Justin Holbrook's side - it is no coincidence that they laboured to a win on Friday evening with Naiqama missing. This is another position where a Wakefield star would've been in contention but for an injury - the beast that is Bill Tupou.
Centre - Brayden Williame
The first non-St Helens entry into my team of 2019 is Catalan's Brayden Williame. Williame has been a key part of an impressive Catalans side who find themselves 3rd in the league and on a good run after a shaky start. Williame scored four tries as the Dragons booked their place in the quarter finals of the Challenge Cup, the trophy Williame's team are looking to retain this year. He also scored the opening try as Catalan inflicted Wire's first defeat of 2019 in Round Four. The only other centres I gave much consideration to was Leeds' Konrad Hurrell and Wigan's Oliver Gildart, who have been shining lights in terrible seasons for their respective clubs so far.
Winger - Regan Grace
Picking this winger was very difficult, and I was faced with a choice between Regan Grace of St Helens, or Wire's own Josh Charnley. I picked Grace because he has scored the same number of tries as Charnley this season and is in better form right now, with Wire's number 5 going through a bit of a dry spell. I think they are actually quite different players - Charnley is a terrific all-round winger with a strong defensive game, which has seen him earn plaudits in recent week for his work from his own try line. Grace on the other hand is all about speed, he has made 19 clean breaks and 20 tackle busts this season, and is absolute lightning when he gets moving. You could make a very convincing argument for either of these two.
Stand Off - Blake Austin
15 tries in as many appearances make our own Blake Austin Super League's top scorer for 2019 and the competition's star man so far. Austin leads the Man Of Steel race at the minute with 20 points after a superb spell of form which was really kicked off with a jaw-dropping display away at Hull FC. His performances in this game and the home win over Huddersfield were on another level and at times Austin has looked like he is playing a different sport to the rest. Clearly a mercurial talent, he has been key to our good first half of the season and is absolutely essential to any chances of silverware in 2019. No one really came close to beating him to this spot in the team, though I have been impressed with Salford's Robert Lui and Castleford's Jake Trueman.
Scrum Half - Jackson Hastings
I'm absolutely loving watching Jackson Hastings right now. He finds himself 3rd in the Man of Steel leaderboard and the signing from Manly Sea Eagles has been a delight in a Salford shirt this season, brilliantly orchestrating the Red Devils' play and becoming their most important player as well as emerging as one of Super League's hottest property, with a number of clubs said to be interested in him. He has formed a joyful half back partnership with Robert Lui and this is a partnership which has led the Red Devils to 7th in the league and right in the playoff race. Hastings controls games so well and is so influential, with particularly impressive showings in the wins over Catalans, Leeds and ourselves. With 14 assists, Hastings finds himself as the 2nd highest assister in the league. I hope he remains in our league for 2020 and beyond and Salford will be a far poorer team without him.
Prop - Liam Watts
Liam Watts has been one of the very elite props in Super League this season and has become Castleford's main man. He has made 545 tackles so far in 2019 and has made 1926 metres from his carries of the ball, a pair of stats which see him in the upper echelons of both lists. Watts has also made the 2nd highest number of offloads in the league with 35 and has three tries of his own to his name. He is an influential player and has continued to star even when Castleford's form has dipped badly in recent times. An outstanding player who is currently 6th in the Man of Steel leaderboard.
Hooker - Daryl Clark
I've no idea where we would be without this man. Clark's level of consistency is frightening and the sheer amount of work that goes into his performances is almost inhumane. The former Castleford hooker has been in sensational form this season and continues to be criminally underrated. His importance to the Wire team cannot be underestimated, and this has been displayed on numerous occasions in 2019, none more so than against Hull KR when he raced back 60 metres to prevent a try before being the first man in the next tackle, forcing a knock on. This was Clark in a microcosm, and with five tries and 11 assists to his name, his attacking stats are good, backed up with an astonishing 482 tackles. James Roby is a Super League legend but has missed a few games this season and Clark's performances have been marginally better so our number 9 was an obvious choice.
Prop - David Fifita
Wakefield have been a bit of a surprise package this year and are right in the fight for the playoff spots, currently sitting in 6th position. Key to their good season so far has been giant prop David Fifita, who is an absolute monster of a forward has been in superb form for the West Yorkshire side and is key to their game. Trinity recently announced a new deal for Fifita, which is a massive piece of news for Chris Chester and his team. Fifita has made up 1638 metres with the ball this season, an excellent return, as well as an impressive haul of eight tries. He was outstanding in Wakefield's win away at Huddersfield recently, a performance which helped cement his 2nd place in the Man of Steel standings.
Second Row - Josh Jones
In the second row I have Salford's Josh Jones, a player in the spotlight currently after signing a deal for 2020 with Hull FC in the last few days. Jones has earned himself five points in the Man of Steel race. Hull's latest acquisition has crossed for five tries in 2019 and has impressively played every game this season. He has been another player that has been pivotal to Salford's good season. His tackling stats are very good, while his missed tackles and errors are minimal. His most impressive display was in Salford's 42-0 demolition of Catalans earlier this season, when he made 32 tackles without missing a single one as well as ten tackle busts.
Second Row - Zeb Taia
Zeb Taia may be 34 but he is still having an impressive season. St Helens' forwards have been key to their dominance in Super League this year - one of the main differences between the two sides when the league leaders dismantled us at the Totally Wicked Stadium in April was the Saints' big men - Taia being one of them, with an assist and four offloads in that particular game. It is particularly telling that on a night when Taia had a less effective game from usual Saints laboured, rather than strolled, to the win against Salford.
Loose Forward - Joe Westerman
I actually miss Westerman, I'd definitely take him back given his form this season and the issues we've had with the loose forward position this year. Eight tries from loose forward is very impressive, particularly when he has only played 12 games. Westerman has done a fine job in both fixtures against the Wire, making 38 tackles at the weekend and an unbelievable 48 in March's win. The other contender for this position was St Helens man Morgan Knowles, who has been terrific. I went for Westerman because he has been extremely consistent in a side that have been up and down and as a result has attracted attention from clubs for 2020, including Castleford.
Interchange - Jesse Sene-Lefao
The first of my interchanges is Castleford's Jesse Sene-Lefao, who has done well for Daryl Powell's team this campaign. He is in a particularly purple patch lately, with three tries in his last two games. He is a good carrier of the ball too, getting well over 100 metres under his belt every time he has started this year.
Interchange - Danny Houghton
Houghton always goes under the radar when the top hookers in the league are discussed, with the likes of James Roby, Daryl Clark and Paul McShane constantly getting the limelight, but Houghton is also a top player for Hull FC. He has made seven assists this season but his most impressive stat is being Super League's top tackler, with a colossal 630 under his belt.
Interchange - Luke Thompson
Luke Thompson is arguably Super League's best prop and has registered eight points on the Man of Steel leaderboard, and the Saints man is a great all-round forward, with an admirable tackling game and a fantastic carry of the ball on him.
Interchange - Remi Casty
Catalans have a legend, here. Casty recently marked his 300th appearance for the Dragons in the win over Leeds, and the captain has been as influential as ever this season, playing as a prop and a loose forward, showing his versatility. He completed 38 tackles in his side's momentous win over Wigan at the Nou Camp last weekend, a terrific return for a player in the latter days of his career.
Coach - Justin Holbrook
Not exactly a hard one, this. I've been impressed with Ian Watson at Salford and Chris Chester at Wakefield, while Steve Price is doing a fine job with our club and Simon Woolford has really turned things around at Huddersfield, and Danny Ward has done better than expected with the London Broncos so far. However, St Helens have been by far the best team this season and have coped superbly with the loss of 2018 star player Ben Barba, so picking anyone other than Holbrook would've been illogical.
Thanks for reading this piece, I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know your thoughts on my selections and what your team of the first half of 2019 would be. Remember to follow the blog on Twitter @aloosewire and check back on the blog this week for my build-up to Wigan and Magic Weekend.
It's always our year.
Daniel (@aloosewire)
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