Residency rules: Queensland clubs dominate RLWC26 Team of the Week

New South Wales may have won State of Origin but Queensland could have been the superior team if the series was based on residency, according to polling for the RLWC26 Team of the Week.

Queensland-based players dominated voting for the World Cup Team of the Week, claiming all but two positions after Round 20 NRL matches.

Broncos superstar Reece Walsh beat Maroons pair Kalyn Ponga (New Zealand) and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Samoa) for the fullback spot after polling a remarkable 65 per cent of votes.

Tabuai-Fidow's Dolphins team-mates Jamayne Isaako (New Zealand) and Herbie Farnworth (England) were also voted into the RLWC26 Team of the Week as winger and centre respectively.

The NRL's four Queensland clubs - the Broncos, Cowboys, Dolphins and Titans - each have representation.

The Roosters and Panthers provide the only two NSW-based players in winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, who is eligible for Fiji as well as Australia, and 2022 World Cup winning secondrower Liam Martin - both of whom were members of the victorious Blues Origin squad.

Prop Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, who is yet to announce whether he will remain with Australia or play for Samoa, is one of three Titans representatives, along with halfback Jayden Campbell and rookie hooker Ollie Pascoe.

Walsh, lock Pat Carrigan, centre Kotoni Staggs, who were also members of last year's Ashes winning Australian team and Kiwis forwards Jordan Riki and Xavier Willison are the Broncos players in the RLWC26 Team of the Week.

Cowboys halfback Tom Dearden, who returned against the Dolphins after a long injury lay-off that forced him to miss the Origin series, rounds 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.

Among the players nominated for the World Cup Team of the Week were:

• Kiwis fullback candidate Kalyn Ponga, playmaker Dylan Brown (both Knights), winger Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins), secondrower Jordan Riki and props Xavier Willison (both Broncos), Naufahu Whyte (Roosters) and Joseph Tapine (Raiders). Titans outside back Jojo Fifita and Storm secondrower Cooper Clarke are also eligible for New Zealand.
• Toa Samoa fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins), winger Brian To’o (Panthers), centres Simi Sasagi (Raiders) and Ali Leiataua, five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita (both Warriors) and secondrower Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys). Titans captain and prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is also eligible for Samoa.
• England centres AJ Brimson (Titans), Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins) and Billy Smith (Roosters), fullback Jack Welsby (St Helens), playmaker Jake Trueman (Wakefield) and props Max King (Bulldogs) and Luke Thompson (Wigan). All are in the 38-man World Cup squad named by new England coach Brian McDermott.
• Tonga wingers Sione Katoa (Sharks) and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors), centre Jojo Fifita (Titans), hooker Soni Luke (Cowboys) and secondrower Kulikefu Fineuiaki (Dolphins). Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs is also eligible for Tonga.
• Fiji wingers Jethro Rinakama (Bulldogs), Jason Qareqare (Castleford) and Mark Nawaqanitawase (Roosters), who new Bati coach Mick Potter has urged to represent his father’s birth nation at RLWC2026.
• Lebanon-eligible winger Jason Saab (Sea Eagles) and Papua New Guinea hooker Edwin Ipape (Leigh) were also nominated, while Willison is eligible for Cook Islands.

View voting for the RLWC2026 Team of the Week