The Bundy Mixer stars nobody saw coming

While many of the usual suspects are sitting atop the leaderboard after the first four Game Weeks of the Bundy Mixer season, a handful of players have come out of nowhere to be important players in 2024.

• It's not too late to play! Sign up to get involved in the next Bundy Mixer Game Week.

Whether they’ve just burst onto the scene or are experiencing a breakout season, these are the big surprises to emerge from the opening month of Mixer 24.

The Bundy Mixer stars nobody saw coming

Lily Peacock (MID, Cowboys)

After appearing three times in North Queensland's maiden campaign last year, Peacock has emerged as a first-choice starting prop under Ricky Henry and is commanding big minutes up front.

Her elevated role is reflected in her stats, with the 19-year-old averaging 155 metres per game with ball in hand and churning through 27 tackles. Included in there was a team-high 223-metre haul in the Round 4 win over the Titans and a seven tackle-break effort to go with a try in Round 2.

There are no shortage of quality MIDs floating around in 2024, but Peacock, who is averaging 49.8 points per game, shapes as a really nice point of difference option who was selected in less than one percent of Mixer teams for Game Week 4.

Jacob Liddle (HOK, Dragons)

In his eight seasons prior to 2024 Liddle had averaged over 40 Mixer points just once.

Safe to say then that his emergence as an elite HOK in 2024 wasn't on many bingo cards. But right now he's very much in that conversation week-to-week, averaging 59 per game to sit alongside usual positional leaders Harry Grant and Damien Cook. 

Under the coaching of Shane Flanagan he's playing 80 minutes most weeks and his attacking game is flourishing behind a big St George Illawarra pack. While his slight frame means Liddle misses his fair share of tackles in the middle, he's making enough of them to guarantee a solid base of points each Game Week. 

Lindsay Smith (MID, Panthers)

Such has been the quality of Penrith's middle forwards in recent years, Smith had been used primarily as a limited-minute bench player. But in 2024 he's taken on a much bigger role.

Injuries to frontline stars like James Fisher-Harris and Scott Sorensen have helped his cause and seen him make eight starts to date, and with the increased minutes Smith has been able to average 57.3 over the four Mixer Game Weeks to date.

He's shaping as being a key player for the Panthers, and Mixer coaches, from here.

Jacob Kiraz (WFB, Bulldogs)

In recent years the Bulldogs haven't been playing for much other than pride by the time the Mixer season has rolled around, but this season they are fighting for a spot in the top four and have their top players firing as well. 

Kiraz very much fits into that category and his game is benefitting from being around better players, in a team which can finally generate attack at a high level.

Already in four Game Weeks he has two 70+ scores to his name and while he lacks the consistency of some other WFBs, he's an outstanding high ceiling pick and a great Boost candidate if you get him on the right week. 

Alexis Tauaneai (MID, Dragons)

The Kiwi teenager was a good Mixer player in her rookie season last year, but this time around she's an elite scorer who should be featuring in the Boost conversation week-to-week.

The second-highest scoring MID in the game through the first four Game Weeks, Tauaneai has played every minute of every game so far in 2024 and racked up some huge numbers on both sides of the ball in the process.

Averaging 157 metres and 36 tackles per game, her base numbers are big and she's able to top it up with dynamic plays, including a competition-high 10 offloads, which allows her to easily hit 60+ scores. 

The 'other' surprises  

While we're here it would be remiss not to mention the not so good surprises...

Coming back into a side that finished second last season and has arguably the best pack in the competition, we expected Taliah Fuimaono to be a leading NRLW HLF scorer. But it just hasn't worked out that way and despite the Titans playing well so far she's averaged just 10.3 in Mixer.

Similarly, Matthew Timoko has been a major letdown in 2024 after being a leading CTR candidate last year who averaged 43 points across the season. The Raiders are a lesser team this time around and without Jack Wighton in the halves Timoko just hasn't seen the same level of ball and scoring chances, which is reflected in his modest 24.3 Mixer average.