OptaJason

1 - The official X page for Stats Perform's coverage of sport in Australia and New Zealand, brought to you by OptaJason. Illuminating.

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

61 - Salesi Foketi ran for 61 metres from dummy half in the first round of the men's #RLWC26, more than any other player in the competition.

61m - Salesi Foketi 🇹🇴
55m - Edwin Ipape 🇵🇬
40m - Yehya Ayache 🇱🇧

What.

[OptaJonny @OptaJonny]

9 - 9 players made four or more dominant tackles in the opening round of the women's #RLWC26, all of whom play for England🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿.

Monument.

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

100 - Elizabeth Anton's next A-League Women appearance will be her 100th in the competition, with 37 of her 99 appearances so far coming in @CanberraUnited colours.

Voyage.

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

4 - Only 4 players in Australia's squad for the men's #RLWC26 were born the last time the @Kangaroos lost a group stage match at the tournament (October 7, 1995).

👶 James Tedesco (2yo)
👶 Cameron Munster (1yo)
👶 Mitchell Moses (1yo)
👶 Isaah Yeo (0yo)

Generation.

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

84-10 - New Zealand won 84-10 in their only previous men's Rugby League World Cup match against the Cook Islands (2000 Group Stage), a score which remains their most points (84) and biggest winning margin (74) in internationals.

Cooked.

#RLWC26

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

12 - Sam Darry (Canterbury) is the Opta Index Player of the Round for 2026 @HiluxNPC Semi Finals; he won 12 lineouts (inc. 1 steal) - twice as many as any other player, made the 3rd most carries (15), 11 tackles, scored a try, provided a try assist & won a turnover.

Standout.

[OptaJonny @OptaJonny]

107 - Waqa Blake (107m) was the only player to run for 100+ post contact metres in the opening round of #RLWC26.

🥇 Waqa Blake (107m)
🥈 Tony Francis (97m)
🥉 Francis Manuleleua (86m)

Gait.

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

24 - No player made more tackles without missing any in Round 1 of the women's #RLWC26 than Shaylee Bent (24).

Glue.

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

2.71s - Among the 122 players to make at least five play-the-balls in the first round of the men's #RLWC26, none had a quicker average play-the-ball speed than Rhyse Martin (2.71s).

🥇 Rhyse Martin (2.71s)
🥈 Mathieu Cozza (2.81s)
🥉 Francis Molo (2.95s)

Master.

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

4 - @ccmarinersw's 4-2 victory today is the most goals they've scored in their opening match of an @aleaguewomen season; it's the first time since 14 November 2009 (6-0 vs ADL at Coopers Stadium) they've scored 4+ goals in an away game.

Statement.

#CCMFC

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

1 - Lachlan Bayliss is the first player to score multiple goals in their @aleaguemen debut for @fc_auckland; in fact, the only other player to score even once in their first appearance for the Black Knights is Logan Rogerson (1 goal vs BRI, 19 Oct 2024).

Charm.

#AFCvMCY

[A-League Men @aleaguemen]

Lachlan Bayliss is having himself an afternoon! 🤯🔥

City can't clear their lines and the Auckland FC star makes them pay with his SECOND of the day! 🖤💙

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

3 - This is Lachlan Bayliss (@fc_auckland) third goal scored from outside the opposition box in the @aleaguemen in 2026, the joint-most of any player in the competition this year (also Juan Mata - 3).

Specialist.

#AFCvMCY

[A-League Men @aleaguemen]

LACHLAN BAYLISS, THAT IS INSANE 🚀💙🖤

A goal from nothing, but WHAT a goal. The A-League Men open season 2026/27 with a screamer.

@fc_auckland

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

16 - This was Akol Akon's 16th @aleaguemen match for @SydneyFC, surpassing Mitchell Glasson (15) for the outright second most appearances for the Sky Blues in the competition before reaching 18 years of age.

Alex Gersbach - 22 matches

Experience.

#SydneyDerby

[Sydney FC @SydneyFC]

66' | Akol Akon joins us in place of Al Hassan Toure 🔄

#SydneyDerby | 🔷 0-0 🔴

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

22 - Anthony Pantazopoulos (@wswanderersfc) made 22 clearances last night, the joint-second most of any player in an @aleaguemen match on Opta record (2012/13 onwards).

Nikolai Topor-Stanley - 23 for WSW vs PER (22 Feb 2014)

Unyielding.

#SydneyDerby #WSW

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

3 - This is the third time the first game of an A-League Men season has ended in a 0-0 draw.

2024/25 - Central Coast Mariners 0-0 Melbourne Victory

2020/21 - Western United FC 0-0 Adelaide United

Wait.

#SydneyDerby

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

6 - This is the sixth time in their last 10 Rugby League World Cup matches @AusJillaroos have kept their opposition scoreless; it's the third time they've done so in their opening game of the tournament.

74-0 vs Cook Islands (2022)
60-0 vs France (2008)

Level.

#RLWC26

[Rugby League World Cup 2026 @rugbyleaguewcup]

TOO GOOD 🇦🇺

#RLWC26

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

4 - Sualauvi Fa'alogo has equalled the record for the most tries for Samoa in a men's rugby league Test match.

David Nofoaluma - 4 vs Cook Islands (25 June 2022)
Taylan May - 4 vs France (30 October 2022)

Speedster.

#RLWC26

[Rugby League World Cup 2026 @rugbyleaguewcup]

Sua Fa'alogo has FOUR! 🔥

#RLWC26

[OptaJonny @OptaJonny]

78 - This is Samoa's most points scored (78) & biggest winning margin (74) in a men's rugby league Test match - both previous records were set in the same game.

Samoa def. Greece 72-4 (23 October 2022)

Style.

#RLWC26

[OptaJason @OptaJason]

7 - There are 7 @sydneyroosters in this @AusJillaroos team (Sergis, Kelly, Kelleher, Aiken, Elliott, Kernick, Nizza); if Keeley Nizza plays, it'll equal the record for the most players from @NRLWomens team for the Jillaroos.

Dragons - 7 vs NZ (25 Oct 2019)

Premiers.

#RLWC26

[Jillaroos @AusJillaroos]

LOCKED IN 🔒
This Friday, 8:05pm at CommBank Stadium. 🔗 Tickets here: https://t.co/p4kv7uYbA7

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

A trio to fear.

London City Lionesses's Van de Donk, Putellas and Diani have combined for 14 non-penalty goal involvements in just five WSL matches this season.

Could they challenge one of the most prolific attacking trios in league history?