'Let the legs do the talking': Saab enters race to be NRL's fastest man

Jason Saab sits up a bit straighter in his chair as Josh Addo-Carr charges down the sideline. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow is in hot pursuit and closing in on his rival. 

Eventually he reels him in before bundling him over the sideline in Saturday's clash between the Dolphins and Bulldogs. 

It's a moment that set the rugby league would alight, Saab watching with interest as the Hammer caught the Foxx, or as Gus Gould loves to call him, "the fastest man on the planet". 

Fans have been quick to dub Tabuai-Fidow the fastest man in rugby league after he produced a blinding burst of speed to catch Addo-Carr.

Tabuai-Fidow's official top speed was recorded as 36.7kph.

Saab quickly became the forgotten man in the debate despite his own ability to burn opposition defences in the blink of an eye. 

But rather than rush to enter the conversation, the Manly winger is happy to let his actions do the talking on the football field. 

"If you ask around you'll get a common answer," Saab said. "If a race happens, I'll let the legs do the talking. 

"It's an exciting thing. The fans would like to see it. We got a bit of a showcase of it on Saturday. It's cool and like the Foxx said, I'm grateful to be in the conversation with those players."

While rugby league is known for its physicality and fierce combative nature, pure speed is the one thing that gets fans of all ages and teams on their feet. 

There is no substitute for speed and nothing is more exciting than watching the game's fastest men in full flight. 

It's why talk of a 100-metre race between the NRL's fastest men on grand final day has received widespread support from fans and even players. 

Saab is one who would love to line up for a race against the likes of Tabuai-Fidow, Addo-Carr and Roosters flyer Dominic Young but he is hopeful he is chasing a bigger crown on the first Sunday of October. 

"If it's on grand final day there's bound to be a couple of players playing [in the grand final]," he said. "How do you crown the fastest person if the fastest people aren't running in it? 

"A separate event would be better, no doubt they would be able to fill out [the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre]. I'm focused on playing finals, that's what I want more than anything. I'd love to not be [in a race] on grand final day."

While some NRL speedsters have a background in athletics, Saab did not spend his teenage years on the track. 

Instead he came to realise how useful the ability to burn rival defenders on a footy field could be and dedicated hours working on that area of his game. 

The tipping point came as a 19-year-old playing NSW Cup when he recognised his speed could put him on the fast lane to an NRL debut. 

"My speed came naturally as I got older," Saab said. "I wasn't always the fastest kid but I trained a lot. I put a lot of work into it. It's my super power for my team. 

"I try to stay on top of it when I'm away from training, it's something I've been good at in footy."

The Sea Eagles have built much of their high-powered attack on pure speed. Saab, Tom Trbojevic and Tolu Koula are among the fastest men in the NRL and much of their gameplan centres on ensuring they receive the ball in space. 

The strategy has clearly delivered. Manly currently sit sixth on the ladder and look destined to play finals football for the first time since 2021. 

Tommy Talau has scored 15 tries, Trbojevic 13 and Saab 10. Many have been long-range efforts and the Sea Eagles sit fourth in the NRL with 117 line breaks this season.