We are officially halfway through the WPL regular season, and the league has certainly seen a shakeup from 2018. 

Last year's champs, the San Diego Surfers, are in real danger of missing the playoffs. 2018 semifinalists Twin Cities and New York Rugby Club are in a four-way tussle with Atlanta and Beantown for two playoff spots. 

The new kids on the block, Life West, have been in scintillating form all season. They have had no trouble adjusting to life in the WPL, winning big in each of their four games. 

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So, at the midway point in the campaign, we're going to have a look at five players who have really impressed:

5.) Lisa Jackson - Atlanta Harlequins - Prop/Lock

A transfer player from the Raleigh Vipers, Jackson has been arguably the newcomer of the year thus far. She has covered both the front row and the second row for the Harlequins, which is a real luxury for Atlanta. Jackson's versatility opens up more options for her team. 

However, it isn't just her ability to cover multiple positions that makes Jackson a special player. Through four games, she has dotted down six tries, scoring at least once in every contest. She's been a key component to her side's 3-1 start. 

As the season progresses and she gets even more comfortable in the new team, Lisa Jackson could prove to be a crucial ingredient to Atlanta's playoff run.

4.) Carmen Farmer - Glendale Merlins - No. 8

The former USA Eagle has been brilliant for the 3-1 Glendale Merlins in 2019. Playing at No. 8, Carmen Farmer has been an all-around force for her team through four games. 

Whether it's carrying the ball forward over the advantage line, setting up teammates, or finishing off tries, Farmer seems to be heavily involved in much of what Glendale tries to do on the field. 

While she is an unselfish player that does all of the hard grafting required of a loose-forward, she has proven she has a nose for the whitewash as well. Four tries in four games, including two huge ones in a two-point win against Berkeley, show that the veteran still has a lot left in the tank. 

3.) Sisileti Hingano - Life West Gladiatrix - Fullback

One of the league's younger players, Sisileti Hingano is already establishing herself as one of its best as well. The strong-running fullback has shown she can score from anywhere on the field, and also hold her own defensively as the sweeper.

Hingano plays very aggressively, using her strength and speed to bust through arm tackles. When someone does manage to get ahold of her, she does a nice job of freeing her hands for an offload to a teammate in support.

Speaking of support, that is one of the things Leti does better than most. She sees where the support line is and runs the right angles to make the pass easy for her teammates. Along with her ability ball-in-hand, Hingano's running lines are a major reason why she's the joint top try-scorer in the league thus far with six.

2.) Bulou Mataitoga - Berkeley All Blues - Outside Center

The USA Eagle from Fiji has been one of the most all-around performers in 2019. The center has a whole array of tricks in her attacking arsenal that make her such a threat with ball-in-hand. 

Mataitoga can sidestep, she can fend, and she has a burst to get away from defenders, but it's her vision, offloading, and passing ability that really unlocks defenses. She has scored or assisted in each of the All Blues games so far, and her partnership with fellow center Evan Hoese is developing quite nicely. 

However, the facet of Bulou's game that makes her really stand out is the work she does on defense. There is simply no one in the league that tackles better. Mataitoga does an exemplary job of getting low body position, and then firing through the ballcarrier's legs. 

Furthermore, the center makes quality reads on defense, often shutting down overlaps or set-piece movements by thinking ahead and anticipating what the offense is going to do. She is a class player and will be instrumental for Berkeley moving into the final stretch of the season.

1.) Amy Bonte - Life West Gladiatrix - Inside Center

This was probably the easiest pick of the bunch. Bonte has been nearly unstoppable all season from her center position, making breaks, assisting teammates, and scoring tries. 

Bonte does a great job of taking the ball at pace when she receives it, which immediately puts the defense under pressure. From there she has the ability to rapidly accelerate through half-gaps, using her speed, strength, and balance to bust tackles and break free. 

What Bonte also does extremely well is to find her support runners after a linebreak. Whether it's a draw and pass, a floating skip pass, or an offload in contact, she almost always seems to find hands with her passes. 

On top of all that, Amy Bonte is also tied for the league-lead with six tries to her name thus far. There's a reason she's a USA Eagle, and as long as she continues to tear it up, Life West will continue to be very tough to beat.

Honorable mentions

Nikki Kenyon - Life West - Scrumhalf

Nicole Strasko - Life West - Lock

Hope Rogers - Life West - Prop

Sara Parsons - Life West - Flyhalf

Amanda Schweitzer - Beantown - Outside Center

Cortney Kuehl - Atlanta - No. 8 

Monique Compito - Atlanta - Wing

Chloe Jex - New York - No. 8

Teigan MacDonald - San Diego - Utility Back 

Megan Foster - San Diego - Utility Back

Joanna Kitlinski - Glendale - Hooker

Gaby Cantorna - Glendale - Flyhalf

Anziv Nalbandian - Glendale - Prop

Katy Augustyn - Berkeley - Hooker

Evan Hoese - Berkeley - Inside Center

Christina Ramos - Berkeley - Flanker

Kaelene Lundstrom - Twin Cities - Wing