If you want to lead from the front I'd suggest Time, you won't be able to protect from hold, stun and knockdown but everything else if slotted right should have some satus protection, I'd recommend demons or mercs as primary, demons are good at following and that helps a lot when in defensive mode, Mercs are good because LotG in T9 and because perma serum basically makes them immune to mez and super tanky plus certain slotting makes them even more immune to status protection.
I play my merc and demon/time as a tank and never die and i always charge in first, just make sure pets are somewhat close before , Time's Juncture doesn't go off when your CC'd that i've noticed, if time isn't your fancy then its Ele Affinity for the Faraday Cage for the most status protection, but FF and traps isn't bad either.
Rune of Protection isn't really worth taking imo, it only has 1/3 uptime and can't reduce recharge of it and if playing tankermind right it shouldn't matter with or without