NRL Fantasy 2023 Part 3 - Trials by Combat

wolfking wrote:From memory, Ponga's defence in the middle during his first SOO game was quite solid.  I don't think I'll start with him, but I do think the concussions would be much less of a worry playing at half than FB.

Completely agree, his lack of self preservation flying across the field in cover will be gone. he now has help inside and out and will have structure around his defence. I think the move will reduce the risk of concussion not increase it

I'm not concerned about concussion risk increased in the front line, i would be more concerned he gets heavily targeted in D and subsequently has no energy or spark left to do Ponga things in Attack cause he is too fucked from tackling all game

Bateman has his visa.Click

Welshy wrote:

This isn’t the argument though is it? Ponga and his own tackle technique are to blame for his concussions, and they would never happen if he was taught how to tackle properly…

No I wasn't really trying to get involved in the argument (you won), just weighing up pros and cons of ownership.

I reckon i'll give ponga a go, but it goes against the 'no shit teams' rule.

my tv broke wrote:I reckon i'll give ponga a go, but it goes against the 'no shit teams' rule.

The rule that gave me Billy Smith...

It's a good rule, but the good backs at the good teams are expensive this year. No Panthers giveaways.

If someone had of taught Ponga you can't do lines through a bendy straw he wouldn't have needed Manns help.

It's always someone elses fault

I’m unlikely to start with Ponga, but it’s not because of the concussion issue. It’s because he has no ticker. #weakgutteddog

rhinoceroo wrote:

The Amateurs group did well last year, but yeah that's a couple of thousand people and they may well be lurking here too.

It's a fair point about the availability of content though, between mtvb and fantasy pro and Amateurs and a new Steve Nicholls-style bible and a new podcast every day it's a *lot*

Still won't think the season has really started until your first multi-coloured BE spreadsheet drops though. Best day of Fantasy other than TLT.

There are definitely consistently successful players lurking here…they are definitely not as busy/loud as a large proportion is all.

There was chatter a few pages back about the right strategy for this game…. I don’t think there is a right strategy, but if you consistently finish mid pack, maybe change your strategy? You might crash and burn, or you might surprise yourself, either way you will learn more than doing the same thing and finishing +/- where you always do

Interesting with talk of last year’s starting teams. I am a fantasy rookie of last year but played SC a long time. Last year there weren’t that many bottom pricers but there were a stack of excellent 350k players which made the rest of the team a lot easier to work around and allow the big wfb spend - just off the top of my head Tago, Crichton, Nanai, Suli was close; I am sure there were others and a decent group of pseudo keeper base players like May who came earlier than expected. This combined with base price starting halves made last year very different to this year when team planning imo. Fwiw I still like the gun and cheapie option so probably 6 or even 7 base pricers for me make some cash trade on and find those values picks after those first few rounds. Byes are a thing this year but I think we might be too focussed on that and then pick second rate players - I am guilty of this avoiding origin players to my detriment in SC in the past.

On Ponga the biggest thing is we all hope he doesn’t cop another knock first and foremost but I think teams will target him with and without the ball when in the front line. Just by number of contacts it worries me to have him in my team as there are more chances he could end up with a head knock and it would have longer term repercussions for him compared to other similar options.

Concussed wrote:

There are definitely consistently successful players lurking here…they are definitely not as busy/loud as a large proportion is all.

There was chatter a few pages back about the right strategy for this game…. I don’t think there is a right strategy, but if you consistently finish mid pack, maybe change your strategy? You might crash and burn, or you might surprise yourself, either way you will learn more than doing the same thing and finishing +/- where you always do

Wisdom from the concussed one!

Who gets the other wing at the roosters? I would assume Momirovski but Paulo is lurking

Concussed wrote:

There are definitely consistently successful players lurking here…they are definitely not as busy/loud as a large proportion is all.

There was chatter a few pages back about the right strategy for this game…. I don’t think there is a right strategy, but if you consistently finish mid pack, maybe change your strategy? You might crash and burn, or you might surprise yourself, either way you will learn more than doing the same thing and finishing +/- where you always do

There are strategies (rather than one specific strategy) that are more likely to work, but like any game with uncontrollable variance, they won't *always* work.

I think regulars (and regular lurkers) on here know which posters have track records and multiple good finishes and which don't. Newbies maybe don't, which is one reason why you see some arguments on here when "wisdom" is questioned so as not to misdirect.

Maestro wrote:Who gets the other wing at the roosters? I would assume Momirovski but Paulo is lurking

Most of the info points to Paulo outside Manu.

Love the fact that there will be a huge variety in selections to start this season.

Some changes to the Warriors trial team:

"Centre Adam Pompey, who played for the Māori All Stars, has been replaced by Viliami Vailea while standoff Te Maire Martin is remaining in Auckland to be with partner Bridget following the birth of their first child, a daughter.

With Luke Metcalf ruled out yesterday with a hamstring injury, 2022 rookie Ronald Volkman comes in to fill Martin's spot."

Despite being named on the bench for tonight's trial match against the Parramatta Eels, Elliott will now miss the clash after stepping on a team-mate's shoe.

Already battling a hip issue, Elliott rolled his ankle during a drill at training after stepping on another Knight's foot, however the injury isn't expected to rule the middle forward out long-term.

- OK so this sounds like some "Dave Taylor fell out of his bed" level story. What really happened?!

Sooo how’s everyone’s morning been?

rhinoceroo wrote:

There are strategies (rather than one specific strategy) that are more likely to work, but like any game with uncontrollable variance, they won't *always* work.

I think regulars (and regular lurkers) on here know which posters have track records and multiple good finishes and which don't. Newbies maybe don't, which is one reason why you see some arguments on here when "wisdom" is questioned so as not to misdirect.

Totally agree re strategies vs one strategy. The game in real life changes each season so you have to adapt to how that will affect fantasy scores each season as well (this is where being focussed purely on the numbers can fail). My post was more aimed at the ones that definitely play the game the wrong way, and by that I don’t mean you have to do what I do or anyone else in particular…but there are clearly posters here that you can just tell will never win it unfortunately. At the end of the day it is a game within a game and should mainly be played as an extension of joy we already get from Rugny League

There should be a list of these guys, or a green light on their profile or something to show that maybe what they say has been backed up with results in the past? It might stop a few of the arguments…yes I said a few haha