Chewie's 2023 Edition

Pre-TLT draft:

BSmith
Haas, Tapine, Nicholls
Hopgood, EButcher
Cleary (C), Doueihi
Alamoti, Thompson
Turbo, CNK, Miller

Boyd, Kenny, EKatoa, Doorey
Stone, Perham, Smith-Shields, Warbrick

Post TLT draft:

BSmith
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
EButcher, EKatoa
Cleary (C), Doueihi
Alamoti, Smith-Shields
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Boyd, Kenny, Trindall, Loiero
Blore Doorey, IKatoa, Talau, Warbrick

67k ITB

Gone for both Storm Edges, prefer them over Eels makeshift edges
Latrell is a placeholder for Turbo the early rounds, but can stay if he has a strong start
Trindall is just a round 1 points grab, placeholder for a cow I missed
Coaches seem to like Blore, rumour has it that Bateman will be playing Lock
Opting for boring Doorey instead of Blore, JS seems better for Doorey... and I need a token Eel in my squad
IKatoa, bottom dollar half, should make cash after getting a few attacking stats in
Talau, will need some match fitness

Gut feel tells me this scored alright ? More hits than misses and no glaring issues I can see
How did you start the year and what are your thoughts on some moves to fix things?
TLT will hopefully be kind so interested where you go from here

Actual RD 1 team:

BSmith
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
EButcher, EKatoa
Cleary (C), Doueihi
Alamoti, Smith-Shields
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Boyd, Garner, Trindall, Loiero
Doorey, IKatoa, Talau, Warbrick

I should've stuck with Kenny instead of Garner, but all in all happy with 816 points to start the season, OR 12075.

A few concerns around Trindall (will Hynes return early?), Latrell (PCL concerns), and Cheese (possible rib injury?)

Early thoughts:
Garner to Carty, I'm in need of some short term solid scores, especially in the coming 2 weeks with a few players on a bye. Cartwright looked steady.
Talau to HTF - the Hammer did better than I expected as the dolphins FB, I didn't have the guts to start with him, but with all my CTRs failing he seems to be a good options.

Personally I prefer Thompson over Hammer, and he's cheapter too. It seems to me that a try save + runaway try for Hammer scoring 52 is his kinda max. Whereas Thompson scored a 34 in pretty much all base. If he goes over for a try he beats HTF's score.

Like Garner > Carty, get the price rises and temporary solid scoring.

I'm with snatch, if they were the same price I'd maybe take Hammer, but for 70k less I like Thompson's chances more to make some coin while putting up very similar scores.

Think I'll attend the party with you also. Fashionably late

Thompson's "all base" had over 50% of his score coming from TBs

And Hamiso has a high ceiling, if he ever scores more than 1 try in a game he could go ballistic
Low floor too, which along with the extra $70k is the worry

Latrell - How much will the PCL issue affect his fantasy output? - still putting up a gun score
Hopgood - Was round 1 score an anomaly? - No
Wilton - Is he worth a punt with Graham out for a month? - YES looks like it, but it's a luxury trade
Walsh - Will he join the WFB elite this season (50+ avg)? - High 40s probably
Collins - Is he going to keep producing 50+ scores with the extra mins available? - played big mins, but scored 46
Dolphins - Was round 1 a flash in the pan? - No, Fins for the premiership
BSmith - Worth keeping? How are his ribs? - The Cheese smells a bit off
Dragons - Is there any fantasy gold in the Dragon's lair? - yeah, should have gone with Lawrie, not Host. Bird & Sloan viable options.
Ilias - mid range cow? will he kick on? - nope
Koroisau - low rd1 score to drop in value, could be value pick in a few weeks? - yes, on the radar

round 1
score: 816
Overall rank: 12075

round 2:
score 802
Overall rank: 4573

round2 team:

BSmith
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
EButcher, EKatoa
Cleary (C), Doueihi
HTF, Smith-Shields
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Boyd, Carty Trindall, Loiero
Doorey, IKatoa, Alamoti, Warbrick

Plans for round 3:

With the demise of my hooker stocks Smith/Boyd I feel like my best approach is to go Cleary to Grant for the time being with Cleary's bye round and Trindall playing.
Cheese will go for Preston, Preston the must buy this week.

Team will look like this:

Grant
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood (c)
EButcher, EKatoa
Trindall, Doueihi
HTF, Alamoti
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Preston, Carty, Loiero, Warbrick
Doorey, Boyd, IKatoa, HSS

Things to note:
- rumours of Doueihi being injured, will be able to loop between Ikatoa & Boyd
- Warbrick will fill in for CNK who is out due to HIA
- Storm to play Titans & Tigers next so possible big scores from Grant, EKatoa, Loiero, and Warbrick

Future plans.
Have 292k itb after trades, which could be used to get Cleary back in soon
Possibly Trindall's last game, will look at trading him for Ford which will give MID cover
Butcher & Boyd possible trade out options

Round 3
score: 825
Overal rank: 3415

Reasonable result, despite Hopgood's 35 as captain, and Warbricks 13

Plans for round 4 &  5:

Grant (c)
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
Carty, EKatoa
Trindall, Doueihi
HTF, Alamoti
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Preston, EButcher, Loiero, Boyd
Doorey, Warbrick, IKatoa, HSS

To field a solid 17 I'll be doing the following trades

Doueihi to Lemuele Ford
Trindall to SJ

434k itb

Will get Cleary in for round 5

round 4
score: 1004
Overall rank: 1070

another good performance from the team despite an ordinary captaincy score
Cleary coming back into the team this week

Chewie wrote:round 4
score: 1004  
Overall rank: 1070

another good performance from the team despite an ordinary captaincy score
Cleary coming back into the team this week

great score and rank!

Trades for this week, not overthinking it
EButcher to Hosking
Boyd to Cleary


Grant
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
Carty, EKatoa
Cleary(c), SJ
HTF, Alamoti
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Preston, Hosking, Loiero, Ford
Doorey, Warbrick, IKatoa, HSS

Chewie wrote:Trades for this week, not overthinking it
EButcher to Hosking
Boyd to Cleary


Grant
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
Carty, EKatoa
Cleary(c), SJ
HTF, Alamoti
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Preston, Hosking, Loiero, Ford
Doorey, Warbrick, IKatoa, HSS

Nice team and trades
Much better than the current season of Mandolorian

Chewie wrote:Trades for this week, not overthinking it
EButcher to Hosking
Boyd to Cleary


Grant
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
Carty, EKatoa
Cleary(c), SJ
HTF, Alamoti
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Preston, Hosking, Loiero, Ford
Doorey, Warbrick, IKatoa, HSS

Easiest trades you'll make all year, good stuff.

Great round, another rank rise. trading in Cleary & Hosking worked a treat, all my trades have worked out pretty good so far. I've got a solid playable 17, but I'll be working to get Nicho in the team come round 7. Glad he has the round 6 bye.
So trade plans will look like this

Rd 6 trade: Mitchell to Sloan - get about 270k, Latrell has been iffy, still looks a bit ginger on the field from that niggle a few rounds back, meanwhile Sloan seems to put out some good WFB scores for a lot less money, Dragon's run of games looks ok too.

rd 6/7 trade: Cartwright to Knik - get about 280k, pending TLT, Carty might lose his position with Lane's return or at least he'll go back to the interchange where his scores are pretty meh. Knik should get the 5/8 position with Milf out for 4 weeks, he should be able to avg 40 points

These trades should give me about 590k itb for my Nicho fund, which should get me close to someone like Warbrick to Nicho for round 7, which will give me a playable 18 till Knik loses his spot.

Lot's of ifs and buts

round 5
score: 1031
Overall rank: 624

Grant
Haas, Tapine, Hopgood
Carty, EKatoa
Cleary(c), SJ
HTF, Alamoti
Latrell, CNK, Miller

Preston, Hosking, Loiero, Ford
Doorey, Warbrick, IKatoa, HSS

Team looking good, could do with some better EMG players though, but that will come.
As mentioned in my trade plans
Latrell to Sloan
Loiero to Niko

Will keep Carty for now after he got named to start.
Have 561k itb to get Nicho next week.
Keeping an eye on Teddy, Brailey, and Cheese as potential trade ins soon