2017 NRL.com Fantasy thread part 38

my tv broke wrote:People forgetting that Green is only playing Ponga out of necessity. Ponga is still going to the knights so hes not about to jump ahead of the NRL regulars in the cowboys side.

This is true but they're also a team expected to compete for a premiership and if Ponga gives them the best chance of doing that (and it's becoming a very easy argument that he does) then they need to play him regardless of where he's going next year.

wolfking wrote:If Cowboys backline is fit, Ponga misses out, simply as that.  There is no way Green is going to make room for him, no way.

What may help Ponga is now Green is under pressure to get wins & Ponga is probably now their main attacking asset especially with his speed.

Having Morgan as our only real kicker the last couple of weeks makes me sad. Green will be champing at the bit to get Coote back. Still think it's unlikely Ponga stays when the others are fit although if O'Neill keeps stinking in defence or dick fingers (Linnett) or perhaps most plausible dick fingers II (Feldt) get dropped he has a chance

Also people keep saying Coote could play in the halves based on what? IIRC Green has never played him there. He plays guys like Kostjasyn, Asiata and Ray Thompson because of their defence. Coote would be targeted. Don't see it happening.

mulvy wrote:Having Morgan as our only real kicker the last couple of weeks makes me sad.  Green will be champing at the bit to get Coote back. Still think it's unlikely Ponga stays when the others are fit although if O'Neill keeps stinking in defence or dick fingers (Linnett) or perhaps most plausible dick fingers II (Feldt) get dropped he has a chance

I'd say none of those blokes would be dropped for the young fella.

In fact, I think Ponga's best chance in a fully fit Cows side is as the bench utility.

I think Ponga has been less than amazing in real life. He will be very good, the commentators keep talking him up, and he hasn't been bad, but Coote is twice the player he is currently considering the way the Cowboys play where they need an extra half to make up for Morgan being a runner. Let's face it, the Cowboys haven't been exactly stellar with him in the team. As for the 3/4s, no way Ponga gets in agead of them when all fit, and GGM probably first reserve there.

multiple.scoregasms wrote:Who benefits from Woods out for up to 8 weeks?

The Tigers

So - I have a couple of questions around what happens during the Origin/bye period ....

The Origin games are on Wednesdays with normal club fixtures on the weekend either side - would players selected for Origin miss both of those games for their clubs? If they only got 15 minutes from the bench in Origin could they end up playing for their clubs in the fixture after the Origin matches? I assume if they are unused squad players they return to their clubs and would be ok to play the game after Origin...? But we all know about 'assuming'

I'm just trying to ascertain if 'selected for Origin' means forget altogether or not.

Origin players miss the round before origin. Ie 12 15 18. They can play the round after (13 16 19) if fit but might be rested by their coaches (or have a bye). Squad players who don't play i believe are released to play. So Cam Smith could play round 13 but could be rested given its two days after origin 1. Nobody knows.

Ozymandias wrote:So - I have a couple of questions around what happens during the Origin/bye period ....

The Origin games are on Wednesdays with normal club fixtures on the weekend either side - would players selected for Origin miss both of those games for their clubs? If they only got 15 minutes from the bench in Origin could they end up playing for their clubs in the fixture after the Origin matches? I assume if they are unused squad players they return to their clubs and would be ok to play the game after Origin...? But we all know about 'assuming'

I'm just trying to ascertain if 'selected for Origin' means forget altogether or not.

Young players that are key to there club and are fighting for a top four spot or top 8 etc will definitely back up after origin in round 13.
Backs who play origin but their teams have two byes in either round 12, 15 or 18 aren't that affected by origin but will miss 1 extra game. E.g Teddy

However, its the gun forwards that could take a hit when backing up with reduced output and reduced minutes e.g Cam Smith, Josh McGuire, Paul Gallen, Josh Papalli, Gillete, Cordner, Merrin.

In years past Cronk, Slater etc have been rested more so than Smith but I'm thinking with the Storm going so well I can see him getting a spell in week 13 so Brandon Smith can get some game time before playing round 15 and 18.
He could be worth a sell to McCullough in round 12 who will play two more rounds than Smith from round 12 to round 19 inclusive (with the chance that Smith has reduced minutes in round 13 and 16).

Fifita/Gallen/ARey if they make origin will only play 1 game (14) in 4 rounds missing 12,13 and 15 so probably are worth selling if they make origin. Nathan Brown and Corey Norman play all these rounds (12,13,14 and 15).

This is all dependant on the number of trades people have left.

Warriors wrote:

Young players that are key to there club and are fighting for a top four spot or top 8 etc will definitely back up after origin in round 13.
Backs who play origin but their teams have two byes in either round 12, 15 or 18 aren't that affected by origin but will miss 1 extra game. E.g Teddy

However, its the gun forwards that could take a hit when backing up with reduced output and reduced minutes e.g Cam Smith, Josh McGuire, Paul Gallen, Josh Papalli, Gillete, Cordner, Merrin.

In years past Cronk, Slater etc have been rested more so than Smith but I'm thinking with the Storm going so well I can see him getting a spell in week 13 so Brandon Smith can get some game time before playing round 15 and 18.
He could be worth a sell to McCullough in round 12 who will play two more rounds than Smith from round 12 to round 19 inclusive (with the chance that Smith has reduced minutes in round 13 and 16).

Fifita/Gallen/ARey if they make origin will only play 1 game (14) in 4 rounds missing 12,13 and 15 so probably are worth selling if they make origin. Nathan Brown and Corey Norman play all these rounds (12,13,14 and 15).

This is all dependant on the number of trades people have left.

Great insight mate.

Babou wrote:Hi folks. This has been my first year playing nrl fantasy was just wondering if you guys could give me some advice on trades for the bye rounds.
5013 rank, 16k in the bank, 21(2) trades left.

Smith Pritchard
McGuire Fifita Ese ese Wallace
Whitehead Crichton Thompson De belin Kaufusi Stone
Norman Nikorima Hampton Littlejohn
Chambers Matautia Idris Kelly
Cotric Hayne RTS Burns Suli

Welcome Babou, thats a good effort for your first year. What have you been up to since your Sienfeld days?

As someone with a Smith/Brailey combo I'm worried about Round 13. Cam is probably up to backing up but he would certainly play reduced minutes.
I wouldn't sell him but I would definitely not captain him.