2017 NRL.com Fantasy Thread Part 58

filthridden wrote:

Here's a different option:

Hold the trade until you find out whether Scott is playing or not.

If he's playing, hold him.
If he's not, trade him someone playing with/against/after him:

Lafai
Aitken
DWalker
Maubusson
Cotric
Croker

Pick with luck (and forethought) and you could get someone that averages as high/higher than Gagai for a lot cheaper and not be worried about missing out on Scott's points/saving a trade this round if he plays.

wolfking wrote:If Aitken stopped getting injured this year, he would be a brilliant keeper centre, guy is a gun when fully fit.

Klemhammer wrote:Wallace to Fifita
Or
Cotric to Pearce

Klemhammer wrote:Wallace to Fifita
Or
Cotric to Pearce

Moose wrote:POD Gagai or stick with Scott and pray he gets a call up? Bellamy could be playing games again

SoylentGreen wrote:Anyone concerned that Smith might have reduced minutes in the last few rounds? Particularly if the Storm win all/most of their relatively tough next 4 (Raiders, Manly, Cowboys, Roosters), given their last 3 matches are against the Knights, Rabbits and Raiders again?

I don't think he's likely to be rested completely, but surely if they're winning easily he won't play 80 those weeks?

Klemhammer wrote:Wallace to Fifita
Or
Cotric to Pearce

SoylentGreen wrote:Anyone concerned that Smith might have reduced minutes in the last few rounds? Particularly if the Storm win all/most of their relatively tough next 4 (Raiders, Manly, Cowboys, Roosters), given their last 3 matches are against the Knights, Rabbits and Raiders again?

I don't think he's likely to be rested completely, but surely if they're winning easily he won't play 80 those weeks?

SoylentGreen wrote:Anyone concerned that Smith might have reduced minutes in the last few rounds? Particularly if the Storm win all/most of their relatively tough next 4 (Raiders, Manly, Cowboys, Roosters), given their last 3 matches are against the Knights, Rabbits and Raiders again?

I don't think he's likely to be rested completely, but surely if they're winning easily he won't play 80 those weeks?

Chewie wrote:

He hasn't had reduced minutes in the final games in previous years, I don't see why it would be different this year

White Lightning wrote:The reason why these Warriors's Island players fail at nrl level is as follows. Polynesian boys mature physically very early so when they are 13-15 they have the size of a player that is like a 20 year old man. So in youth league it is easy so they just run through players & dominate physically. I was watching this Point Chev team train one night. They were all Polynesian players & they were mostly about 6 foot 15-17 stone. I asked a person is that the top side & he replied no that's the under 16 open team who hadn't lost a game all season & half of them were rep players. So when these players come up through the grades they don't learn how to get into the arm wrestle & guts out a win because they're not challenged physically. So when they get to nrl level they haven't got the ingrained stamina/fitness to fight so they give up because they are mentally soft. The ones that do succeed are the ones that move to an Australian system where they have to perform because there are 10 players who they are competing with for 1 spot & this ingrains the stamina & the 80 minute effort. A good example of this is Taukeiaho & would he be the player he is today if he hadn't of taken a chance & signed for the Roosters from the Warriors.

Mearcats wrote:

There is a fair bit of talk along these lines @pm888 but as covered around here already, with the Warriors season basically dead and buried barring a mathematical miracle, we doubt that he'll come back early without any reason to. The only plausible reason would be to get a bit of match fitness under his belt prior to the WC.

As for your match up question, I'd probably go with the Manners DCE combo. Fifi can be a game changer but can also fluctuate a bit. Manners is more consistent albeit without the ceiling (and he's in a rich vein of form at the moment). Mannering and Cleary would definitely be the ideal combo tho. No cash elsewhere to allow you to make this move and still do the other stuff you need?

Mearcats wrote:

I see what you're saying but Smith isn't usually the type who likes to be rested. they may play a bench utility (Slade Griffin as Brandon Smith is injured) with the intention of giving Smith a rest during games but even then Bellamy will struggle to get him off the park. IF anything I'd say he might miss 40-50 minutes over those last few games in total (IF the Storm are well n truly up, not happening if it's a close game). Nothing too concerning for me.

Rippin and Tearin wrote:

I understand where you are trying to go with this but I don't like the generalisation to be honest. There are a ton of flaws to the logic too IMO. One illustration is that by in large Polynesians are in the same boat in NZ playing Union too, yet the above issues you raise don't really translate.

What all that says to me is there are systematic issues at the Warriors that have nothing to do with race.

Rippin and Tearin wrote:

That's what I was told earlier this year when I was throwing round the idea he would get rested during Origin. It does seem like things may have changed a bit from previous seasons doesn't it?

Rippin and Tearin wrote:

You guys may be right, but Kearney sounded hopeful he would be back before the end of the season and earlier than the time frame initially given - i.e. about round 24.

Wait and see I guess!