2018 NRL.com Fantasy Thread Part 6

mulvy wrote:Parramatta Eels v Newcastle Knights pre-season trial squad
1. Bevan French
2. Kirisome Auva’a
3. Michael Jennings
4. Jarryd Hayne
5. Josh Hoffman
6. Corey Norman
7. Mitch Moses
8. Daniel Alvaro
9. Cameron King
10. Tim Mannah
11. Manu Ma’u
12. Brad Takairangi
13. Nathan Brown
Interchange
14. Beau Scott
15. Kenny Edwards
16. Kane Evans
17. Suaia Matagi
18. Tepai Moeroa
19. Peni Terepo
20. Will Smith
21. Kaysa Pritchard
22. David Gower

Whilst Alvaro starting is nice, the Eels really do have some options in the forward pack and their depth is incredibly strong so not sure on minutes. Don't want to have too many Eels at start so more a wait and see for me. Nathan Brown still a gun and good for 50 + points you would think.

Yeah, I can't see Graham getting as many minutes as he was getting at the Dogs either really.

I really like the look of a Fifita Taupau combo in the frf. It means no smith though...

Verbal Kint wrote:I really like the look of a Fifita Taupau combo in the frf. It means no smith though...

I have all 3 but it means I have Milne and Hiku as my CTR pairing. Yuck.

...and potentially more issues with Murray and Arrow under injury clouds

I've had Takarangi in my 2nd center spot for a while now.
Guess he's about to become a lot more popular (better than the alternative of me having to find a new centre)

Tolman and Klemmer were both 60+ minute players at the dogs and Graham no longer has to contend with them.

I think he can easily get the 55 minutes he needs to be value. He had several low scores last year due to injury that lower the bar required to make cash

Something to note with Fifita

His role and style of play changed after all the drama at end of 2016.
He reverted to playing more traditional by tucking the ball up and running hard with a look for a quick play the ball. The sharks would then play off this and target the markers or play off that.

I guess the thinking was of gaining back respect by running hard and trying to cut out mistakes which he cops a lot of flak for sometimes.
The other thing I read sometimes is ‘players learning to tackle him’ but I feel it was more keeping it simple and playing to his new role.
Overplaying your hand by trying to make an extra couple metres and potentially losing it when quick reset ball was the focus.

For fantasy this meant less of the crabbing fends and risky offloads that made him such a fantasy gun.
He only reverted back to his old ways in his second spell when the sharks were chasing points and then he was used to shake things up (but can only remember a few times this happened)
Meaning he would score well late game but may be sitting on 20 or 30 pts with 10 minutes to go

So I feel he had a decent year but may explain some of his points drops
Just my 2c from watching all the sharks games but wanted to share my thoughts


Could say Ryan James and Taupau could be similar to him and perhaps Bromwich to a lesser extent. Hopefully from a fantasy perspective they are given free licence to offload and ball play

If Nicholls and Leilua can both grab starting spots, I might run a 5 cheapie bench and play 4th reserve based on form and fixtures.

(Kikau in the same position to some extent but I think CHN will eventually start, even if Kikau does in round 1)

If Taka stays in the second row spot he'll be a decent pick, but will get the SMat/Aubbs treatment and will be the first one to get moved as soon as there is an injury to an outside back.

Milchcow wrote:
I've had Takarangi in my 2nd center spot for a while now.
Guess he's about to become a lot more popular (better than the alternative of me having to find a new centre)

I've fitted Maubs into my side, but Takaz looks like an interesting alternative if he keeps the second row spot.

FWIW guy on twitter reckons Moeroa has been training solely as a middle forward so it sounds like Taka is looking good for that starting 2rf spot.

wolfking wrote:Yeah, I can't see Graham getting as many minutes as he was getting at the Dogs either really.

For me, I'm staying away from Graham because I think he's a bit past it.

If he's physically up to it though, I've not doubt Mary will play him for big (55+) minutes. Graham isn't losing minutes to any of their bench forwards.

NRL has implemented 30 second time off/shot clock after conversion attempts (for tries only, for some reason).

The NRL estimates this will add an average of 3 minutes "game time" to every game.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/21/nrl-shot-clock-extended-in-2018/

THREE MINUTES OF EXTRA TACKLES

If the Taka news is true, I feel that my backline:

1. Tedesco
2. Ponga
3. Taka
4. Milne
5. Hiku
6. Cartwright
7. Croft

Will be the most generic and over-picked backline in the history of Fantasy.
But I just can't see myself going any other way.

Pookus McFly wrote:If the Taka news is true, I feel that my backline:

1. Tedesco
2. Ponga
3. Taka
4. Milne
5. Hiku
6. Cartwright
7. Croft

Will be the most generic and over-picked backline in the history of Fantasy.
But I just can't see myself going any other way.

at the moment I have
1. Ponga
2. Mitchell
3. Hiku
4. Milne
5. Aubbs
6. Cartright
7. Croft

I would like to run aubbs and taka and not have to rely on Milne..

That said I'm concerned about Cartright and taka for Aubbs may assist in getting a better half.

Milchcow wrote:
Tolman and Klemmer were both 60+ minute players at the dogs and Graham no longer has to contend with them.

I think he can easily get the 55 minutes he needs to be value. He had several low scores last year due to injury that lower the bar required to make cash

For the 2016 year and the first 8 rounds he averaged about 61 minutes per game for an average of 56 points. Ignoring round 9, 11 and 12 where he had injury/concussion issues his minutes dropped to 53 minutes and a average score of 46.5. I can see this 53 minutes and the sub 50 scores continuing especially with Vaughan, LAM and JDB being better quality than Tolman, Klemmer and ? (can't quite remember the other big minute middle man - Eastwood?). Not to mention they have a 80 minute hooker (although with Mann being a utility on bench this is no different to the Bulldogs having a utility half/hooker last year)

If I go with Taka in my centres, I can move Mitchell to my 14-17, giving me DPP cover for WFB & CTR (previously i'd be stuck with Hiku as an emergency for those spots).

Currently got:

Smith,
Fifita, JBrom
Whitehead, RFM, McQueen
Croft, Watson
Taka, Milne
Teddy, Ponga, Katoa

Mitchell, Lichaa, Lodge, Cartwright
Havili, Croker, LLeilua, Kikau/Nicholls

SoylentGreen wrote:If I go with Taka in my centres, I can move Mitchell to my 14-17, giving me DPP cover for WFB & CTR (previously i'd be stuck with Hiku as an emergency for those spots).

Currently got:

Smith,
Fifita, JBrom
Whitehead, RFM, McQueen
Croft, Watson
Taka, Milne
Teddy, Ponga, Katoa

Mitchell, Lichaa, Lodge, Cartwright
Havili, Croker, LLeilua, Kikau/Nicholls

would you play katoa over havili/leilua (if starting 2rf) though? i guess for me katoa is a bit of an unknown. I like to try play known quantities.. which may be to my downfall some times.

Hey all, been lurking again this season and finally remembered my username so am able to jump in the conversation. I’ve changed my team about 100 times and still am not sold on it, although getting closer .

Friend
Lodge, Bromwich
NBrown, Whitehead, Merrin
Croft, Watson
Milne, JLeilua
Ponga, Dufty, Katoa
Reserves: Lichaa, McGuire, Taka, LCroker
Emergency: LLeilua, Doueihi, Evans, Isaacko

Why JLeilua? Looking at the first few rounds I think he actually has a shot of scoring well. However, this is dependant on his attitude and the Raiders ability to move the ball.

I’m running a risk with Katoa as my only backup is Isaacko. Potentially I can downgrade someone like Evans or even JLeilua, pick up someone like Kennar, Whare or Hiku in replacement for Isaacko, and buy Nicholls or the Manly replacement prop as the other forward.

Milchcow wrote:
If Nicholls and Leilua can both grab starting spots, I might run a 5 cheapie bench and play 4th reserve based on form and fixtures.

(Kikau in the same position to some extent but I think CHN will eventually start, even if Kikau does in round 1)

I've thought about this setup. You mean 14-16 decent DPP scorers and 17-21 basement cheapies?