NRL Fantasy 2021 Part 7 - Trial edition

I like Macca for main Hooker at this stage, but thinking I need to fit Fifita in now.

I think I'd rather Cook for $50k more than koro, origin and all.

If I go cheaper might be tempted by McCullough, but have been burnt by him in the past expecting scores to increase above priced average.
Been burnt by Munster twice now too, so I am happy to dump his arse out of my team with papy starting as kicker.

@White Lightning wrote:Koroisau looked very sharp I was impressed

I thought the whole Panthers side looked sharp. Yeo had some good runs as usual. Cleary was running the show, Luai had a man of the match performance. These guys are ready

@mattnz wrote:
Flegler and Haas out, with Fifita and Ofa no longer there, going to be a tough start to the season.

We are finishing bottom 4 anyway, unless Smith comes.

How did Momo go?

@Milchcow wrote:


Just something I wanted to bring up from last night.

The concept of "owners" and "non-owners" right now is meaningless. We have unlimited trades between now and kick off and can put anyone in our team if they have a good trial, their coach talks them up, or the house they are training in falls down. Every players is Schroedinger's player in that we are a potential owner and a non-owner up until that player locks out in 2 week's time.

Yes, fair enough. In that circumstance I should have said "people who are planning on not picking him".

And a lot of people *aren't* picking him because they don't think he'll get enough minutes. This is purely conjecture, because the second half played much more like a trial with all the comings and goings, but the Titans rotation in the first half was the same one they used throughout last year, which might be a Holbrook signature. Two middles off in the high twenty minutes, one stays on until halftime and is subbed then. Last year it was Fotuaika usually, here Fotuaika and Wallace went off and Tino moved up to prop when Peachey came on. Also notable that Peachey went to hooker when the second half sub forwards came on.

@my tv broke wrote:

Agree and that has always been my rule too. Turpin also pretty injury prone. Hard decision to make.

Admittedly, if Watson plays the big mins at lock that we are all expecting, he should be playable at hok if a turpin/jbrails goes down in that spot. It might be a risk im happy to take.

Not sure if people are aware (I wasn't until watching the Dogs trial) that Renouf Atoni was formerly known as Renouf Toomounga.

Haven't seen him talked about on here pretty much at all, but I think one to consider is Blayke Brailey.

- Priced at 44 at an average of 44.4 in 2020.
- Games > 70 minutes average climbs to 47.9.
- Now has a full season as main hooker under his belt.
- Big wraps from Chad Townsend on the Talking League podcast.
- As he grows and matures, I'd expect to see him making more tackles per game in the middle, with missed tackles going down or at least staying the same (i.e. increased tackle efficiency).
- Chad talked about how Brailey is very crafty and has an improving kicking game (maybe not as great as the GOAT, but certainly can create opportunities near the line, and also force some dropouts.

Overall, I think Brailey is very undervalued, I'm estimating by 5-10 points. I don't expect him to become a A-tier hooker option, however if you don't want to go a big gun (Cook, Koro) you could do much worse than Brailey.

@Snatchpato wrote:Haven't seen him talked about on here pretty much at all, but I think one to consider is Blayke Brailey.

- Priced at 44 at an average of 44.4 in 2020.
- Games > 70 minutes average climbs to 47.9.
- Now has a full season as main hooker under his belt.
- Big wraps from Chad Townsend on the Talking League podcast.
- As he grows and matures, I'd expect to see him making more tackles per game in the middle, with missed tackles going down or at least staying the same (i.e. increased tackle efficiency).
- Chad talked about how Brailey is very crafty and has an improving kicking game (maybe not as great as the GOAT, but certainly can create opportunities near the line, and also force some dropouts.

Overall, I think Brailey is very undervalued, I'm estimating by 5-10 points. I don't expect him to become a A-tier hooker option, however if you don't want to go a big gun (Cook, Koro) you could do much worse than Brailey.

Hard to pick him over his brother though

@Camo123 wrote:

I thought you weren't going to obsess over trial performances and scores this year @Rabbits21

I was more interested to just see potential starters and goalkickers rather than analysing why Koloamatangi only scored 37. Overanalysing Lomax's trial last year was part reason to not starting with him

Edit: Stats have already changed dramatically from last night to further point

True, but I thought Host outplayed Koala. Host made 133 metres.

All will depend on who gets that left second row spot.

Host 43 in 63mins.

Macca 53 from 61mins, Bird 23 from 51mins, Alvaro 38 from 41mins

Lodge looked slimmer and busy very involved. Riki was solid Oates shit.

Niu looked quite good, Isaako very sharp.

Shit I may have to many Broncs players

I have three......

@mattnz wrote:
Hard to pick him over his brother though

Disagree.

- Jayden got more-or-less the same average for >70 minute games in 2019 as Blayke got last year.
- Blayke played all of 2020, whereas Jayden played like 2 games making Blayke presumably fitter and more match ready.
- Blayke's liklelyhood of playing 80 minutes is better than Jayden's (job security).

From my perspective the only thing Jayden has as a fantasy prospect over Blayke is a lower price. However there's no reason that you can't pick them both.

If I had to choose only one though, I'd be taking Blayke.

I am a bit concerned re Cook as if Souths are looking to get the ball to the edges with the rest of the spine Cookie might not be running as much.

Macca well St George are gonna be making lots of tackles, he should score 60ish every week if playing 80mins. He will get some kick metres as well with a tb here and there plus 40 metres!

A player priced at 44 who will score 48 is not a tempting fantasy buy. he'd need to go well into the 50s to be worthwhile.

Jayden has no games under the new 6-again rules, so will likely get a bit of a boost this year.

and Jayden is almost $200k cheaper, for potentially the same average.

Blayke would be fine in draft if you miss out on one of the premiums's but doesn't tempt me in overall with other players providing more points or more cash

Can anyone see Hola getting a start? Or is he gonna be off interchange which probs means avoid!?......

I think he may be off the bench!

@Rabbits21 wrote:Can anyone see Hola getting a start? Or is he gonna be off interchange which probs means avoid!?......

I think he may be off the bench!

Off the bench i'd say. He had a few good runs last night. Its either Utoikamanu or Hola for me. Leaning towards Hola.

Currently going with this. 14k itb

Cook
Tino, Lodge, Koloamatangi
Crichton, D.Fifita
Cleary, CHT
Kelly, Averillo
Papi, Hopoate, Fusitu'a

Brailey, Lam, Watson, Riki
Niu, Simonnson, Hola, Simpkin

@t43597 wrote:Currently going with this. 14k itb

Cook
Tino, Lodge, Koloamatangi
Crichton, D.Fifita
Cleary, CHT
Kelly, Averillo
Papi, Hopoate, Fusitu'a

Brailey, Lam, Watson, Riki
Niu, Simonnson, Hola, Simpkin

I would rather try and explain small sample bias to mattnz than run the Fus in my 17