2018 NRL.com Fantasy thread part 2

Welshy wrote:Welshys Player Profiles




Player: Bunty Afoa
Club: Warriors
Position: 2RF
Cost: $494,000
2017 average: 34
2017 minutes average: 59
Handsomeness rating: 3/5 Mitch Aubbussons

Bunty was one of the few warrior forwards who could walk off the field holding his head high that he had given everything on the field with Manners most weeks. A worker in the tackle area who could probably do more in the running game, Afoa could be set for some decent minutes in a warriors backrow lacking much depth after him, Manners and Harris. Warriors could be set to offer the starting back row big minutes and rotate the powderpuff front rowers more.

Starting 2RF points average: 38 (12 games, 1 try)
2017 average when playing 70+ minutes: 42 (8 games, 1 try)
2017 high score R1 & R21 49 (no tries) 2017 low score when playing 60+ minutes R19 30

Wrap up
Afoa and his fantasy outlook will hinge on the minutes he is afforded from Kearny, if he gets anything over 65 minutes consistently he will be a decent buy, if he jags 80 minutes he will be great value after being priced at 34.

predicted 2018 avg - 35-45 points


   
3/5
Welshy Beers

Thanks Welshy

Honey Badger wrote:With Wallace out for the first couple of games, stockwell injured, James moving to the 2nd row and a couple of middle men moving to the warriors, does that mean big minutes for Latu? Apart from last season how has he done fantasy wise in the past?

No idea what happens with him, but he is a tremendous impact player off the bench in my opinion. Really enjoy watching him. I haven't been through the stats but will be interesting to see what he can do with decent minutes. He must have played a few games at 50 odd? Like I said I haven't had a look though.

Mighty Fishes wrote:My favourite player is Ryan Simpkins so I hope he gets some decent playing time this year. Hes a hard worker and deserves it

My favourite player is Nathan Ross because he's white lightning

What happened to Hipgrave, is he still around? He was getting talked up at the end of last year.

wolfking wrote:What happened to Hipgrave, is he still around? He was getting talked up at the end of last year.

Still in the mix, this article was posted about 6 days ago on NRL.com

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/14/hipgrave-the-most-competitive-ive-coached/

No confirmed reports of him training the house down though, avoid.

He could easily pip Max King or Ryan Simpkins to a spot on the bench if that article is anything to go by. Neither of them seam to offer much aggression and impact off the bench.

Edit: No offence White Lightning, Simpkins is a hard worker

Alfie wrote:He could easily pip Max King or Ryan Simpkins to a spot on the bench if that article is anything to go by. Neither of them seam to offer much aggression and impact off the bench.

Edit: No offence White Lightning, Simpkins is a hard worker

I have a feeling White Lighting won't be too offended by that

Pookus McFly wrote:

wolfking wrote:What happened to Hipgrave, is he still around? He was getting talked up at the end of last year.

Still in the mix, this article was posted about 6 days ago on NRL.com

https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/01/14/hipgrave-the-most-competitive-ive-coached/

No confirmed reports of him training the house down though, avoid.

Hi all just wanted to say thank you for the great reading! I’m only new to fantasy but am already hooked and am looking forward to a great year

Kalkadoon Warrior wrote:Hi all just wanted to say thank you for the great reading! I’m only new to fantasy but am already hooked and am looking forward to a great year

Yes we are all addicted on here & fantasy will take over your life haha. In fact you notice nothing but fantasy.

The other day I asked the kids where the thingy was that peels the potatoes......they said mum left 3 days ago

[quote="Alfie"]He could easily pip Max King or Ryan Simpkins to a spot on the bench if that article is anything to go by. Neither of them seam to offer much aggression and impact off the bench.

Edit: No offence White Lightning, Simpkins is a hard worker[/quote

   No offence taken Alfie. You can give it to me as much as you like mate. This is why this forum is brilliant because it's all taken in good fun.

Kalkadoon Warrior wrote:Hi all just wanted to say thank you for the great reading! I’m only new to fantasy but am already hooked and am looking forward to a great year

Welcome mate. If you're hooked already wait til the game opens up and everything gets going. I hope you haven't got much on for the next 9 months!!

Just wanting to create some discussion:

Who would you pick:

Inglis or Hayne?

Alvaro or McLean or even Napa?

Harris, SST or Tapine?

Made a team $15K over budget:

Looks something like:

Tedesco, Ponga, GI
Aitken, Milne
DCE, Cartwright
T Harris, Murray, Arrow
Alvaro, Bromwich
Smith

Cook, Garvey, Lodge, Nat Butcher

4 NPR's e.g Brimson, Lachlan Croker, Tom Wright, Josh Cleeland and needing to find 15K. Obviously these four might not even be playing along with Garvey, Butcher but I like the look of it regardless. Lack of DPP's a problem but would rather gamble with strong 17 to start season and not be left behind and trade as rookies come in to grade due to injuries. Also not wanting to have too many origin players so Tedesco, Smith and GI it is for now. Is GI worth the gamble because the other two are must haves in my opinion.

Experimented with a 4 hooker team. Doubt I'll go for it in the end (well, might in my wife's team) but plenty of money making there and theoretically might be able to flip Cook/Lichaa to gun HLFs or FRF/2RFs after a month or two, giving more balance.

Smith
JBrom, Lodge
NBrown, Tohu, RFM
Cronk, Cartwright
BJ, Milne
Ted, GI, Hiku
Lichaa, Cook, Garvey, NAS
(LCroker, Kikau, Brimson, Kennar)

Warriors wrote:Just wanting to create some discussion:

Who would you pick:

Inglis or Hayne?

Alvaro or McLean or even Napa?

Harris, SST or Tapine?

Made a team $15K over budget:

Looks something like:

Tedesco, Ponga, GI
Aitken, Milne
DCE, Cartwright
T Harris, Murray, Arrow
Alvaro, Bromwich
Smith

Cook, Garvey, Lodge, Nat Butcher

4 NPR's e.g Brimson, Lachlan Croker, Tom Wright, Josh Cleeland and needing to find 15K. Obviously these four might not even be playing along with Garvey, Butcher but I like the look of it regardless. Lack of DPP's a problem but would rather gamble with strong 17 to start season and not be left behind and trade as rookies come in to grade due to injuries. Also not wanting to have too many origin players so Tedesco, Smith and GI it is for now. Is GI worth the gamble because the other two are must haves in my opinion.

What about Aiken to Leilua. Raiders have a good draw to start with and if Tapine gets a start on the right edge could be a dangerous combo with Leilua.

Great question mate.

I like Inglis over Hayne (at the moment....)

Alvaro over McLean / Napa (Alvaro came on strong at the end of last year, and I think he'll average close to 50)

Harris / SST / Tapine is a tough one. I'd give SST the edge at the moment with potential goal kicking. I'm excited about Tapine but not sure what his role will be with other good 2RFs there (Soliola etc)

I second Inglis over Hayne.

Especially if Hayne is playing centres. But even at fullback it doesn't seem like he has the scoring potential from his glory days any more.

TheWeapon wrote:Great question mate.

I like Inglis over Hayne (at the moment....)

Alvaro over McLean / Napa (Alvaro came on strong at the end of last year, and I think he'll average close to 50)

Harris / SST / Tapine is a tough one. I'd give SST the edge at the moment with potential goal kicking. I'm excited about Tapine but not sure what his role will be with other good 2RFs there (Soliola etc)

Think Inglis over Hayne too given Hayne centre and Inglis fullback. And agree with your comments re Alvaro - much the same as the Tolman mode and think he will average near 50 with the demise of Mannah (Alvaro to be a smokey this year).

Just looking at the stats of Harris, SST and Tapine. When given 80 minutes I would rank them SST, Harris and then Tapine. Tapine's stats playing 2RF is a little worrying with low tackle counts and high missed tackles.

Harris will play 80 minutes and tackle all day with the ability to jag a few meat pies outside Johnson etc. SST is the unknown really but if he is sharing minutes in the middle (prop/lock) I'm not sure I can pick him even with the GK.

Honey Badger wrote:

What about Aiken to Leilua. Raiders have a good draw to start with and if Tapine gets a start on the right edge could be a dangerous combo with Leilua.

Apart from all the injuries last year. I just love how strong and consistent Aitken is. Think he can have a big year, average mid 40's outside Ben Hunt and the best forward pack in the game bar the Cowboys.

Warriors wrote:Just wanting to create some discussion:

Who would you pick:

Inglis or Hayne?

Alvaro or McLean or even Napa?

Harris, SST or Tapine?

Inglis>Hayne, certainly if he plays FB and Hayne CTR, probably even still if they both play FB; a much closer contest if both at CTR.

Alvaro>McLean>Napa- Alvaro is actually my "secret POD" that I was going on about in the other thread, at last someone mentions him! If he gets a starting position over Evans he is in my team without doubt, and every draft I make has him pop up. He showed glimpses of breakthrough last year when he got the minutes, and I have a gut feeling he is the forward most likely to pull a Ryan James 2016 / Paul Vaughan 2017 and jump to that gun level if he gets the starting nod. Have yet to see him in anybody elses team, so possibly also a big POD. McLean also has decent stats for a guy played in limited minutes last year, I have no doubt he would be a great pick if he had enough minutes, but that is the big question in a stacked Cowboys forward pack. Napa would really need to pull his thumb out, just don't see what is different for him this season.

Harris>SST>Tapine- Harris glued for 80 mins and should score consistently in a pack that will do a lot of defending; SST always fighting Liu for a minutes and seems to hit those big scores too infrequently for my mind; Tapine has some disappointing stats last year even whilst playing big minutes at lock and second row