NRL Fantasy 2018 Thread Part 34

Liverpool_Bulldog wrote:Hiku probably your most consistent back up CTR/WFB

So which of the others would you drop? I don't really want to drop Havili because that will leave me with 3x WFB/CTRs on my EMG bench.

my tv broke wrote:Cam

Murray is BACK (via christian nicolussi from SMH)

Do you have a list of all the team specific journo on twitter?

I got rid of Kennar last week. Kahu not far from returning possibly as well.

SoylentGreen wrote:

So which of the others would you drop? I don't really want to drop Havili because that will leave me with 3x WFB/CTRs on my EMG bench.

Id drop kennar.

Isaako should be safe, kahu probably takes opacics spot (though kahu always seems to go shit at centre)

my tv broke wrote:

Id drop kennar.

Isaako should be safe, kahu probably takes opacics spot (though kahu always seems to go shit at centre)

No consideration that Kennar plays 13 and the other 2 don't?

Here's my team post trade if anyone would like to offer any suggestions. I went Rochow to Matterson this week(it was between he or Tolo although bringing in Aitken is tempting as it leaves 160k cash over)

22 trades left 4K bank

Cook
Fifita TPJ
Matterson Arrow RFM
DCE Mbye
Mitchell Isaako
Tedesco Ponga Thompson

Smith
Murray
Kikau
JFH

Sua
Gosiewski
JMK
Fine

surmo13 wrote:keep looking at Sorensen because of the 70, but his situation strikes me as a bit of a one hit wonder, Graham & Bukuya should be back this week and i'm assuming no news on Lewis' calf issue is good news for him. don't see him ousting Capewell on the bench because of his utility value, and the Sharks carrying 2 edge forwards and a hooker on their bench would be an odd bench make-up.

I keep looking at Sorensen because I just plain like him. All year I've been hoping he'll get a crack, he's been playing great for the Jets and was excellent in the trials. He won't score like that again but he's defensively very solid - much better than Capewell I think.
I haven't heard any update on Lewis's injury but if he's out for a few weeks I might be interested.
You're right about the bench situation, I think Capewell is a better benchy. But that might be even better, if Sorensen plays a few weeks, disappears for a couple, then plays round 13 when Graham is out for Origin.
Probably wishful thinking, and I'm not even sure I need much more cash

Liverpool_Bulldog wrote:NEWCASTLE coach Nathan Brown has confirmed that Connor Watson will return from injury against the Sea Eagles on Friday.

After losing star recruit Mitchell Pearce for up to four months with a torn pec, Waton’s comeback is timely.

Brown has revealed Watson will don the No.6 jersey for the Knights and partner Jack Cogger in the halves.

“Connor was probably fit to play last week but we thought it’s best to give him another week,” Brown said.

“Connor’s keen and hungry and tough and hell being plenty of commitment and plenty of speed to our team.

“Connor is playing where he sort of trained all year and Coggs is pretty adaptable ... Coggs is probably going to have to assume a little bit more responsibility than probably what he did last week.”

Cogger looks value if this is the case. Could see most of the km his way.

The Sea-Eagles are lucky to face the Pearce-Less Knights this week. They might have a chance to bounce back.

Their missed tackle fest against the Eels didn't help my fantasy team score
Koro: 11 MT
Gosie: 7 MT

Cogger averaging 229 kick metres across his five 80 minute nsw cup games this year. Only averaging 32 fantasy points per game (has one game which was only 50 mins). Doesn't particularly excite me, i may have to take a punt anyway. Screams a wasted position though.

Just realised I can go Rochow and Thompson > Fifita and Cogger.

Could always get Fifita next week if I prioritise Dugan this week

zorasdomain wrote:I don't know who to trade in this week. I'm sitting in 4th which is making me uncomfortable and over think everything. I have no idea how to play this game when not ranked 10,000th

I have Macca and Rochow to get rid of and can pretty much buy any 2 players, but no one is really standing out. I already have Fifita and Matterson who seems to be the flavours of the week.
I was wanting SJ and Harris, but obviously can't do that this week. Other than that I was looking at Smith, Dugan and Hess, all of which will likely play Origin and I already have too many Origin players.
I find myself not really wanting Taumalolo for some reason, and any others (Murray, Brown) I would want to watch for a week after coming back from injury.

There seems to be a real lack of decent 2rf options this year. It's making everyone's teams look so similar.
I might just have to go with Smith this week, even though I wanted to avoid him this year, at least before Origin.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Are there options I'm not thinking of? Preferably a round 13 player. I'm stumped.

Totally agree with @Rippin and Tearin. Forget position and just run through your trades as you normally would. It's worked great up until now.

To try and give some outside perspective here's my quick look at your team. Note that this week doesn't matter but its the sum of the next 16 weeks that matters. Now with a rest of season lens on look at your squad and trades.

- Starting 13 is super solid (Hiku and Thompson could be upgraded) and the 2RF while going great isn't top shelf (RFM, JFH, Kikau - I see these guys averaging 40-45 rest of season/long term). Everyone else I see as a keeper.
- Bench (with Macca out) and Rein being so short term is a bit weak.
- EMG are generating good cash with the exception of Rochow

I can't help but you can also get a feel on the more macro level of:
- How many trades do you have?
- How much more cash do you need for a final 17?

Sounds like you don't like any of the premium options this round due to them not playing, injury, origin or gut feel (super valid and the fun way to play). To me with your team I'd be looking to (in order of priority)

1) Address the bench. Havilli and Macca/any of your EMG player aren't guys I want to play in my 17. I'd look to upgrade them if I sensibly can.
2) Get a gun HLF
3) Get the gun 2RFs in
4) If you need more cash I'd look at grabbing rd 13 players (i.e. Cogger) - I'm guessing you don't need a hell of a lot if any.
5) Get your last CTR


1) Smith is the best player available here. If the Origin commitment is offputting lets look into spots where we can upgrade your 1-13.
2) SJ (out), DCE (horrible Manly form and losing cash), Daylight, more daylight, most other halves. I like SJ to pair with Matterson so I'd wait here (playing Mbye and Thompson isn't a huge loss here)
3) Chricton (?), Lolo (gut feel), Hess (origin), Surgess (out), JDB (sharing points), Mannering (losing cash and returning to form?), Tohu (out), Guerra or Fitzgibbon (No pearce?), Tuapau (Manly form), James (not top shelf?) Murray and Brown (both returning from injury) all have some risks but are all upgrades even with this hanging over their heads.
4) Wait for TLT but Cogger, Sorensen or sharks rookies and a few others might help get rid of Robbie (you'd likely promote JMK to the Bench or keep Havili and his uncertain minutes) . Friend is a more expensive cow in a few weeks but offers solid bench scores with the good bye (potentially). But pretty sure you have most of the cash you need already.
5) Hiku -> Dugan (no difference till rd 17), Gagai (rd 13 but rabbits form), Aitken (dragons continued dominance?), Bird (inconsistent and 5/8 security?), Scott (Melb form picking up).

To me its pretty simple this week. Rochow needs to be traded (and likely Macca) while your bench could be stronger. Your team can definitely be improved with the cash that your bank, Macca and Rochow provide. If you don't improve this week you'll need to play two of JMK, Havili and Gosiewski. Any of the guys suggested in parts 1), 2) or 3) will add 20-25 points each to your score (barring daylight and most other halves ofc). The question becomes is that 40-50 points worth an extra week and the knowledge you will make the right trades in a week?

To me the answer is hell yes. Most of the 2RF guys listed have questions that we wont have answers to until captain hindsight comes into play (in 7 rounds) and makes it obvious. Sitting on a bench of JMK and Gosie instead of having Chricton and Lolo feels crazy to me and is probably playing scared trying to protect your rank rather than enjoying the game. Conserving marginal/sideways trades is always great but I see clear upgrades to guys who are likely to be top 5-15 players come end of season.

Totally understand not grabbing a half until SJ is back (you have great cover in the meantime) and the CTR upgrade can wait till later (although Hiku to Dugan is a tempting 15 points a week upgrade).I know no-one is a standout but the difference between picking someone this week that averages 53 vs 56 for the season when you consider that you trade them in a week earlier is nothing. Unless you have no trades (Lolo and Chricton can always go after rd 13) or you are convinced that someone in that group will significantly outpace everyone else and makeup for a week or two of Havili esque scores I'd take a chance this week.

Hope that helps and definitely stop watching your rank for now and just enjoy the game You've been going great guns this whole season so just trust the process that got you here.

zorasdomain wrote:

I keep looking at Sorensen because I just plain like him. All year I've been hoping he'll get a crack, he's been playing great for the Jets and was excellent in the trials. He won't score like that again but he's defensively very solid - much better than Capewell I think.
I haven't heard any update on Lewis's injury but if he's out for a few weeks I might be interested.
You're right about the bench situation, I think Capewell is a better benchy. But that might be even better, if Sorensen plays a few weeks, disappears for a couple, then plays round 13 when Graham is out for Origin.
Probably wishful thinking, and I'm not even sure I need much more cash

It's supercoach but Sorenson the most traded in player currently.

Jesus H !! Hadnt even checked until today.. the Warriors are $2.70 to beat the Storm tomoz ! Storm arent up to.much this year and the Warriors are a different team altogether. Thats a steal.

Cap'n Ranta wrote:

To try and give some outside perspective here's my quick look at your team. Note that this week doesn't matter but its the sum of the next 16 weeks that matters. Now with a rest of season lens on look at your squad and trades.

SNIPPED

Wow, Cap'n. You're my hero
Everything you've said is exactly what I've been thinking, especially my order of priorities.
I wish there were more half options but I think my only decent option is to hold out for SJ.

Crichton is another I have considered and might be a good option. Not playing well enough to be picked for Origin most likely, which is good, and can move him on to someone else after 13 if better options come along.

At this stage in leaning (somewhat reluctantly) towards Smith this week, and I could possibly get 2x 2rfs next week from whoever is looking best out of Crichton, Taumalolo, Murray, Brown etc.
Then I'll pretty much only need SJ and a centre (probably Duges) to be just about set until the absolute must have guns of the year reveal themselves a bit later on.

Thanks again, mate. Your advice is really top class.

danseels1985 wrote:Here's my team post trade if anyone would like to offer any suggestions. I went Rochow to Matterson this week(it was between he or Tolo although bringing in Aitken is tempting as it leaves 160k cash over)

22 trades left 4K bank

Cook
Fifita TPJ
Matterson Arrow RFM
DCE Mbye
Mitchell Isaako
Tedesco Ponga Thompson

Smith
Murray
Kikau
JFH

Sua
Gosiewski
JMK
Fine

Not sure if that's the way I'd go personally mate. With Kikau and JFH on your bench and JMK sitting in your EMG I think I would have done the Aitken trade. He'll well outscore Isaako on most weeks, you bring JMK onto your bench, Kikau into the starting squad and Rochow to your EMG for this week.

That leaves 160k to upgrade Rochow next week.

Don't get me wrong, I really like Matters in your side as well and am going to get him myself as soon as I can viably do so. I just think the team is stronger without Isaako in it. You're already pretty stacked up front. Plus have plenty of cover with Su'a and Gos on the pine. I guess it comes back to a comparison. How will net you more points overall in the long run. Split between Rochow and Matters is +23. Split between Isaako and Aitken is +13. 10 point shift. Plus Matters plays 13. Guess when I look at it that way it's definitely the better move. For some reason I still like Aitken though.

Anywho, just a thought bunj.

@filthridden @my tv broke what do we think about Cogger? Is there really the value there? Or is it more risky than we'd like as MTB is saying?

I would pull the trigger on him but I just feel with Pearce now gone, if they lose one or two on the trot Brown may very well resort to Lamb alongside Watson which is how they trained a fair bit of the pre season. I know that Lamb has a stronger kicking game than Cogger which would be beneficial for the Knights (Pearce's kicking game gets em out of a lot of trouble) but maybe they're relying on Watson to run the ball a bit more to alleviate that. Hard to say really. With a BE of 13 this week Cogger will jump again in price is he scores 35+ and may make it harder to justify getting him in. Akin to the Rein situation. Think we can wait and see for a week or will that then make him not worthwhile, especially if they have a loss?

Have to use Havili in my EMG because surgess and Tohu are both out...

Revraiser wrote:Jesus H !! Hadnt even checked until today.. the Warriors are $2.70 to beat the Storm tomoz !  Storm arent up to.much this year and the Warriors are a different team altogether. Thats a steal.

Storm have only lost three games, two of them to the Tigers and both of those by 2 and 1 point.
Sharks game was a shambles both as a game and for the Storm.

I definitely wouldn't be counting the Storm out.... good odds for sure but I am picking a Storm win, personally.

Mearcats wrote:@filthridden @my tv broke what do we think about Cogger? Is there really the value there? Or is it more risky than we'd like as MTB is saying?

I would pull the trigger on him but I just feel with Pearce now gone, if they lose one or two on the trot Brown may very well resort to Lamb alongside Watson which is how they trained a fair bit of the pre season. I know that Lamb has a stronger kicking game than Cogger which would be beneficial for the Knights (Pearce's kicking game gets em out of a lot of trouble) but maybe they're relying on Watson to run the ball a bit more to alleviate that. Hard to say really. With a BE of 13 this week Cogger will jump again in price is he scores 35+ and may make it harder to justify getting him in. Akin to the Rein situation. Think we can wait and see for a week or will that then make him not worthwhile, especially if they have a loss?

Look, in all honest he's a big risk. Bigger risk than Rein, bigger risk than Gosieski.

If he does the majority of the in-play kicking then he could go well. Remains to be seen.
Lamb is indeed waiting in the wings and could come in at any point.

Cogger would need 4-6 weeks of averaging 30-35 to be worth it. Can he do that? I honestly don't know.

Personally, I need a cash out to bring in a gun with my other trade.
For me he's the best of a bunch of poor options.
Worst case scenario Cogger loses money and is out of the team and I'm left with a red dot.
Best case scenario he makes $150k+ in the next month and a bit.