2018 NRL.com Fantasy thread part 66

Re Ponga he looks like he'll play but it's amazing how social media works re him playing in the halves. The original article says "Brown toying with Ponga five eighth switch" & now this has snowballed into Ponga is playing five eighth haha.

wolfking wrote:Deciding on a captain is going to be agonizing today.

Cook pure & simple for me. The Souths middle will smash the Broncos middle providing plenty of quick play the balls for Cook to do his magic. If I was going for a punt then T-Trbo.

Clack Bocks wrote:

For pearce?

If it happens it will be for Cogger. If Ponga does play five eighth it will maybe only be 1 game as C. Watson began running this week following his groin injury .

IM tempting to put money on Teddy against the Raiders. Roosters will put 50 on them.

Or Cook I guess.

Thoughts on using my last trade to sell Ponga for either Holmes or Tedesco? I have a funny feeling Ponga will not go well in the last 3, meanwhile Holmes has been killing it since round 9-10 and kicks goals too.

My team:

Smith
Ese'ese, Kikau (vc)
RMartin, Jurbo, Kaufusi
SJ, Cleary
Marsters, Hayne
Ponga, RTS, Turbo (c)

Cook, Taupau, Aitken, Widdop (for looping)

A Reynolds, Taumalolo, Brimson, Lewis

Bethany_B wrote:Thoughts on using my last trade to sell Ponga for either Holmes or Tedesco? I have a funny feeling Ponga will not go well in the last 3, meanwhile Holmes has been killing it since round 9-10 and kicks goals too.

My team:

Smith
Ese'ese, Kikau
RMartin, Jurbo, Kaufusi
SJ, Cleary
Marsters, Hayne
Ponga, RTS, Turbo

Cook, Taupau, Aitken, Widdop (for looping)

A Reynolds, Taumalolo, Brimson, Lewis

Fortitude wrote:IM tempting to put money on Teddy against the Raiders. Roosters will put 50 on them.

Or Cook I guess.

I can see that happening. I can see a very high scoreline in that game something like 50-30 Roosters. The loss of JWH is a big one for the Roosters though because he has really been dominating the ruck in the last couple of games. Napa comes in to start for JWH & he's going to have put on one of his full nutter displays but he could be lacking a bit of match fitness so he's really going to have to dig deep to pull it off.

I think I'll be captaining Taupau. This year I think the Titans are one of the top 3 teams that Props score exceptionally well against. Manly looking for 3 straight wins. I expect Taupau to run over the top of the Titans lacklustre defence and provide ample offloads; however, this could also work in favour of DCE or Turbo who should see lots of points off second phase plays.

Bethany_B wrote:Thoughts on using my last trade to sell Ponga for either Holmes or Tedesco? I have a funny feeling Ponga will not go well in the last 3, meanwhile Holmes has been killing it since round 9-10 and kicks goals too.

My team:

Smith
Ese'ese, Kikau (vc)
RMartin, Jurbo, Kaufusi
SJ, Cleary
Marsters, Hayne
Ponga, RTS, Turbo (c)

Cook, Taupau, Aitken, Widdop (for looping)

A Reynolds, Taumalolo, Brimson, Lewis

I would save that last trade & I wouldn't sell Ponga. Your backline is great. In fact I really like your team as it is.

StormTrooper96 wrote:I think I'll be captaining Taupau. This year I think the Titans are one of the top 3 teams that Props score exceptionally well against. Manly looking for 3 straight wins. I expect Taupau to run over the top of the Titans lacklustre defence and provide ample offloads; however, this could also work in favour of DCE or Turbo who should see lots of points off second phase plays.

I'm glad I have Taupau, Jurbo, DCE & Turbo. I like the Taupau captaincy pick & he's due a meat pie as well.

White Lightning wrote:

I would save that last trade & I wouldn't sell Ponga. Your backline is great. In fact I really like your team as it is.

I know that's the rational option but I'm trying to make up overall ground. I don't think Ponga will score over 50 in more than one of the next three, whereas I see DCE or Holmes going 55-60+ in all three. Also, DCE is a massive POD while everyone has Ponga.

StormTrooper96 wrote:I think I'll be captaining Taupau. This year I think the Titans are one of the top 3 teams that Props score exceptionally well against. Manly looking for 3 straight wins. I expect Taupau to run over the top of the Titans lacklustre defence and provide ample offloads; however, this could also work in favour of DCE or Turbo who should see lots of points off second phase plays.

I'm going with DCE. Hoping he's busy buzzing around for offloads etc. Plus some scooting.

I dont have Turbo and this worries me this week. Dont pass to him!

I don't have Turbo or DCE........still tempted to punt ARey for one of them.

Verbal Kint wrote:

I'm going with DCE. Hoping he's busy buzzing around for offloads etc. Plus some scooting.

I dont have Turbo and this worries me this week. Dont pass to him!

are you already?

White Lightning wrote:

I'm glad I have Taupau, Jurbo, DCE & Turbo. I like the Taupau captaincy pick & he's due a meat pie as well.

Yeah i have had Jurbo, DCE, Turbo all year with Taupau and Fainu coming in throughout the season in recent weeks. Hoping for Fainu to go the 80. There was something on @LS where he mentioned Fainu was leading up to playing 80 minutes and in fact playing 81 minutes in the GP win over the Sharks, so it was a massive surprise he only plays 30 odd last week. @LS reckons Barratt's rotations may have been squandered by the Hokko binning. Pretty much he is hoping it is not a regular occurrence like the rest of us.

Taupau is a good captaincy option but the only thing that could be a concern is his minutes. Could be anyhting from 40-60.

Bethany_B wrote:

I know that's the rational option but I'm trying to make up overall ground. I don't think Ponga will score over 50 in more than one of the next three, whereas I see DCE or Holmes going 55-60+ in all three. Also, DCE is a massive POD while everyone has Ponga.

If that is what your gut instinct is telling you then go for it. As you say you have to risk it for the biscuit.

wolfking wrote:Taupau is a good captaincy option but the only thing that could be a concern is his minutes.  Could be anyhting from 40-60.

With the bench of
Hokko - HLF/HK
Tanginoa - 2nd Row
Winterstein - 2nd Row
Perrett - FRF

I can see Taupau leaning more towards the 60 minutes mark. If i dont captain Taupau i think ill hedge my bets with Smith as everyone will be going Cook expecting him to bounce back.

Chewie wrote:

are you already?

At 10am? Yes No

I'm at work, spreadsheeting it up like a demon

StormTrooper96 wrote:

With the bench of
Hokko - HLF/HK
Tanginoa - 2nd Row
Winterstein - 2nd Row
Perrett - FRF

I can see Taupau leaning more towards the 60 minutes mark. If i dont captain Taupau i think ill hedge my bets with Smith as everyone will be going Cook expecting him to bounce back.

Your captain punt worked last week mate, might just follow you haha.