https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/01/23/fantasy-files-breaking-news-and-analysis-for-your-nrl-fantasy-team/
Fantasy Files: Round one teams take shape
Just one day out from the first Team List Tuesday of 2019, there are plenty of Fantasy-relevant details starting to emerge.
As reported by NRL.com Chief Reporter Michael Chammas on Inside the NRL, Zac Lomax is set to be a shock omission from the Dragons' round one team with rookie winger Mikaela Ravalawa to debut outside Euan Aitken.
At the Wests Tigers, a six-week shoulder injury to David Nofoaluma should see recruit Robert Jennings earn a wing spot and his fellow recruit Paul Momirovski line up in the centres alongside Esan Marsters while Benji Marshall will start the season at five-eighth and Josh Reynolds to start from the bench.
Issac Luke will miss at least the first two or so weeks at the Warriors, Lachlan Burr is likely to find a spot in the 17 and Adam Keighran will get first crack in the halves alongside Blake Green following Shaun Johnson's departure.
At the Rabbitohs, Braidon Burns is set to partner Greg Inglis in the centres with Campbell Graham and Dane Gagai on the wings.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad will get first crack in the Raiders No.1 jersey following Jack Wighton's move to five eighth, breakout 2018 Fantasy star Rhyse Martin will start the season in reserve grade at Canterbury, and Hymel Hunt is fit to start in the centres for Newcastle which returns Sione Mata'utia to the pack and would push one of Mitch Barnett and Herman Ese'ese out of the 17.
Exciting youngster Bronson Xerri will also have to bide his time before getting his first-grade call-up at Cronulla, and AJ Brimson is set to start the season on the bench at the Gold Coast alongside Bryce Cartwright.
No teams are official as yet, with all 16 clubs to confirm their 21-man squads for round one at 4pm AEDT on Tuesday.
Broncos, Storm teams analysis
The first Team List Tuesday of 2019 is just hours away but two clubs have already revealed their likely round one squads, with the Storm and Broncos getting in ahead of the pack before their season opener in Melbourne on Thursday.
Brisbane named their likely line-up on Friday night while Melbourne named a 21-man squad on Sunday, with some mixed news on the Fantasy front from both clubs.
The Broncos side features a few minor surprises in the back row, with Matt Gillett starting at lock as he did in Brisbane's final trial and Jaydn Su'A joining Alex Glenn in the second row ahead of David Fifita. Tevita Pangai jnr and Fifita are on the bench, along with utility Kotoni Staggs and youngster Tom Flegler ($212k FRF), with Pangai a chance of taking the No.13 jersey in future weeks with Gillett naturally an edge forward. Jack Bird ($289k) is the cut-price option in the backline.
For Melbourne, potential cash cow Joe Stimson has been left out of the squad with a lower back injury and now looks a no-go for round one, although he could return to action as soon as round two. Even then, Craig Bellamy may opt to ease the 23-year-old into the side via the bench. There are no other surprises from Melbourne's side, although cheapies Tui Kamikamica ($228k FRF), Tom Eisenhuth ($212k CTR), Ryan Papenhuyzen ($212k WFB) and Billy Walters ($212k HLF) could be pushing for a spot in the 17.
Both halves Cameron Munster ($667k) and Brodie Croft ($561k) are arguably underpriced based on their scoring potential this season, while Cameron Smith ($894k) doesn't come cheap but remains a great captaincy option.
Broncos team: Darius Boyd (c), Corey Oates, James Roberts, Jack Bird, Jamayne Isaako, Anthony Milford, Kodi Nikorima, Matt Lodge, Andrew McCullough, Joe Ofahengaue, Jaydn Su’A, Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett. Interchange: Kotoni Staggs, David Fifita, Thomas Flegler, Tevita Pangai jnr. 18th man: Shaun Fensom.
Storm squad: Josh Addo-Carr, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Jesse Bromwich, Kenny Bromwich, Will Chambers, Brodie Croft, Tom Eisenhuth, Dale Finucane, Jahrome Hughes, Tui Kamikamica, Felise Kaufusi, Patrick Kaufusi, Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Curtis Scott, Marion Seve, Brandon Smith, Cameron Smith (c), Suliasi Vunivalu, Billy Walters, Christian Welch.
Fantasy ramifications of pre-season injuries
The NRL pre-season has come and gone and not everybody made it through unscathed, with Tom Trbojevic, Manu Ma'u, Viliame Kikau, Chris Lawrence, Tevita Pangai jnr and Scott Drinkwater joining the casualty ward.
While Trbojevic (round three), Kikau (round four) and Pangai (round one/two) are chasing early returns, the likes of Ma'u (round six), Drinkwater (round 14) and Lawrence (out until July) are set for extended stints on the sidelines.
That presents opportunities for other players at those clubs. Marata Niukore is set to replace Ma'u in the starting side, but the absence of 80-minute-man Ma'u means new signing Shaun Lane is more likely to get big game time. At $599,000 he's priced as a 40-point player but last year averaged more than 50 when playing more than 60 minutes.
At Melbourne Jahrome Hughes will replace Drinkwater at fullback. Hughes split his time between the No.1 and No.7 jerseys in his 11 regular season games last year, scoring better at fullback (38 points a game). With a break even of 34 he has upside, but arguably not enough unless his scoring improves this season.
Luke Garner started for the Wests Tigers in the second row last week and grabbed a try, and could be Lawrence's long-term replacement in the starting side. With a price tag of $340,000 he's got a break even of 23, and on the two occasions last season when he played more than 50 minutes he scored 41 and 34.
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