NRL Fantasy 2020 Part 6

Nooooo not Bunty....

Telegraph story (can't see all of it, paywall) that Crichton playing in centres in World Club Challenge. Not sure how inportant that is if Hall back Rnd1, but anyway.

sajjos wrote:
Fitz had a 12 point drop from the previous years avg (when playing 60+ minutes). What do you think will improve his score?

Fantasy is about looking for bottomed out stocks that you think will bounce back and avoiding overpriced stocks until they lose value. Your gut pick is Mitchell who's losing 8pts per game from goal kicking and around 6pts for tackles at centre vs FB. Do you think he's going to make those points up in new team at FB?

With 5 hookers atm if I wanted to get another 2RF like Luciano/Fitz easiest to lose would be Friend but he's so tempting if plays big minutes but will he though? What's the Verrills situation really? Bench hooker only playing 20 mins?

Camo123 wrote:Reports from the Mole (yes the Mole) that Bunty Afoa has suffered a serious knee injury and will be out for most of the season. It was reposted by NRL physio so it may actually have some truth to it

Not sure how it affects Warriors' rotation (if at all) as he ended year on interchange and didn't play final 3 rounds

With Tevaga also out for the first month, will be some extra minutes for middle forwards there. Curran was being pushed as a possible option

rhinoceroo wrote:Telegraph story (can't see all of it, paywall) that Crichton playing in centres in World Club Challenge. Not sure how inportant that is if Hall back Rnd1, but anyway.

Ideally Crichton plays first month at ctr to get dpp, bring his price down and then shift back to the 2nd row

mattnz wrote:

With Tevaga also out for the first month, will be some extra minutes for middle forwards there. Curran was being pushed as a possible option

Paasi
Lawton/Egan
Ah Mau
Harris
Papalii
Blair

Nikorima
Burr
?
?

my tv broke wrote:Ponga will probably carve it up behind a big maoris pack and people will frantically try to fit him in.

If both Merrin and Knight look good in charity shield I can see alot of people dropping Hass last minute and picking up an extra gun back like Ponga

Honey Badger wrote:

Ideally Crichton plays first month at ctr to get dpp, bring his price down and then shift back to the 2nd row

Ideally. Can't see it happening though.

Loomer wrote:

Fantasy is about looking for bottomed out stocks that you think will bounce back and avoiding overpriced stocks until they lose value. Your gut pick is Mitchell who's losing 8pts per game from goal kicking and around 6pts for tackles at centre vs FB. Do you think he's going to make those points up in new team at FB?

I get what you are saying. At FB I would expect Mitchell to make up lost ponts with increased TB's, Meter Gained and hopefully some kick meters and TA's.

Fitz is playing with a similar pack from last year and in the same team so I was just interested to know why he would bounce back.

This would work better as a podcast, but for something different, here is my pre-trials latest draft presented as a walk through (I’m literally picking them, then typing). God bring on TLT already:oops:

And for all who know me ( ), apologies for how disgustingly middle of the road some of this is!

BENCH

Weird little habit but last couple of seasons to reasonably good effect, I’ve picked my 14-18 first.

Friend - many will start him, but I ALWAYS start a gun hooker so he will be number 2 for me. Much prefer a Gun/Friend/Koro combo than expecting much out of a Brailey

Koro - he is only 1 of about 4 players who have been in 100% of my drafts. Don’t love the term must have, but he is one (but you all know that). Priced at 34 and has no issues hitting 50-60+ when he gets an hour+

Carrigan - I think he’ll be reliable for his price, if not make a mockery of it, should he make lock his own. A real no frills workhorse with a good base who will go close to a point a minute with whatever time he gets.

Stimson- I finished last season declaring he’d be one of my first picked next season and his pricing has done nothing to put me off. Lot of value at 2RF but he’s the pick of value if starts.

Luai - certainly not expecting double tries and 90pts like his breakout game last year, but needn’t do so as a beyond serviceable close to base price 18th man and half backup.

Walters he’s the only NPR I’ll pick for now. A bargain stash for later after tigers have a couple of losses. He looks a likely type and expect him to wear the 9 in not too distant future.

20/21 - No picks. Base price that can wait for TLT

HOK
Smith - I’m really not sure what to make of Souths’ go forward so playing it safe with Cam instead of Captain Cook. He’s as boring as picks come but might weirdly be a POD this year among the serious players.

FRF

Merrin - Interesting price point this. Whoever gets 13 out of Lawrie or Merrin will go in for me. I’m hoping Merrin looks fit in the trials as think he could be a steal. He’s a one time 60-70+ and very much a nostalgia pick

Knight - I know this fella from the Raiders and he’s just above average. I can’t see how he’s going to push the most talented young lock in our game to an edge, but even a starting prop he interests me

2RF

So much value at the position this year and a gun (Tlolo), potential gun (Fifita) and forgotten guns (Matterson, Murray, Crichton) everywhere that could seriously hurt. Could very easily get cold feet close to TLT and go back to the tried and tested Gun 2RF security blanket model!

Hess - feels like trying to “cover” the cowboys, but I do want some of their forward power and this guy will do. Strange year last year in the cold and filling in at centre, but 8 matches with over 60pts (including 3 over 70) just the year before.

Williams - try scoring and line breaking forward. Very fun pick. high energy ball runner and terrier in the tackle. Looked a bit manic at times off the bench last year and prone to an error but really goes hard and is as much a chance of a line break as he is a TB. I think he’s quite an exciting pick this year with Gal finally gone. He started lock just the once last season for 59pts in 49mins.

Arrow - allowing myself the luxury of one gun at least and boy is this lad one. I love a player capable of busting out an 80+ like he did last match of last year and several times season before. Stuttering season last year, but he’s every bit one of the games top guns and just comes in at a price that I’m finding easier to fit in than Haas and Tlolo

HLF
Moses - I’m not a Moses kinda guy but as dominant as halves come these days in attack and I want to own the key attacking man on the side with the softest starting opposition fixtures. VC

Brimson - served me quite well last year as a differential WFB3 through the middle rounds. Wasn’t on my radar until 9s. He’s looking as sharp as ever, which makes him good value

CTR Kill me
Lomax - I’m not too keen on the kid but with Dufty making a good thing of him getting the number 1 jersey at a position as crummy as centre, will take the punt

Smith-Shields - get the feeling this lad will win the race for our outside back vacancy and he looks good. Not a big man, more in the Euan Aitken mold, but a quick and strong outside back in what I think (hope) is going to be a very good attacking team again! CTR2 is always Heavily subject to TLT for me.

WFB

Papenhuyzen - shares the spotlight with Koro for having never left the side. This guy is simply electric and has Ponga and Teddy like games in him for much cheaper

Drinkwater - I will hold my hands up to saying I had no idea he was in line for 6 jersey before the 9s. I just thought he would be a fringe player after recruiting Val, which never made sense to me with a kid of his talent. With Hlf/WFB DPP he’s my rotation with Brimson as and when needed.

S.Crichton - over 50k cheaper than Best and gives DPP rotation with Lomax for when I need to start upgrading and dumping. He will do me if he gets a run on with the panthers.

sajjos wrote:
Fitz is playing with a similar pack from last year and in the same team so I was just interested to know why he would bounce back.

Per game tries TB offloads all halved. Tackles down about 10% and 2 LBs last season vs 12 season before. Everything else pretty much same average.

for the Knights i'd say Glasby will be coming off the bench. He struggled when starting, just has so much more game impact when he comes off the bench. O'Brien coached him at the Storm when they used him that way

GreenMachine wrote:This would work better as a podcast, but for something different, here is my pre-trials latest draft presented as a walk through (I’m literally picking them, then typing). God bring on TLT already:oops:

And for all who know me ( ), apologies for how disgustingly middle of the road some of this is!

BENCH

Weird little habit but last couple of seasons to reasonably good effect, I’ve picked my 14-18 first.

Friend - many will start him, but I ALWAYS start a gun hooker so he will be number 2 for me. Much prefer a Gun/Friend/Koro combo than expecting much out of a Brailey

Koro - he is only 1 of about 4 players who have been in 100% of my drafts. Don’t love the term must have, but he is one (but you all know that). Priced at 34 and has no issues hitting 50-60+ when he gets an hour+

Carrigan - I think he’ll be reliable for his price, if not make a mockery of it, should he make lock his own. A real no frills workhorse with a good base who will go close to a point a minute with whatever time he gets.

Stimson- I finished last season declaring he’d be one of my first picked next season and his pricing has done nothing to put me off. Lot of value at 2RF but he’s the pick of value if starts.

Luai - certainly not expecting double tries and 90pts like his breakout game last year, but needn’t do so as a beyond serviceable close to base price 18th man and half backup.

Walters he’s the only NPR I’ll pick for now. A bargain stash for later after tigers have a couple of losses. He looks a likely type and expect him to wear the 9 in not too distant future.

20/21 - No picks. Base price that can wait for TLT

HOK
Smith - I’m really not sure what to make of Souths’ go forward so playing it safe with Cam instead of Captain Cook. He’s as boring as picks come but might weirdly be a POD this year among the serious players.

FRF

Merrin - Interesting price point this. Whoever gets 13 out of Lawrie or Merrin will go in for me. I’m hoping Merrin looks fit in the trials as think he could be a steal. He’s a one time 60-70+ and very much a nostalgia pick

Knight - I know this fella from the Raiders and he’s just above average. I can’t see how he’s going to push the most talented young lock in our game to an edge, but even a starting prop he interests me

2RF

So much value at the position this year and a gun (Tlolo), potential gun (Fifita) and forgotten guns (Matterson, Murray, Crichton) everywhere that could seriously hurt. Could very easily get cold feet close to TLT and go back to the tried and tested Gun 2RF security blanket model!

Hess - feels like trying to “cover” the cowboys, but I do want some of their forward power and this guy will do. Strange year last year in the cold and filling in at centre, but 8 matches with over 60pts (including 3 over 70) just the year before.

Williams - try scoring and line breaking forward. Very fun pick. high energy ball runner and terrier in the tackle. Looked a bit manic at times off the bench last year and prone to an error but really goes hard and is as much a chance of a line break as he is a TB. I think he’s quite an exciting pick this year with Gal finally gone. He started lock just the once last season for 59pts in 49mins.

Arrow - allowing myself the luxury of one gun at least and boy is this lad one. I love a player capable of busting out an 80+ like he did last match of last year and several times season before. Stuttering season last year, but he’s every bit one of the games top guns and just comes in at a price that I’m finding easier to fit in than Haas and Tlolo

HLF
Moses - I’m not a Moses kinda guy but as dominant as halves come these days in attack and I want to own the key attacking man on the side with the softest starting opposition fixtures. VC

Brimson - served me quite well last year as a differential WFB3 through the middle rounds. Wasn’t on my radar until 9s. He’s looking as sharp as ever, which makes him good value

CTR Kill me
Lomax - I’m not too keen on the kid but with Dufty making a good thing of him getting the number 1 jersey at a position as crummy as centre, will take the punt

Smith-Shields - get the feeling this lad will win the race for our outside back vacancy and he looks good. Not a big man, more in the Euan Aitken mold, but a quick and strong outside back in what I think (hope) is going to be a very good attacking team again! CTR2 is always Heavily subject to TLT for me.

WFB

Papenhuyzen - shares the spotlight with Koro for having never left the side. This guy is simply electric and has Ponga and Teddy like games in him for much cheaper

Drinkwater - I will hold my hands up to saying I had no idea he was in line for 6 jersey before the 9s. I just thought he would be a fringe player after recruiting Val, which never made sense to me with a kid of his talent. With Hlf/WFB DPP he’s my rotation with Brimson as and when needed.

S.Crichton - over 50k cheaper than Best and gives DPP rotation with Lomax for when I need to start upgrading and dumping. He will do me if he gets a run on with the panthers.

Nive evaluation mate, well thought out and agree with most

Ben Marlin wrote:
Thanks mate!

Yeah I would drop Isaako if he was on the wing and bring in Hall or Suli (via Lomax)
If I do that I will be able to afford Garner

I can't find any other halves that offer more value than JMK (I've already got Mann + Luai)

I agree with Friend, if he looks like he will get good minutes I will keep him if not I will find another option.

It would be great if the Grant trade could happen but I don't think it is likely to happen. I would assume if that's the case then Mbye will start at hooker with Walters on the bench (Leilua and Momirovski in the centres)

Brandon Smith, I think he is underpriced with the potential to be a 50 point player if players in the starting pack get injured.

Are you expecting Smith to start somewhere?

How come AFifita hasn't been mentioned much? Underpriced compared to his usual output, prior and gallen gone and probably won't play origin.

I know he is coming off a surgery but will return for trials. A wait and see till then?

wolfking wrote:

See what options come up in TLT for a potential downgrade.  I have Sua also and do think Bennet will leave Lowe on the bench.  Just depends how he uses him but I'm thinking Sua could fill Suttons role playing 80 and then Murray starts on and edge for 20 minutes then Lowe comes on and plays 60 minutes out wide with Murray shifting to the lock role.

I can’t see Su’a playing 80mins mate as the longer he plays the more tackles he misses and the worse his defence gets.

Ben Marlin wrote:
Bump

Who is Smith in the back row?

Edit must be Brandon you mean. At this stage I don’t think he’s fantasy relevant.

Milikache wrote:How come AFifita hasn't been mentioned much? Underpriced compared to his usual output, prior and gallen gone and probably won't play origin.

I know he is coming off a surgery but will return for trials. A wait and see till then?

Last 3 season average is 55 now priced 54 and coming off surgery so no value start with imo. Of course he can pump out a big score at any time but big boppers usually start season slow

Loomer wrote:

Feb 7th tweet "Trials will be interesting and likely to decide who starts but at this stage, Barnett a big chance of shifting to lock. Guerra/Sione to play on right edge."

That's just guessing

Fitz is a good shout. Will be watching his performances in trials

I personally think Barnett is best suited at lock but with glasby, Herman and Jaifiti for the middle rotation and not heaps of second rowers to choose from plus Sione always a chance of ending up in the centers id expect Barnett to spend some time to chop and change a bit between the two through he year

O’brien has put a big focus on attitude in training (every coach sure) with the team mantra being win the day. Basically called them all a bunch of losers and in Bellamy protege style showed them all clips of when they were losing, tired etc and failed to put the effort in to be in position or effect a tackle etc. trying to change the mentality of it being ok to put in a subpar effort at times because it’s ok for the team to lose. Also put the spin on it that in how they treat their family and public etc they also need to win the day and that it all add up to success on the field more than individual quality

Can see why the storm model is so successful. Really hoping O’brien is a good combo of Bellamy and Robinson

Good shout re fitzgibbon too!