NRL Fantasy 2021 Part 49 - Funtime Fifita

Welshy wrote:Definitely pivoting to Starling after that news. Fair play to @Mattnz on that early punt

Even with him sitting Rd 13?

Decided I cbf trading in any more non keeper backs so if I do trade to cover Pap (need a wbf rather than a CTR) it'll probably be someone like Trbo, Ponga, Aetkins etc or just run with 16

my tv broke wrote:

That nrl.com article was pretty damning for Hodgson. He's done at the Raiders it seems.

"Hodgson declined to elaborate on why handed over the captaincy, referring to a club statement last week that shed little light on the matter either, saying "I don’t need to be starting any more fires" on Wednesday."

so there was most definitely a blow up/argument

Not my take at all. My understanding of that is he's referring to the media "fire" that lead to his family and friends calling him as previously talked about in the article. Just seemed like a slightly more hostile "no comment" to me

So Hodgson all but confirmed to be in white and blue on Saturday?


Against his former team too... Wow what a big story.

Snatchpato wrote:So Hodgson all but confirmed to be in white and blue on Saturday?


Against his former team too... Wow what a big story.

I heard he is switching jerseys at halftime

Hodgson aside, is there a chance Havili could take some of Starling's minutes? If Raiders keep losing maybe Rick does a Madge?

Welshy wrote:Definitely pivoting to Starling after that news. Fair play to @Mattnz on that early punt

I'd be personally waiting to see how it all actually pans out before making a decision based on an NRL.com article.

Tommy_gun wrote:

@Teeth Eater

Good write up of exactly what I am pondering.

I don't trust Maguire so am not considering Mbye, he could shift to the bench before kick off this week and if you ask most Tigers fans he shouldn't be in the side at all (not even bench utility).

Tempted by BJ at his price and with his potential, could also be motivated in a contract year. He has been dropped once already this year but I think his job security is ok for the next few weeks at least.

Cotric definitely the safest albeit most uninspiring pick. Good js but those tb's have dried up and the dogs have a woeful attack.

The other option would be to run 16 this week and see if a decent cheapie pops up next week. There are a couple of better centes with higher break evens who will be ripe for the picking over the next month or so.

Thanks @Tommy_gun.

Yeah, in previous weeks I could have run with 16 and hoped for something to pop up, or for a miracle call up for Cini or Niu next week. Sadly, if Papy and Walker are out, I'm looking at the very real proposition of playing with 15 this week. So I don't want to make it a possible 14.

Yeah, I have good mates that are Tigers fans and they echo your Mbye thoughts. I could never do it. Was listening to a few Supercoach podcasts today and there was the thought that it was a smokescreen and Doueihi lines up at five-eighth by the time kick off comes around. BJ is enticing, but it's just that cocktail of possibly being dropped mixed with doing something stupid and getting himself suspended that has me too tentative to take the punt.

Like you say, Cotric is a boring pick but I think that's what I need in my centres. I'll be interested to see which direction you go in.

One thing I have learnt in the NRL over the last 2-3 years when there are rumoured rifts/nigglings within clubs is that where there is smoke there is fire and more often than not there is someone in the clubs leaking this stuff. You don’t often get these rumours coming out of no where.

It is very easy for a club to “play down” a situation.

More times than not over the last few years we have seen reports “Player X is unhappy at X club due to player Y/Coach/training methods”.

Couple days later “Player X and Player Y/Coach/Management come out and squash any reports about a rift”

Couple weeks later “Player X has been dropped to reserve grade/being shopped around/signed with another club”

toast wrote:Hodgson aside, is there a chance Havili could take some of Starling's minutes? If Raiders keep losing maybe Rick does a Madge?

I think Starling is the type of player that's much more suited to the new rules.

Oz Sport Mad wrote:

I'd be personally waiting to see how it all actually pans out before making a decision based on an NRL.com article.

It's been building for a while, it's not just that article.

Love me a good TU v TD

TU: Starling trade in (Misses 13)
TD: Gamble trade in (broncos hot potatoe)

bigbruno wrote:

Even with him sitting Rd 13?

It's one of those ones for me that could be a big play, with a 475K player becoming a keeper in the 14-17, and with cash generation a problem, could be vital.  We've seen what he can do, and his tonned up before.  I was filthy last year going Randall over him, so would be absolutely spewing if I missed him again.

Only problem is, I'll trade him in for Cini so any late switches and I have egg on my face.

wolfking wrote:

It's one of those ones for me that could be a big play, with a 475K player becoming a keeper in the 14-17, and with cash generation a problem, could be vital.  We've seen what he can do, and his tonned up before.  I was filthy last year going Randall over him, so would be absolutely spewing if I missed him again.

Agree with you entirely.

Just can't decide whether he's got more upside than gamble mm

bigbruno wrote:

Agree with you entirely.

Just can't decide whether he's got more upside than gamble mm

Check out his scores when starting hooker playing big minutes.

StormTrooper96 wrote:One thing I have learnt in the NRL over the last 2-3 years when there are rumoured rifts/nigglings within clubs is that where there is smoke there is fire and more often than not there is someone in the clubs leaking this stuff. You don’t often get these rumours coming out of no where.

It is very easy for a club to “play down” a situation.

Undoubtedly, there is sometimes fire where there is smoke.

But something I have learnt over the last 30+ years watching League, is that sometimes where this is smoke, there is a smoke machine.....and that smoke machine often happens to be full time journo's who deliberately join dots when teams are losing.

Take NQ and Lolo at the start of this year, haven't heard too much out of them since they have started winning (even when some of the wins have been less than impressive and against some pretty average teams).

Look not saying there isn't any rifts or strained relationships (like any other workplace) - and particularly it wasn't a great sign that Tapine's missus did what she did.

But to me, the Raiders poor form has more to do with missing a highly under-rated fullback.

If they start winning again, I'm sure Ricky and the players will all suddenly like each other again.

Starling has a nice BE of 2 as well - shame about the R13 bye

Hold on a minute, is Starling a must have all of a sudden? Would be perfect for my price range aswell. Should I grab him? (h2h player)

What does it matter if Starling doesn't play R13.

It's not like R17 doesn't exist and you could potentially get a keeper for excellent value even if you give it another week or two to pan out.

Ramitinmyhaaas wrote:Hold on a minute, is Starling a must have all of a sudden? Would be perfect for my price range aswell. Should I grab him? (h2h player)

It's a massive gamble, but very high reward.