NRL Fantasy 2022 Part 1 - fire up the spreadsheets

Back for another year of torture

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:

From the article, it sounds as though Taaffe has an ongoing role in the team as well. Where will he play once Latrell Sprewell is back at FB?

14, where Benji was last year

Lemmy KGB wrote:Not too sure how much to read into Aitken's comments, but paranoia is certainly creeping in there.

They're behind you Lemmy! Or are they......

rhinoceroo wrote:

14, where Benji was last year

Damien Cook, Cody Walker, and Adam Reynolds all played close to 80 minutes week in week out last year. Murray played 66 minutes on average. Benji Marshall played 26 minutes on average. He did not take minutes from CTR. Where did he take all his minutes from? EDG?

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:

Damien Cook, Cody Walker, and Adam Reynolds all played close to 80 minutes week in week out last year. Murray played 66 minutes on average. Benji Marshall played 26 minutes on average. He did not take minutes from CTR. Where did he take all his minutes from? EDG?

Just had a quick look. Of the four highest min games from the bench 3 were injury affected to some degree (or just late season rests). Cook didnt play one of them.

In rnd 1 he also played 49 mins from the bench. I remember that game. Storm smashed rabbits early, was about 26 nil after 20 mins. They just chucked benji on as the game was already gone. I think maybe sua got hooked early

Moanaman wrote:

They're behind you Lemmy! Or are they......

Eek

my tv broke wrote:

Just had a quick look. Of the four highest min games from the bench 3 were injury affected to some degree (or just late season rests). Cook didnt play one of them.

In rnd 1 he also played 49 mins from the bench. I remember that game. Storm smashed rabbits early, was about 26 nil after 20 mins. They just chucked benji on as the game was already gone. I think maybe sua got hooked early

Hmmm I am concerned that Ilias will not play 80. I suppose all we can do is wait for the trials. Maybe it does not matter and he still makes money in any case

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:

Hmmm I am concerned that Ilias will not play 80. I suppose all we can do is wait for the trials. Maybe it does not matter and he still makes money in any case

How many NRL teams have ever had a game plan that involves regularly using trades on their starting halfback.

If Ilias isn't playing 80 its because he's been dropped, not given a mid game rest

Milchcow wrote:

How many NRL teams have ever had a game plan that involves regularly using trades on their starting halfback.

If Ilias isn't playing 80 its because he's been dropped, not given a mid game rest

Don't tell me you are going to be throwing logic around again this year Milch?

Milchcow wrote:

How many NRL teams have ever had a game plan that involves regularly using trades on their starting halfback.

If Ilias isn't playing 80 its because he's been dropped, not given a mid game rest

Obviously you're right, but I do love how you're so deep in this game that interchanges/substitutions are now referred to as "trades".

rhinoceroo wrote:

Obviously you're right, but I do love how you're so deep in this game that interchanges/substitutions are now referred to as "trades".

Maybe Wayne Bennett is frantically trying to get the app to work 5 minutes before lockout because he's just seen his own starting 7 pick up a twinge in warmup

wolfking wrote:

Don't tell me you are going to be throwing logic around again this year Milch?

Didn't work last year, my rank was atrocious. Maybe I need to start something new

Milchcow wrote:

How many NRL teams have ever had a game plan that involves regularly using trades on their starting halfback.

If Ilias isn't playing 80 its because he's been dropped, not given a mid game rest

What position did Benji Marshall play last year? Playing 80 minutes is not being eased in. Who else will Taaffe take minutes off?

Benji played 13 games on the interchange bench last year.

Subbed on for a half twice. Once was injury, and the other was to give Reynolds a rest in the last 10 minutes of a game.

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:

What position did Benji Marshall play last year? Playing 80 minutes is not being eased in. Who else will Taaffe take minutes off?

Benji either came on for a forward and played as a small lock or as an injury replacement for the backs

I do like the way you think outside the box but you might be taking the "we're gonna ease Ilias into the role" thing a bit too literally and running with it. It could be as straightforward as he's being eased in in the sense that he'll just focus on kicking and tackling and leave Walker to run the show in attack. I can't see the grand finalists wasting an interchange on a halfback because they don't think he's ready for the NRL (he had the inside running over Milford for the 7 jersey before he got deregistered so they obviously think he's NRL ready)

Milchcow wrote:

How many NRL teams have ever had a game plan that involves regularly using trades on their starting halfback.

If Ilias isn't playing 80 its because he's been dropped, not given a mid game rest

God this actually reminded me of the Dragons tactic a couple years ago to do the hokey pokey with their entire spine to bring Dufty of all people into the game

Under the sheens the Tigers subbed off a hooker, moved their winger into hooker, moved a centre to the win and subbed on a backrower to cover the gap at centre.
(something like that anyway, Jordan Rankin definitely used to go from win to hooker mid game)

This happened more than once and was a regular plan. I don't think many teams would do that these days.

Milchcow wrote:
Benji played 13 games on the interchange bench last year.

Subbed on for a half twice. Once was injury, and the other was to give Reynolds a rest in the last 10 minutes of a game.

and the other 11 games? I am a long long way from a coach, but I think this small lock position may be better described as a hybrid LOCK / 2nd 5/8 (or third half) kind of position. It is not too much of a leap for that person to start taking minutes of a starting HLF who is being eased into a role towards the end of the game. Anyway, as Lchy said, this may be too out-of-the-box to make sense, but I would not be surprised, if Ilias plays less than 80 for some of the season, without wasting a sub. At the very least, he could be a risk of pumping out mundane scores. It is not like Souths are short of players who cannot play big minutes. Thet were also one of the number one teams last year for minutes played by bench players

Broncos name their squad for this weekend.

https://www.zerotackle.com/broncos-name-surprising-squad-for-opening-trial-113573/

Rooster Booster wrote:Broncos name their squad for this weekend.

https://www.zerotackle.com/broncos-name-surprising-squad-for-opening-trial-113573/

Decent team for a trial against a QLD cup side.

And Tyrone Roberts! So just the 6 options potentially for 5/8 at R1 then