NRL Fantasy 2023 Part 3 - Trials by Combat

Aardvark wrote:

It's definitely guns and cows.

While I haven't started nailing down my team yet, so take this with a grain of salt, my initial feelings would be

- That your team (like a bunch of us middle aged men) are a bit heavy in the MID section. All three of those guys look like MIDs you want to have in your team com the end of the season. I would spread the love around.

- While B.Smith represents great value I don't think either he or Tanah Boyd are going to be a HKR that is going to cement that position your team long term. I see both of those guys as DPP bench cover.

- That back five represents a lot of hope, I think you need at least one solid scorer there

Yeah I know my team is very MID heavy, that's my intention because I consider MID and HLF to be the best bets in terms of floor and ceiling, and the three MIDs I've picked all have massive upside alongside their good floors.

As for Cheese I think he's perfectly capable of being a keeper to the end, though not as a frontline 9 as you said, and I don't mind just having him at hooker until I can get one of the top three hookers into my side. Worst case I could swap Haas for Grant or something like that but realistically Grant is the only guy I'd want if I give up one of my three MIDs, as he has enough upside to hurt non-owners while Robson doesn't (Cook does too but Grant is better value for money I think).

The back 5 is a bit of hope but I think they're all pretty capable. Alamoti, Thompson, Warbrick and Miller all have very fantasy-friendly play styles, they get stuck in and run the ball a lot, and in the case of Warbrick and Thompson, they'd be wingers in good attacking teams so good chance of scoring tries. HSS has also historically done well when he's played on the wing, so as long as they're all named I'm willing to back them in. Perham and Sloan are the only ones I'm not convinced about in terms of how they translate to fantasy but they're starting fullbacks so I'm willing to give them some leeway at <300k.

Worst case if TLT is not kind to me I can redo this setup but if I can have my 5 guns (Muz, Haas, Tapine, Cleary, Doueihi) then I want to as those 5 guys all have massive upside and good floors.

I cant watch the Dragons Rabbits match, is Slone playing his way into my team?

Moanaman wrote:I cant watch the Dragons Rabbits match, is Slone playing his way into my team?

Opposite

His main positive is job security

Moanaman wrote:I cant watch the Dragons Rabbits match, is Slone playing his way into my team?

I think the case in his favour is that he is cheap and they haven't really got an alternative....that's all.

Moanaman wrote:I cant watch the Dragons Rabbits match

I mean.... that's not a bad thing.

dragons got four tries on the rabbits - there is some concerning leaky defence

BMM has been one of the Dragons' best players, that is how bad they are. Sloan is going to be an absolute rollercoaster. Which is probably the same for all the cows in the position.

Antipodean1 wrote:BMM has been one of the Dragons' best players, that is how bad they are. Sloan is going to be an absolute rollercoaster. Which is probably the same for all the cows in the position.

Yeah I've swapped out Sloan for BMM after this trial, and also Moale and Uto for Guler and TMM (otherwise I would have HSS as my only outside back cover). Hopefully Guler and TMM can do well in their own trials.

Bethany_B wrote:

Yeah I know my team is very MID heavy, that's my intention because I consider MID and HLF to be the best bets in terms of floor and ceiling, and the three MIDs I've picked all have massive upside alongside their good floors.

As for Cheese I think he's perfectly capable of being a keeper to the end, though not as a frontline 9 as you said, and I don't mind just having him at hooker until I can get one of the top three hookers into my side. Worst case I could swap Haas for Grant or something like that but realistically Grant is the only guy I'd want if I give up one of my three MIDs, as he has enough upside to hurt non-owners while Robson doesn't (Cook does too but Grant is better value for money I think).

The back 5 is a bit of hope but I think they're all pretty capable. Alamoti, Thompson, Warbrick and Miller all have very fantasy-friendly play styles, they get stuck in and run the ball a lot, and in the case of Warbrick and Thompson, they'd be wingers in good attacking teams so good chance of scoring tries. HSS has also historically done well when he's played on the wing, so as long as they're all named I'm willing to back them in. Perham and Sloan are the only ones I'm not convinced about in terms of how they translate to fantasy but they're starting fullbacks so I'm willing to give them some leeway at <300k.

Worst case if TLT is not kind to me I can redo this setup but if I can have my 5 guns (Muz, Haas, Tapine, Cleary, Doueihi) then I want to as those 5 guys all have massive upside and good floors.

Everything you say is true but history tells us a fair few of the base price guys do not live up to pre season hype and will need to be ditched early doors. It's wise not to limit your options when that happens.

Sloan crying after the match. Kid has heart, back in my team.

Dragons won the 2nd half. Which I think we can agree is the most important half and the only one that counts or anyone remembers.

Pookus McFly wrote:Sloan crying after the match. Kid has heart, back in my team.

I was nearly crying after seeing his performance, chuck me in coach!

robelgordo wrote:Dragons won the 2nd half. Which I think we can agree is the most important half and the only one that counts or anyone remembers.

Alright we can split the spoils. We will take your shield and you can have our charity.

robelgordo wrote:

I was nearly crying after seeing his performance, chuck me in coach!

I’ll pick you up in Fantasy Fantasy. You got grit, kid. I like grit.

Aardvark wrote:

Everything you say is true but history tells us a fair few of the base price guys do not live up to pre season hype and will need to be ditched early doors. It's wise not to limit your options when that happens.

Yeah that's fair enough, and I've since swapped out Sloan for TMM (funded by Uto down to Guler) for a little more safety. TMM's career average at 5/8 is 33 and the Warriors look like a real team now, though obviously we'll see how they go in the 2nd trial.

Is Fantasy Fantasy even a thing this year?
Where is SI so I can ask him how I tag Cookie Monster?

If the Dragons finish anything higher than 12th this year I'd be extremely surprised.

Bethany_B wrote:I've done a bit of tinkering with my team, and I've managed to reduce the number of 250k cheapies in my team (7 down to 6 but I can upgrade one more if I need to), thoughts?

$38k bank

Cheese
Murray, Haas, Tapine
Garner, E Katoa
Cleary, Doueihi
I Thompson, Alamoti
Miller, Perham, Warbrick

Hopgood, Loiero, Boyd, Uto

Doorey, HSS, Moale, Sloan

That is very Mid heavy - What's your team called?

Tapine Cheese in Murray's Haas?

filthridden wrote:If the Dragons finish anything higher than 12th this year I'd be extremely surprised.

Their squad is woeful. Higher than 15th id be surprised.

my tv broke wrote:

Their squad is woeful. Higher than 15th id be surprised.

I already sent them a sack of porridge to join their end-of-year reward.

My favs for the spoon for sure.

If I was their coach, I'd be polishing up my CV.