NRL Fantasy 2023 Part 82 - Baggie Time

Starting the season strong with 2 points in Round 1 - GO THE TIGERS !!!

Leaked Round 1 schedule

Saturday March 2 (Las Vegas time) - Sunday 1pm & 3pm EDST
Rabbitohs vs Sea Eagles at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Broncos vs Roosters at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Thursday, March 7
Knights vs Raiders at McDonald Jones Stadium

Friday, March 8
Warriors vs Sharks at Mt Smart Stadium
Storm vs Panthers at AAMI Park

Saturday, March 9
Eels vs Bulldogs at CommBank Stadium
Titans vs Dragons at CBus Super Stadium

Sunday, March 10
Dolphins vs Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium

Bye: Wests Tigers

SOO

Game 1 - June 5 Accor Stadium
Game 2 - June 26 MCG
Game 3 - July 17 Suncorp Stadium

Picking the opening squad is going to be different this year... pick your players from the four Vegas teams then fill in the rest of your squad on the next Tuesday but with a diminished cap to play with. And do you lock Cleary in as captain a week ahead? Probably not.

my tv broke wrote:

From a personal point of view, yeah. NRL over, I completely tuned out. 27 rounds and a month of finals, I'm done. For the most part I straight up forgot those internationals were being played.  

Also, just my perspective of what I consider the average fan (most of my friends and family), there hasnt even been mention of the last few weeks of games.

This me exactly the same... the first line has been me all over

Not trying to take away from the Kiwi's at all either, great, dominant performance.

Aardvark wrote:https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/11/08/starting-role-a-major-goal-for-new-chook-leniu/

Is 2024 the year?

I'd die on the hill of 'Leniu will never reach even half the hype in potential', cannot fathom why this guy has the rep he has. 15 mins of rampaging around isn't a first grader. Doesn't have the mindset either, it's just not the physical limitations he has.

Rabbits21 wrote:I’ve seen Souths early season draw and I’m pissed off. 2021 first two rounds no home game, 2022 first two rounds no home games, 2023 first three rounds no home game, now 2024 first three rounds no home game. Like cmon share it around what do we have to fucking do to get a home game early on…… fuck me dead fucks sake surely the Broncos or Rorters in rounds 2 or 3 could be a home game for us….. screw you NRL…..!!!!!

Rant over I’m pissed off tonight!!!

In saying that I’ll still probs go to the round 3 away game against the Rorters!

Pink is playing round 2

Expected pre-season matches
February 11: Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles on Central Coast
February 16: Indigenous All Stars v Maori All Stars

Pre-season week one (February 15-18)

Dogs v Storm at Belmore
Sharks v Knights at Central Coast Stadium
Manly v Roosters at Central Coast Stadium
Warriors v Tigers at TBC
Broncos v Cowboys at Mackay
Dragons v Rabbitohs at Kogarah
Eels v Raiders at Kogarah
Dolphins v Titans at Sunshine Coast

Pre-season week two (February February 22-25)

Sharks v Bulldogs at Cronulla
Roosters v Rabbitohs at Cronulla
Dragons v Tigers in Mudgee
Manly v Broncos in Manly
Titans v Eels in Ipswich
Storm v Knights in Fiji
Raiders v Cowboys in Queanbeyan

SMH saying Ch9 whining about Raiders v Knights on Thurs night so might be swapped with Eels v Bulldogs, even though thats probably a worse game.

Is it generally seen as a good thing for fans of the clubs going to Vegas?

Rabbits seems pissed off he is being robbed of a home game. I can sympathise with that a little. When the Tigers already have 3 home grounds to share games between, its frustrating when they shift other homes games to Tamworth/New Zealand/wherever

Is the general consensus "Yay, the NRl thinks we're good enough to show off our game" or "Boo, I hate leaving Sydney"

Revraiser wrote:

This me exactly the same... the first line has been me all over  

Not trying to take away from the Kiwi's at all either, great, dominant performance.

I have very fond memories as a kid watching the Kiwi's take on the Aussies, and also had a love of watching the Aussies tour the UK.
But these days, I can garner some interest for the "World Cup" to see if NZ/ENG can push Australia for the title, and enjoy the good-feels ride that Tonga/Samoa have been able to produce.
But outside of that, it's a bit of NRL fatigue for me. If it were a midseason event (not saying it should be), then Hamilton stadium probably sells out.

The international calendar seems an after-thought for Rugby League, and while I have no doubt that it's meaningful for every player to represent their country, they surely must have one eye on Bali having had the season start nearly 8.5 months ago (and a preseason before that).

Revraiser wrote:

I'd die on the hill of 'Leniu will never reach even half the hype in potential', cannot fathom why this guy has the rep he has. 15 mins of rampaging around isn't a first grader. Doesn't have the mindset either, it's just not the physical limitations he has.

C'mon, what about when he does the googly eyes thing?

SIGNINGS

Some of this is probably old, but I haven't been paying attention

Bulldogs have signed "Banner" Hutchinson, Mann, Turpin and Faamausili. The Panthers 5 years plan was to develop their rich junior base, including regional NSW. The Bulldogs 5 year plan appears to be to ignore their rich junior base and turnover a dozen players every season.

Raiders continuing using the UK as the catchment area - signing Morgan Smithies from Wigan

Rabbitohs sign Keppie - seems like a decent depth signing

Newcastle have signed Tom Jenkins from Panthers, could be the Dom Young replacement?

Some other changes I missed

- Waddell to Sea Eagles might be interesting if he gets a starting EDG and is priced low enough

- Didn't realise Dolphins signed Flegler, as well as getting Averillo and Farnworth to sort out their CTR positions. Top 8 likely IMO. Did release Brenko though!

- Knights like Raiders also using Superleague as a catchment area - signing Pearce-Paul and Pryce. Locky Miller to Leeds, probably gets Man of Steel

- Cowboys only signing is Vailea, lad still gives me nightmares from 2021 fantasy

- Eels have moved on their CTR weakness by releasing Blake and signing... Morgan Harper?

- Penrith sign Brad Schneider in the experienced reserve half role previously held by Cogger.

Bulldogs also signed Josh Curran recently. It remains to be seen what happens to RFM but apparently isn't welcome at training... 2024 will also see the return of a Xerri.

Sea Eagles have also added Nathan Brown on a train-and-trial - weird to think he was on the big bucks just a couple of years back. They also released Kaeo Weekes to the Raiders.

Aardvark wrote:


C'mon, what about when he does the googly eyes thing?

Probably gets him an extra 90 seconds on field hey

had a bit of a go at NRL grid - how do they determine the scoring? What makes an an answer less common than others?

I stuffed up the first grid by not noticing it was from 1998 onwards only, so missed out on one square with what would otherwise have been a correct answer.