NRL Fantasy 2024 Part 1 - Gates are open, come on in

No Worries wrote:The App is up !!

Right after I complained here about it. My influence knows no bounds.

There is a whole article on "training down the housers"

Xerri, Drinkwater, Lomax, Carty Party, Saifiti, Taylan May, Tatola, Tedesco, Nathan Brown, Blake Brailey, Papenhuyzen, Utoikamanu, Brimson.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-2024-the-players-to-build-your-dreams-on-this-season-20240112-p5ewvp.html

GreenSchist wrote:

 I agree. Reeks of a timeshare and an avoid, whoever ends up starting out of Lussick or Hands. TLT could always throw in some spice though.

I'm preferring other Hooker options atm such as Egan and J.Brailey

I am pretty confident that Brad Arthur will stick with an 80-minute HOK and that this HOK will be Lussick...

He is much more likely to go with smaller-minute big men to round out the pack (i.e. Greig, Moretti, Tuilagi). There will already be one of Matterson, Hopgood, Carty, or Lane starting from the bench as well

At least, that is the way they have been training

PS I am not talking up Morgan Harper in jest. I do believe he will be one of the top-scoring CTRs come the end of the year and is likely to be in the team ahead of Simmonson. Sean Russell is also due for a breakout year and has put on a lot of muscle. Neither will start in my fantasy team - more from a IRL perspective

Milchcow wrote:

Eels are one of the later games in the round.

What is Hands starts and Lussick ends up on the bench playing in jersey 21  (and/or Lussick makes the bench in round 2)

Potentially not a lot of options to pivot to. You either want to be confident that whoever gets it has a secure role, or be willing to take the risk that the Eels coach doesn't care about your fantasy team, and may stuff with rotations

Could be wrong cow, but I think the Eels-Bulldogs game got shifted to the season opener on Thursday

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:

I am pretty confident that Brad Arthur will stick with an 80-minute HOK and that this HOK will be Lussick...

He is much more likely to go with smaller-minute big men to round out the pack (i.e. Greig, Moretti, Tuilagi). There will already be one of Matterson, Hopgood, Carty, or Lane starting from the bench as well

At least, that is the way they have been training  

PS I am not talking up Morgan Harper in jest. I do believe he will be one of the top-scoring CTRs come the end of the year and is likely to be in the team ahead of Simmonson. Sean Russell is also due for a breakout year and has put on a lot of muscle. Neither will start in my fantasy team - more from a IRL perspective

Even if they go with an 80 min HOK R1, can’t be certain it stays the same long enough to make money/playable scores. And no Eels aren’t playing Thursday night

If Parra has only 1 hooker in their R1 17, surely you just pick him and cross fingers. If it doesn’t work out, that’s what trades are for. Not like anyone is going to have 21 safer bets.

robelgordo wrote:If Parra has only 1 hooker in their R1 17, surely you just pick him and cross fingers. If it doesn’t work out, that’s what trades are for. Not like anyone is going to have 21 safer bets.

80 minute hookers in general are a rare commodity. One of the reasons why Robson is popular right now

Does anyone know if there will be two team lists on Tuesdays at the start of the season? Or will everyone have to name their teams in advance of the Los Vegas game?

If the team announcements are split, what does that mean for strategy in Round 1?

They refer to it on Wikipedia as a split round which suggests that the team lists will be announced separately. Big impact on strategy with R1 selections most important overall for the season

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:Does anyone know if there will be two team lists on Tuesdays at the start of the season? Or will everyone have to name their teams in advance of the Los Vegas game?

If the team announcements are split, what does that mean for strategy in Round 1?

Logic suggests 2 separate team lists. Would work similar where you’ll just need to lock in Vegas teams and everyone else will still be able to be changed with unlimited trades bar C and VC

Just makes it more important to have players you’re not set on left on interchange so you have more options to swap (though literally most of the relevant EDGs are playing in Vegas). I.e. I’ve currently got Hynes on bench as not certain on him pending cheap CTRs

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:There is a whole article on "training down the housers"

Xerri, Drinkwater, Lomax, Carty Party, Saifiti, Taylan May, Tatola, Tedesco, Nathan Brown, Blake Brailey, Papenhuyzen, Utoikamanu, Brimson.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-2024-the-players-to-build-your-dreams-on-this-season-20240112-p5ewvp.html

Most interesting takeaway from this article is BA's Hopgood quote (I assume it was BA).
"I know he’s been 18th man for Queensland. I know if he keeps working on his consistency of being an 80-minute player, he won’t be far off."

A consistent 80 mins of Hopgood could be a great shout. 72 point average in when averaging 70+ minutes.

robelgordo wrote:

It’s probably just a gentle way of demoting Sloan to wing so he’s not a complete liability and can learn. Lomax plays FB

Was hoping Bird plays 5/8 rather than the coaches kid. Maybe JbD can play 5/8 given all he does is stop at the line and pass anyways.

Ok read up. Article in SMH says Sloan/Lomax swapping between CTR and FB. Flanno  says did the same swapsies with Barba and Holmes so Holmes could learn, as well as Barba and Michael Gordon. Swaps at changeovers, minimal disruption.

Ben Hunt then says they’ve also been training wing and thinks it’s good but they should pick a position by R1, which seems like undermining the coach but I guess it’s tough staying on message while being held hostage for just under one million dollars a year.

GreenSchist wrote:

How confident do you feel about running only one Hooker, especially when said HOK is Cheese and seems to pick up a niggling injury every third game? Are we confident Cheese is coming in to the season in better shape and conditioning? If he avoids injuries (or suspensions) then he's the perfect Hooker to have, as you don't need to worry about byes until round 14.

I'm currently rolling with Cheese as my only hooker in order to fit in Hynes, Fogarty and Cleary but don't feel good about it and doubt I end up with that lineup.

Yeah good shout. Currently just 1 because none of the others feel like they could offer value and it's hard to fit Grant in. Podcast guys seem to be big on Robson having a positive regression but could just as easily be that 22 was an outlier year.
I started with Egan last year which worked out ok but it was painful sweating on him getting HIAd all the time.

Levi might be an option if he gets the bigger minute gig, another Raider though.

robelgordo wrote:

Ok read up. Article in SMH says Sloan/Lomax swapping between CTR and FB. Flanno  says did the same swapsies with Barba and Holmes so Holmes could learn, as well as Barba and Michael Gordon. Swaps at changeovers, minimal disruption.

Ben Hunt then says they’ve also been training wing and thinks it’s good but they should pick a position by R1, which seems like undermining the coach but I guess it’s tough staying on message while being held hostage for just under one million dollars a year.

That sounds all nice, albeit long before six agains, when hookers were 80 mins etc... but I can't help but wonder who is learning off who. Do either know how to be a top level NRL fullback?

Happy to see them prove the doubters wrong (me), but I generally feel having a settled spine where they each play their role seems a pretty solid strategy

the_great_wobbler wrote:

Yeah good shout. Currently just 1 because none of the others feel like they could offer value and it's hard to fit Grant in. Podcast guys seem to be big on Robson having a positive regression but could just as easily be that 22 was an outlier year.
I started with Egan last year which worked out ok but it was painful sweating on him getting HIAd all the time.

Levi might be an option if he gets the bigger minute gig, another Raider though.

I like Robson, but players having their first new born concerns me probably a little more than it should. Sleep is pretty important for elite athletes and new borns don't tend to be good for sleep.

After watching Tapine last year around the birth of his NB, it's a little on my radar.
Context is Robson has a NB due in Feb from memory

LeBron wrote:
SLEEP! This was LeBron's #1 tool to get to his body to fully recover, so he can perform at 100% day in and day out... He said he sleeps 8 to 9 hours every night. And if he doesn't get those 8 to 9 hours, he'll take naps up to 2 1/2 hours during the middle of the day.

Anyway, enough of me sounding like a madman

Thurston showing his sporting pedigree with the blade this evening


...or not

easytiger wrote:

That sounds all nice, albeit long before six agains, when hookers were 80 mins etc... but I can't help but wonder who is learning off who. Do either know how to be a top level NRL fullback?

Happy to see them prove the doubters wrong (me), but I generally feel having a settled spine where they each play their role seems a pretty solid strategy

Reminds me of the cursed time in 2019 when the Dragons would have a spine of Widdop, Norman, Hunt and McInnes, then they would take McInnes off, move Hunt to hooker, Norman to halfback, Widdop to 5/8 and bring Dufty off the bench at fullback.

Basically the opposite of a settled spine

StuDogg101 wrote:Thurston showing his sporting pedigree with the blade this evening


...or not

Smith & Dokic's hand eye co-ordination was evident when handed the other's equiptment the other night

StuDogg101 wrote:Thurston showing his sporting pedigree with the blade this evening


...or not

Some quality 'slow medium' bowling though

Thurston with a wicket!!!

Pat Carrigan quotes from Code Sports (paywalled) via Broncos forum (not paywalled).

tl:dr Calls Fletcher Baker a "marquee signing", nobody has asked Carrigan to play prop but he will if they want, Piakura replaces Capewell, TPJ hovering...

"There’s a bit of noise around Tevita. He’s just moved back to Brissy and training down at Logan. We are close, Tevita, myself and Payne. I’d love to see him back at the Broncos. He retired and I think he’s enjoying his challenges with boxing, but we’ll see what happens.”

“Flegler is a big loss, he’s become one of the best front rowers in the game. Our marquee signing Fletcher Baker has plenty of skill, is a big body and has been at a really good club. He comes into the mix and Marty, Corey Jensen, Xavier Willison and Kobe Hetherington are all rep standard footy players that are pushing Payne and myself."

“‘Capes’ leaves, which is a big hole in experience, but you get Brendan Piakura whose potential is endless. Someone will step up. You manage it and move on. People will step up and do a job for us.”

“Kevvie hasn’t had this chat with me about moving from lock to prop, but you guys are having this chat in the media. I don’t care, I’ll do whatever’s best for the team. I’ve enjoyed my time in the 13 jersey. I feel like I’ve worked on my craft and I’ve got a lot of growth to do there. I’ve got a pretty high opinion of Kobe Hetherington too, so whatever’s best for the team is best for the team. Whatever Kev says goes. I won’t be arguing with the big fella.”