NRL Fantasy 2024 Part 6 - The only time I make a thread this year

WT Winfield wrote:

I'm okay with letting Haas/Murray/Carrigan go through to the keeper to allow more flexibility next week. If I end up with any gun forward, it's gonna have to be Hopgood. Even if he's short of the others at MID, I can take solace in Hopgood being one of the best EDG players this year.

Decent chance I end up with no guns though.

The flexibility is the big one. Means missing Haas and Murray though, and if you go no gun mids..

What's story with Leniu? Worth a punt? What happens when JWH comes back etc

mattnz wrote:

Mikaele scored 61 in the first trial without any tries, in a reserve grade team against Broncos starters.

You are getting a 1 PPM guy without tries. Not relying on them to score well.

fair point, I may need to go back and watch that first trial game

Just as a general response to all the 'Are you Happy with?', "what about certain likely or unlikely scenario?', 'what about someone's draw?', 'Why no Haas?' type enquiries that follow whenever anyone posts a draft.

My assumption is always that most of us have played for a few years and can do a basic risk/benefit analysis on picking players.

Unless they have explicitly asked for advice or alternatives I think it's best to pursue a line of questioning along the lines of 'how did you get to player x?'

I'm more interested in people's thought processes than trying to throw shade on their selections.

Shady2K wrote:

The flexibility is the big one. Means missing Haas and Murray though, and if you go no gun mids..

This is why I'm really struggling to decide on a team with these split team lists. You might have a third of your team locking out on Sunday only to find out that Strange isn't selected at 6.

Lchy wrote:

250k starting backrower available at centre with his main competition for minutes coming in off an undercooked pre-season - is there an argument against that?

What about Burbo being shit?

So that Dolphins training news - any interest in Tesi Niu? Underpriced as a CTR maybe, should get DPP?

robelgordo wrote:So that Dolphins training news - any interest in Tesi Niu? Underpriced as a CTR maybe, should get DPP?

i suppose he's tempting with lack of options around as someone who should avg around 30+ but could push closer to 40 and then hop off after 10 rounds or so

that bye is a little annoying if you've already got strange/burbo's who could go missing around the same time. thats probably enough for me to miss niu actually.

Shady2K wrote:

The flexibility is the big one. Means missing Haas and Murray though, and if you go no gun mids..

Yeah not normally my strategy to go gunless, but feels like a decent time to try the value midranger strategy with a lack of appealing cheapies right now. Rd 2 or 3 will probably throw up a gift cheapie. A lot of the gun forward teams look pretty light in the 14-17, so hoping a deeper bench matches the overall scoring and can increase squad value a little faster. Trying to play the long game, but could go to shit real quick if kneejerking the midrangers too early for spurious cows and a gun.

WT Winfield wrote:

Yeah not normally my strategy to go gunless, but feels like a decent time to try the value midranger strategy with a lack of appealing cheapies right now. Rd 2 or 3 will probably throw up a gift cheapie. A lot of the gun forward teams look pretty light in the 14-17, so hoping a deeper bench matches the overall scoring and can increase squad value a little faster. Trying to play the long game, but could go to shit real quick if kneejerking the midrangers too early for spurious cows and a gun.

Five words ADDIN TOHU FONUA-HARRIS-BLAKE

robelgordo wrote:So that Dolphins training news - any interest in Tesi Niu? Underpriced as a CTR maybe, should get DPP?

Honestly, despite having watched him play, yes

Not strong interest but interest

As someone else said ‘he looks like he ate Tesu Niu’

And to add (much less eloquently) to what Aardvark said, calling a team 'cookie cutter' is actually kind of a compliment. You're telling me my team looks just like 'insert gun fantasy player here' 's team? This forum has some of the best NRL fantasy minds (and me)

The Dolphin Conspiracies wrote:

Five words ADDIN TOHU FONUA-HARRIS-BLAKE

Not really interested in either. Mitch Barnett the most tempting from Warriors.

Aardvark wrote:Just as a general response to all the 'Are you Happy with?', "what about certain likely or unlikely scenario?', 'what about someone's draw?', 'Why no Haas?' type enquiries that follow whenever anyone posts a draft.

My assumption is always that most of us have played for a few years and can do a basic risk/benefit analysis on picking players.

Unless they have explicitly asked for advice or alternatives I think it's best to  pursue a line of questioning along the lines of 'how did you get to player x?'

I'm more interested in people's thought processes than trying to throw shade on their selections.

Well said @Aardvark, you clever burrowing mammal you. And whilst we're on it, my sympathies on being the only living species of the order Tubulidentata. Must be tough - fistbump.


But in terms of thought processes - thought it might be interesting to share some players I'm keen on who aren't so closely in the template (I've already said my piece on Leniu and Smithies)


Berry - in the shitty little highlight reels I could access, he seemed to be playing between SJ and DWZ, which seems a nice place to be. Runs well, good tackler. Great price

Metcalf - good player, good price, great chance to grow. A much better option than Hutch for ~50k more.

Liddle - not the most reliable player in terms of health, but cheap. Not a bad footballer. If Marschke/Mulheisen aren't on the bench I think I'll grab him over EelsHooker with EelsHooker bench.

EKatoa - would love to take him as he'll gun it up this year. Too many edges though, but he'll be my first target after the Storm bye.

Sloan - isn't very good. But may gain run metres from new rules, and could easily go on a 150k burst with a few tries. Job security great. Tempting despite him being not very good.

Brooks - I want to see the Eagles play a bit more, but he could have the time of his life playing in a good spine under a good captain. Great byes. Maybe an R7 target once the Eagles draw eases up and the combinations settle.

Egan - his 2023 average jumps 5 points when you remove games he was injured in. If he can stay healthy he's a great pick. I'm probably not that brave.

Cogger - Damn, he's just a little too expensive, and again new combos. Watching for when he kicks Gamble permanently out of the role in the early season - hopefully after a bench start or two.

Kikau - may drop a few points during a tough early run, but once the halves settle and the game opens could be a healthy mid season cash cow.

Sean O'Sullivan - hate the early bye, love everything else.

wolfking wrote:

What about Burbo being shit?

It's the hope that kills you

robelgordo wrote:So that Dolphins training news - any interest in Tesi Niu? Underpriced as a CTR maybe, should get DPP?

Prob feel more comfortable with Kris for cheaper, even if I do already have way too many Raiders

Shady2K wrote:Any concerns for Hopgood if Matto is on the bench?

With: 59 in 64 min
Without: 66 in 71 min

Does it make Murray/Haas the better choice in this case

Hopgood/Haas is the best choice and pray that we get enough cheapies in TLT2 not to cripple our team.
It's a lot more fun and you wont care about having to play Shoey and Weekes in your 17 cause Haas is going 80+ due to the smaller field size and Hopgood is a workhorse who could string together a few 70+ scores if given decent minutes.
Worst case, you cop a couple of 60's and live to fight another day.

You wont convince me otherwise, so leave your logic at the door.

L-Jimmy wrote:

Well said @Aardvark, you clever burrowing mammal you. And whilst we're on it, my sympathies on being the only living species of the order Tubulidentata. Must be tough - fistbump.


But in terms of thought processes - thought it might be interesting to share some players I'm keen on who aren't so closely in the template (I've already said my piece on Leniu and Smithies)


Berry - in the shitty little highlight reels I could access, he seemed to be playing between SJ and DWZ, which seems a nice place to be. Runs well, good tackler. Great price

Metcalf - good player, good price, great chance to grow. A much better option than Hutch for ~50k more.

Liddle - not the most reliable player in terms of health, but cheap. Not a bad footballer. If Marschke/Mulheisen aren't on the bench I think I'll grab him over EelsHooker with EelsHooker bench.

EKatoa - would love to take him as he'll gun it up this year. Too many edges though, but he'll be my first target after the Storm bye.

Sloan - isn't very good. But may gain run metres from new rules, and could easily go on a 150k burst with a few tries. Job security great. Tempting despite him being not very good.

Brooks - I want to see the Eagles play a bit more, but he could have the time of his life playing in a good spine under a good captain. Great byes. Maybe an R7 target once the Eagles draw eases up and the combinations settle.

Egan - his 2023 average jumps 5 points when you remove games he was injured in. If he can stay healthy he's a great pick. I'm probably not that brave.

Cogger - Damn, he's just a little too expensive, and again new combos. Watching for when he kicks Gamble permanently out of the role in the early season - hopefully after a bench start or two.

Kikau - may drop a few points during a tough early run, but once the halves settle and the game opens could be a healthy mid season cash cow.

Sean O'Sullivan - hate the early bye, love everything else.

nice list here