NRL Fantasy 2024 Part 20 - The Gang All Get Injured

Has Garrick played centre each game this year or moved to Wing?

Good point made on Daniel Long's podcast regards Talagi kick metres since people on here asking. Gutho could move to halves and Talagi to FB. He's played 2 NSW Cup games at FB this season with minimal kms

I do wonder if Bellamy is priming to give Chan a run at 13 at some point.
Loiero has looked pretty pants for them there a times in all 3 games. His hands let him down and he often runs the ball when a pass was 100% the better play, killing their attack.
He has also thrown exactly zero offloads, which comparitively to other teams isnt great for your link man and makes him pretty one dimensional and predictable on attack

This week is so good for the game, there's 10 trade options instead of 2-3. Breaks the monotony!

Loomer wrote:Good point made on Daniel Long's podcast regards Talagi kick metres since people on here asking. Gutho could move to halves and Talagi to FB. He's played 2 NSW Cup games at FB this season with minimal kms

Talagi's main position was 6 all through juniors, played a bit of centre. I think his first game at fb was in the trial then cup. Would be very surprised to see him moved out of his natural position and be thrown to fb where he is likely much more suspect under the high ball.

I reckon they shouldn’t put a weekly limit on trades.

If I had unlimited trades but still just 32 left with the season I reckon I’d probably make 9 moves this week.

It highly unlikely that would be smart or play out well so would still be a strategic challenge but just give complete freedom to move.

Would teams converge to a template quicker we think? Most likely yes, but I bet the top 100 coaches at season end would still be some other group who were a bit more measured and reserved (and well timed not just early) with their moves.

You’d have all sorts going on with unlimited like people justifying to themselves (incorrectly) dropping Harry Grant this week on his bye and just bringing him back in next week because they’d still have 27 trades left.

mintotheimmortal wrote:

Talagi's main position was 6 all through juniors, played a bit of centre. I think his first game at fb was in the trial then cup. Would be very surprised to see him moved out of his natural position and be thrown to fb where he is likely much more suspect under the high ball.

Don't know much about him so just searched in NSW Cup and had him playing FB first 2 games

GreenMachine wrote:I reckon they shouldn’t put a weekly limit on trades.

If I had unlimited trades but still just 32 left with the season I reckon I’d probably make 9 moves this week.

It highly unlikely that would be smart or play out well so would still be a strategic challenge but just give complete freedom to move.

Would teams converge to a template quicker we think? Most likely yes, but I bet the top 100 coaches at season end would still be some other group who were a bit more measured and reserved (and well timed not just early) with their moves.

You’d have all sorts going on with unlimited like people justifying to themselves (incorrectly) dropping Harry Grant this week on his bye and just bringing him back in next week because they’d still have 27 trades left.

I think their logic will be about keeping players engaged over the season. The same reason they hold back the last 8 trades, they don't want the majority of more casual players using up all their trades after 8 rounds and then not bothering to log in again after that.

I would be all for 4 trades per week all season long as I'm sure most of the community here would be but we are only a small, very engaged, portion of the player base.

GreenMachine wrote:I reckon they shouldn’t put a weekly limit on trades.

If I had unlimited trades but still just 32 left with the season I reckon I’d probably make 9 moves this week.

It highly unlikely that would be smart or play out well so would still be a strategic challenge but just give complete freedom to move.

Would teams converge to a template quicker we think? Most likely yes, but I bet the top 100 coaches at season end would still be some other group who were a bit more measured and reserved (and well timed not just early) with their moves.

You’d have all sorts going on with unlimited like people justifying to themselves (incorrectly) dropping Harry Grant this week on his bye and just bringing him back in next week because they’d still have 27 trades left.

I quite like the supercoach approach of having bonus trades that can be used when you choose to across the season.

BCT05 wrote:

I think their logic will be about keeping players engaged over the season. The same reason they hold back the last 8 trades, they don't want the majority of more casual players using up all their trades after 8 rounds and then not bothering to log in again after that.

I would be all for 4 trades per week all season long as I'm sure most of the community here would be but we are only a small, very engaged, portion of the player base.

Think the reason they gave extra trades last injury crisis was fear of casuals leaving even though many didn't want extra trades given

What does everyone think of the knights this season?

Looking at bringing in either Turbo or Ponga.

Turbo seems the slightly safer go with the crowd pick.

I would back Ponga to score more points if the knights can fire like they did last year.

Any thoughts?

ytsb wrote:This week is so good for the game, there's 10 trade options instead of 2-3. Breaks the monotony!

KPP is a definite POD, who isn't close to being as popular in other circles. Doesn't even make the first page of trade ins this week on footystats, but would be a top 5 pick here.

The Goat Boys wrote:What does everyone think of the knights this season?

Looking at bringing in either Turbo or Ponga.

Turbo seems the slightly safer go with the crowd pick.

I would back Ponga to score more points if the knights can fire like they did last year.

Any thoughts?

I see it the other way, if Ponga fires, the Knights fire, not the other way around.

Its no coincidence that the Knights win streak came when Ponga arrived back in the team and was playing in his correct position at fullback.

Stuck between two guys. I’m aware that sounds like the opening line of an adult novel.

Talagi: Should be a decent cow but Strange’s scoring as the non dominant half in a somewhat decent team is giving me reason for pause.

KPP: Looks very good and has the potential to be a cut price keeper at EDG. Also I’ll be trading out two EDGs this week so keeping one of those trades at EDG makes sense for team structure.

WT Winfield wrote:

I think Foggy's a good pick. I did have Cook as my legit VC to Cleary, but getting dicked around the last 2 games, so he's been leapfogged. Anyone that's thrown around as a potential captaincy option is pretty much someone you want in your team, especially around 700k. Probably means I should grab Koro as a back-up HK, but can't shake all those shit scores saved by tries last year.

Ah yes, the Brandon Smith effect.

I have both. Bit of a masochist.

Liverpool_Bulldog wrote:Stuck between two guys. I’m aware that sounds like the opening line of an adult novel.

Talagi: Should be a decent cow but Strange’s scoring as the non dominant half in a somewhat decent team is giving me reason for pause.

KPP: Looks very good and has the potential to be a cut price keeper at EDG. Also I’ll be trading out two EDGs this week so keeping one of those trades at EDG makes sense for team structure.

I would wait a week on any Eels targets

Ponga seemed bit more involved in the last game without Hastings. He would probably want his origin jersey back so might see him full flight for the next few weeks.
Turbo is definitely safer bet though.

For those looking at trading out Cleary, his dad says he may play next week in an interview today.
https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/03/27/ivan-cleary-injuries-open-opportunities-for-others-to-shine/

"If he is fit to play, 100% he will next week".

The Goat Boys wrote:What does everyone think of the knights this season?

Looking at bringing in either Turbo or Ponga.

Turbo seems the slightly safer go with the crowd pick.

I would back Ponga to score more points if the knights can fire like they did last year.

Any thoughts?

I'm getting Turbo this week and C probably. Massive FOMO on him. I wish I didn't start with Ponga. Been very disappointing. Finally looked like scoring good last week near on 40pts at HT. Literally stuck on 45pts the whole 2nd half. Really need some good scores next 2 or will be on chopping block and if didn't own wouldn't interest me as a buy

Liverpool_Bulldog wrote:Stuck between two guys. I’m aware that sounds like the opening line of an adult novel.

Talagi: Should be a decent cow but Strange’s scoring as the non dominant half in a somewhat decent team is giving me reason for pause.

KPP: Looks very good and has the potential to be a cut price keeper at EDG. Also I’ll be trading out two EDGs this week so keeping one of those trades at EDG makes sense for team structure.

I've just gone Chan + Sitili --> Talagi + KPP.

I see Talagi's floor as being Strange, which is still 7-8 points of value. We have no idea what the half role will look like next to Dylbags but traditionally he hasn't 'dominated' the kicking when Moses has been out, so hopefully that volume is shared between them.

The Knights have a very friendly schedule coming up, which could mean we see some more attacking flair from them and more offloads from KPP. I like what I've seen so far and am happy to jump on early.