2017 NRL.com Fantasy thread part 4

White Lightning wrote:In reality there's no way Field, Dufty or Nona will play round 1. McGregor always takes the boring, conservative route & will do the same old shit. It will take injuries for them to get a shot.

And they wonder why they're shit

After reading a lot of forum comments in sc about how small Cameron King was he actually looks quite solid & stocky. I was expecting a skinny little rake.

SoylentGreen wrote:

And they wonder why they're shit

The most common question on a Dragons forum = when is Mary McGregor going to get the sack haha which just shows what they think of him. They all want Dufty to be the f/b & 1 of Field/Nona to be in the halfs. Unfortunately Dugan has said he wants to be the f/b & McCrone never seems to get injured.

Matagi could become my pre-season darling. I ignored the Eels forum talk he was "training the house down" and was "locked in as one starting front rower" but now he is killing it in the 9's, thats the Fantasy trifecta right there!!!

I actually really like the look of that top-heavy team i posted. I'd consider running a 138k WFB or CTR in the 17 to do it. Surely having Smith, Fifita, Gallen, & Surgess (as well as McGuire, Norman, ET, and a reasonable bench) offsets a potential low scorer in the backs, even if it's just in terms of saved trades by starting with more top-tier guns?

The Eels players all look like they've been doing the hard yards in pre season. They all look super fit & firing. I know it's only the nines but Brown, King, Norman, Gutherson, French, Matagi all look good & Radradra still knows how to finish.

Shanbon wrote:Matagi could become my pre-season darling. I ignored the Eels forum talk he was "training the house down" and was "locked in as one starting front rower" but now he is killing it in the 9's, thats the Fantasy trifecta right there!!!

There's also a rumour that N. Brown could start at lock.

White Lightning wrote:

There's also a rumour that N. Brown could start at lock.

I doubt that very much, Beau Scott was unbelivable last year in the middle i cant see that changing. If they did move him wide it would be for Moeroa to move into the middle. Mind you Scott never played 80min in the middle so there will be at least 20min there that Brown could fill

The poor Knights, it looks like they havent learnt from last year. They are still all effort and then really poor decision making lets them down

Kahu's looking good

Did the Warriors actually do any preparation/training for the nines. Fair enough the lost SJ but that shouldn't matter. They were guilty of poor ball security (surprise, surprise) & when they had the ball they were just running around like headless chickens with no apparent game plan or strategy. Looks like they are just as shit in the nines as they are in the 13 man code.

Shanbon wrote:Matagi could become my pre-season darling. I ignored the Eels forum talk he was "training the house down" and was "locked in as one starting front rower" but now he is killing it in the 9's, thats the Fantasy trifecta right there!!!

Matagi is the new Kenny Sio!

PS please join my league. Just a few more people and I can watch it in real time.
INVITE CODE
4CMA9YDY

White Lightning wrote:Did the Warriors actually do any preparation/training for the nines. Fair enough the lost SJ but that shouldn't matter. They were guilty of poor ball security (surprise, surprise) & when they had the ball they were just running around like headless chickens with no apparent game plan or strategy. Looks like they are just as shit in the nines as they are in the 13 man code.

I reckon they believe the hype that they're the "sort of team that is suited to 9's" and expect to turn up an play "razzle dazzle football" (thanks Gus)

It seems only 5-6 teams put thought and a fair bit of training into the 9's while the rest just spend the week leading up to it training for it. I think the teams who put the time and thought into go on to use that in the season anyway when they need a comeback/quick points. Watching the Eels they obviously trained for the 9's but you could see last year they used a fair few of these plays when they were chasing points in the season proper.

Actual NRL pre-season is heating up.

As a tigers fan I'd be disappointed if they broke from proper training for more than a couple of token 9s training.

Milchcow wrote:
Actual NRL pre-season is heating up.

As a tigers fan I'd be disappointed if they broke from proper training for more than a couple of token 9s training.

As a tigers fan aren't you perpetually disappointed?

SoylentGreen wrote:

As a tigers fan aren't you perpetually disappointed?

They manage to cram about a month or 2 of misguided hope in there every year

If you were trying to choose between Slater and Peter Mataúita as a cash cow, Who?

Both potential value fullbacks

PMat - dual position, fullback so you would assume a price rise, but Newcastle attack prowess, what is that all about?

Slater - Melbourne attacking potential, wheels fall off in round one, doesnt actually score that will.

Also Mannering v JDB

Feline wrote:If you were trying to choose between Slater and Peter Mataúita as a cash cow, Who?

Both potential value fullbacks

PMat - dual position, fullback so you would assume a price rise, but Newcastle attack prowess, what is that all about?

Slater - Melbourne attacking potential, wheels fall off in round one, doesnt actually score that will.

Also Mannering v JDB

That's a tough one re Slater v Pete M. as Slater is injury prone but plays for a better team & Pete M. plays in a poor team with better base stats. Toss a coin.
I would go JDB over Mannering just.

White Lightning wrote:

That's a tough one re Slater v Pete M. as Slater is injury prone but plays for a better team & Pete M. plays in a poor team with better base stats. Toss a coin.
I would go JDB over Mannering just.

OK then:

HOK: Smith / King
FRF: McGuire/ Fonua-Blake / Matagi / Tetevano
2RF: Surgess / Gallen / de Bellin / Kromwich / Lleilua / Stimson
HLF: Norman / Lamb / Hingano / Field
CTR: Sata'uita / Idris / Jennings / Kelly
WFB: Tuivasa-Sheck / Hayne / Gutherson / Slater / Abbey