2017 NRL.com Fantasy thread part 45

awanamafia wrote:

Good points - in an ideal world he'd get enough minutes and make enough cash to be worthy of an upgrade/downgrade come R19.

RE: R15/R18 - Who else plays hooker @ the Storm?

oh right, sorry - forgot those were the major byes not the ones after.

Not sure if this is new, but reported in NZ that the Warriors are chasing Maloney. Would be a great move for the club I reckon!

I'm going Cook to Brandon Smith in round 14. The Storm never carry an extra hooker on their bench because CS9 plays 80 mins so there's no risk for a nightmare a.e. once the bye period is over.
@ Milchy - apparently Carty is out for up to 3 months as he needs surgery on his knee injury.

Killing off the second hooker seems a huge risk to me.

Surely the second best hooker in the comp averages more than your 4th/5th best 2rf/etc?

You also run the risk of having no hooker if Smith misses any games in the run home? Yes the backup smith may play replace him but what if he scores 25's? its likely he would share the role with slade griffin/etc?

Genuine Q as this is my first real season, but is it possible to win this thing with only one hooker for half the season? I.e. has anyone won it previously with this strategy? It seems a surprise to me that this strategy is a genuine option, or are people doing it kinda playing it safe and hoping to get a decent rank as opposed to a great one?

I've considered a few trade combo's but I come back to these 2 so they look the go for me:
N. Brown out - Vaughan in
F. Kaufusi out - Taumalolo in

Smith (vc) (Cook)
Vaughan, J. Graham, Wallace, Tualau
Taumalolo (c), JDB, Elliot (Gallen, Surgess, Crichton)
SJ, Lamb, Field (C. Walker)
Croker, L. Mitchell, Kelly (R. Jennings)
Slater, RTS, Cotric, Klokstad (Abbey)

I have 18 players including Tualau & Field so in order for my loophole to work I need one or both of them to not be in their respective 17's this week. I'm sure Field will get a bench spot with Widdop still out but what worries me is if J. Graham is ruled out then Tualau will come into the 17 on the bench.

Rippin and Tearin wrote:Genuine Q as this is my first real season, but is it possible to win this thing with only one hooker for half the season? I.e. has anyone won it previously with this strategy? It seems a surprise to me that this strategy is a genuine option, or are people doing it kinda playing it safe and hoping to get a decent rank as opposed to a great one?

this is the first year i've even seen this strategy considered by serious players, every other year it's just a given thing that you'll need to end the season with 2 gun hookers.

Warriors team news: CNK is back to reserves with Kata returning to the team.

Rippin and Tearin wrote:Genuine Q as this is my first real season, but is it possible to win this thing with only one hooker for half the season? I.e. has anyone won it previously with this strategy? It seems a surprise to me that this strategy is a genuine option, or are people doing it kinda playing it safe and hoping to get a decent rank as opposed to a great one?

It's a terrible strategy and I can only assume anyone considering it has lost their minds

my tv broke wrote:Warriors team news: CNK is back to reserves with Kata returning to the team.

That's a bit harsh. Kid has performed really well

[quote="my tv broke"]Killing off the second hooker seems a huge risk to me.

Surely the second best hooker in the comp averages more than your 4th/5th best 2rf/etc?

You also run the risk of having no hooker if Smith misses any games in the run home? Yes the backup smith may play replace him but what if he scores 25's? its likely he would share the role with slade griffin/etc?[/quote

Killing off a 2nd hooker seems pretty low risk to me. When was the last time Smith got injured cause I can't remember. Even at the start of the 2016 season they said Smith wouldn't start the season cause he was injured but he did start.

my tv broke wrote:Warriors team news: CNK is back to reserves with Kata returning to the team.

This is exactly why the Warriors don't succeed & lose their best talent to other clubs. There seems to be a lot of nepotism going on at the club & the mates always get back into the team even when they're replacing someone who is in better form. Most clubs reward the team after a win by playing the same team but not the Warriors. Even last year re tramagate the changed team had just beaten the Dragons & the next week the dropped players were selected & then they lost.

White Lightning wrote:Killing off a 2nd hooker seems pretty low risk to me. When was the last time Smith got injured cause I can't remember. Even at the start of the 2016 season they said Smith wouldn't start the season cause he was injured but he did start.

well you've killed him now!! aha

Based on last week, CNK certainly should keep his spot in the team. Every game he has been solid. I know he botched that try but the defender sort of jolted him back as he reached out so i can see how he lost it. Kata has been awful and he gets straight back in, righto then.

All the talk about Smith always being injury free is a little worrying to be honest.

White Lightning wrote:

Gee you're really giving the fantasy gods the middle finger with repeated statements that Smith won't get injured!

Hey all. I'm thinking of bringing in Taumololo this week and holding off on Munster until next. To bring in Taumololo I could drop Whitehead or Stone. Probably will turf Ponga for Munster next week, but interested on ideas.

Smith, Brailey
Wallace, Tolman, JWH, NBrown
Glenn, Whitehead, Stone, Burgess, Crichton, KCapewell
Frawley, Norman, CWalker, JField
Moga, Aubs, Fuimaono, Idris
Slater, RTS, Wighton, Ponga, Roberts-Davis

Smith missed four minutes of football in the run home in 2016. He scored 86 in that game.

In the 2015 run home, he also missed four minutes of football.

In 2015 and 2016 he played the full 80 five times out of six games 'backing up' from origin. The only time he didnt play the 80 was rnd 12 2015 where he played 73 mins.

Very much the same in 2014 as well.

In 9 games backing up from origin across 2014, 2015, and 2016 he averages 56.5.

I need a fresh set of eyes on this please:

Smith KNik
Fifita Brown Musgrove Tualau
JDB Gallen Crichton ET Bodene Elliott
SJ ARey Frawley Nu Brown
Hoppa SMat Fui Kelly
Slater RTS Cotric Hayne Abbey 222k 15 trades.

Where would you start?

mulvy wrote:I need a fresh set of eyes on this please:

KNIK -> McInnes is probably my first trade.

Not sure what to do with Brown. I don't own Brown but if I did I really don't know what I'd do with him.