Welshys Player Profiles

Josh Papalii



Player: Josh Papalii
Club: Canberra Raiders
Position: FRF/2RF
Cost: $726,000
2015 average: 45
2016 average: 44
2017 average: 50 (49.6)
2017 minutes average: 79
Handsomeness rating: 2/5 Mitch Aubbussons

After playing 20 rounds last year sandwiched between origin and suspension and every time starting in the 2RF Big Papa has somehow found himself with a dual position in the FRF/2RF. Nice. Papalii suffered a major real life and fantasy form dip after origin 1, more on that in the adjusted averages below. Papalii doesn’t get huge tackle numbers, especially for someone who constantly plays 80 minutes (great effort for an always early season fat cunt) like Merrin. So he relies on big RM and more of the attacking element of the game like TBs and he does have a nose for the tryline.

Starting 2RF points average: 49.6 (20 game 5 tries)
2017 average R1-R12: 58.7 (10 games, 3 tries)
2017 average R13-R26: 40.5 (10 games, 2 tries)

Wrap up
Papaliis scores after R12 dropped into the abyss along with the Raiders finals hopes, an 18 point drop off for the same amount of games played, without a glut of extra tries is to point at as the main reason, the fantasy gods must of stepped in to drop his season average to something closer to what we are more accustomed to seeing! If the Raiders can get back to the more attacking side we seen in 2016 Papalii may be able to replicate his amazing early season 2017 average, Papalii will be a decent POD shout to start the season, his DPP is very nice but the attacking points he feeds off over base stats is harder to consistently replicate. If you can get on Papalii when he goes on a scoring run and get off at the right time, you will be laughing!

predicted 2018 avg - 48-55 points


3.5/5
Welshy Beers

Raymond Fatality Mariner

Price: $389,000

2017 avg: 26.6
2016 avg: 24.9
2015 avg: 34.2

Minutes:
2017: 37.2
2016: 31.5
2015: 54.4

3 years  starting 2nd row, 13 games, avg 38.6
3 years starting 2nd row, 50+ minutes, 9 games, avg 41.2

Priced at 26.6 which is that awkward price Sironen was at last year if IIRC and everyone didn't want to take but took him anyway. But RFM is no Sironen and plenty of value there if he can hold down a starting gig.

Player: Hymel Hunt
Club: Souths Sydney Rabbitohs
Position: CTR
Cost: $310,000 priced at 21.2
2016 average: 32.2
2017 average: 21.2
2017 minutes average: 75.1
2016 minutes average: 74.5
2016 round 8 pectoral, 2017 round 1 concussion, round 3 four week suspension for high tackle, round 15 broken finger.

Hymel burst onto the fantasy scene come TLT R1 2016 and made his way into a fair few fantasy squads, 2 scores in the 40s with tries in his first 2 games gave coaches a rookie priced CTR scoring option we all dream off, he played his next 5 games for an average of 36 points to make quick cash and provide solid scores, injury curtailed his season until R22 where he produced a 5 games average of 29 to close out the season .

2016 avg minus injury games: 34
2017 avg minus injury games: 23

Wrap Up
Hunt couldn’t follow up his debut full season with anywhere near the same scoring he achieved the year prior, again affected by injury, Hunt will first need to crack the starting spot to provide any value at all, with the addition of Gagai and GI looking to be playing CTR, Hunt will likely have to wait for his chance back in the first grade

Predicted 2018 average: 20-30
1.5/5
Welshy beers

Ethan Lowe



Player: Ethan Lowe
Club: North Queensland Cowboys
Position: 2RF
Cost: $606,000
2015 average: 47
2016 average: 48
2017 average: 41
2017 minutes average: 69
Handsomeness rating: 1.5/5 Mitch Aubbussons (aliceband wearing motherfucker)

Ethan Lowe had major offseason neck surgery last offseason and Green eased him back into action, averaging just 55 minutes up until R11 and averaging 37 over that period. Lowe often gets fantasy coaches backs up when he constantly acts as JT’s dummy runner, with JT back will he perform that duty again? To be fair to Lowe he is solid as a rock

points average 2017 when playing 70+ minutes: 45 (15 games)
2017 Low Score when playing 70+ minutes R23 27, High Score: R20 64 (1 try)

Wrap up
Lowe is the Cowboys 80 minute man but he sometimes suffers from tackle everything in sight syndrome and falls off tackles trying to do too much, he does go under 35 pretty often (5 times in the 15 games he played 70+ minutes) his average playing 80 is a few points above where he is priced so definite value there, He won’t be in my squad purely on the basis he wears a fucking headband.
predicted 2018 avg – 45-48 points


3/5
Welshy Beers

Bunty Afoa



Player: Bunty Afoa
Club: Warriors
Position: 2RF
Cost: $494,000
2017 average: 34
2017 minutes average: 59
Handsomeness rating: 3/5 Mitch Aubbussons

Bunty was one of the few warrior forwards who could walk off the field holding his head high that he had given everything on the field with Manners most weeks. A worker in the tackle area who could probably do more in the running game, Afoa could be set for some decent minutes in a warriors backrow lacking much depth after him, Manners and Harris. Warriors could be set to offer the starting back row big minutes and rotate the powderpuff front rowers more.
Starting 2RF points average: 38 (12 games, 1 try)
2017 average when playing 70+ minutes: 42 (8 games, 1 try)
2017 high score R1 & R21 49 (no tries) 2017 low score when playing 60+ minutes R19 30

Wrap up
Afoa and his fantasy outlook will hinge on the minutes he is afforded from Kearny, if he gets anything over 65 minutes consistently he will be a decent buy, if he jags 80 minutes he will be great value after being priced at 34.

predicted 2018 avg - 35-45 points


3/5
Welshy Beers

David Nofoaluma



Player: David Nofaluma
Club: Wests Tiger
Position: WFB
Cost: $659,000
2017 average: 45
2016 average: 45
2015 average: 39
2017 minutes average: 80
Handsomeness rating: 3/5 Mitch Aubbussons

Nofo is a tackle busting machine on the Tigers wing, with a season high last year of 14 TBs in a single game! Wowsers! He had 8 games where he had 7 or more TBs. He loves coming in off his wing looking for work and always runs hard and with purpose on every play, whilst suspect under the high ball Nofo is a decent option to start the season with in the backline

2017 high score R1 83 (no try) 2017 Low score R14 11

Wrap up
Nofo finished in the top 5 of fantasy WFB last season, he sits a tier below Tedesco and Rapana, Nofos upside is the fact he only scored 8 tries in 2017, any score uptick will need to come from here and the extra attacking points like TBs and LBs that come with them. No Tedesco in the Tigers attack this year so Nofo may come into play more in the attacking third, a candidate to shave some cash over Teddy and Rapa to put in your team at seasons start and hope he goes bananas before jumping onto one of the top level WFBs or and emerging cow or pick and stick because he won’t let you down and will be near the cream of the WFB crop come seasons end

predicted 2018 avg - 45-48 points


3/5
Welshy Beers

Dylan Edwards




Player: Dylan Edwards
Club: Penrith Panthers
Position: WFB
Cost: $670,000
2017 average: 45.7 (46)
2017 minutes average: 80
Handsomeness rating: 2.5/5 Mitch Aubbussons

Whilst covering injury Edwards shot onto fantasy coaches radars last year with a 52 score in R2 from the wing, he followed that up with a R6 37 but those were the only games he played until R13 where he finished out the season playing in the No.1 shirt. Edwards was a fantastic addition to the fantasy WFB group and was a joy to watch often calmly securing bombs before steadying himself and gliding through opposition defences, after half a year in the top grade tearing through NRL backlines Edwards stands to relevate into the WFB elite this season

2017 average discounting injury affected R 25: 48.5
2017 high score R14 84 (no try) low score R19 27
Wrap up
Edwards only scored 2 tries in his 14 games last season so there is plenty of scope for a major improvement fantasy wise in that area. He can rack up TBs (even though I thought he was duped in games last year) averaging 6 a game. Edwards for me personally is a gut call, but I reckon he goes close to the top averaging WFB this season!

predicted 2018 avg - 48-52 points


4/5
Welshy Beers