2018 NRL.com Fantasy Thread Part 5

Great tackle Delaney

Few of my thoughts from the game on some fantasy relevant players.

Smith: Took on a bit of tactical kicking early in the game during the grind. Melbourne were making a lot of metres early so didn't see a lot of long kicking but Smith doesn't look like he will lose anything there.

JBrom: Role seems to have changed from last year. Minutes were good and he seems to be running different lines. Rather than back in behind the ruck between marker and A defender he seemed to be getting a lot of flat balls from Smith running at the B/C hole. If that keeps up there will be lots of opportunities for TB's and offloads. Whether he will be allowed to offload again or not is to be seen. Busy in defense as usual.

NAS: Don't see much change from last year. Not fooled by scoring a try vs sub par defense. Looks to retain the 30-35 minute role from last year. Definitely a miss for me.

Croft: Had confidence to take on the line. Not a lot of long kicking on offer but will get his fair share. Will score a decent amount of tries this year but hard to see him matching his career strike rate so far. Probably slightly under valued.

Munster: Looked very busy in defense during the first half. Not many halves go looking for defensive work. When he has the ball he breaks tackles at will. First picked for me next year when he ends up at fullback. A real game breaker.

Welch: Inherited some extra minutes possibly due to score-line. Won't make enough cash to be worth picking.

multiple.scoregasms wrote:Few of my thoughts from the game on some fantasy relevant players.

Smith: Took on a bit of tactical kicking early in the game during the grind. Melbourne were making a lot of metres early so didn't see a lot of long kicking but Smith doesn't look like he will lose anything there.

JBrom: Role seems to have changed from last year. Minutes were good and he seems to be running different lines. Rather than back in behind the ruck between marker and A defender he seemed to be getting a lot of flat balls from Smith running at the B/C hole. If that keeps up there will be lots of opportunities for TB's and offloads. Whether he will be allowed to offload again or not is to be seen. Busy in defense as usual.

NAS: Don't see much change from last year. Not fooled by scoring a try vs sub par defense. Looks to retain the 30-35 minute role from last year. Definitely a miss for me.

Croft: Had confidence to take on the line. Not a lot of long kicking on offer but will get his fair share. Will score a decent amount of tries this year but hard to see him matching his career strike rate so far. Probably slightly under valued.

Munster: Looked very busy in defense during the first half. Not many halves go looking for defensive work. When he has the ball he breaks tackles at will. First picked for me next year when he ends up at fullback. A real game breaker.

Welch: Inherited some extra minutes possibly due to score-line. Won't make enough cash to be worth picking.

Nice run down mate, and agree with it all minus Croft only being slightly undervalued, I reckon he has the potential to go 50+

15-20 tackles, 240-300 KM with all the attacking potential he has on top

now the game's finished - a question i've been pondering for a while:

Is there value in Tariq Sims? Assuming he gets Thompson's backrow spot, he should go alright?

SoylentGreen wrote:now the game's finished - a question i've been pondering for a while:

Is there value in Tariq Sims? Assuming he gets Thompson's backrow spot, he should go alright?

Sims and Friz both capable of 80 and both probably fighting for that role, my guess with Mary that is will vary from game to game

Friz when he plays 80 averages around 54, so great value there if he nails it down

wolfking wrote:

There you go mate.

Vert satisfying when it comes off Wolfie. I was fortunate because bellyache took
him off at the 65 min. mark and he was topping the tackle count at the time for the Storm.
That will not be the last time this season that Croft sets up a Kaufusi meatpie.
I am still not sure on NAS minutes, beast that he is.

Welshy wrote:

Sims and Friz both capable of 80 and both probably fighting for that role, my guess with Mary that is will vary from game to game

Friz when he plays 80 averages around 54, so great value there if he nails it down

I read on a Dragons forum that Mary wants 80 minutes 2fr's but Frizell's back problems are an issue so I think that's why they might carry a 2fr like Leilua/Host on the bench just in case Frizell needs a rest due to his back.

There's also the chance that Sim's has a rest & then is used in the front row rotation like last year.

White Lightning wrote:There's also the chance that Sim's has a rest & then is used in the front row rotation like last year.

I read an interview today with Sims saying he really wants to be starting - that he was challenged by Mary last year to play a role as an impact forward, but he sees himself as a backrower.

White Lightning wrote:

I read on a Dragons forum that Mary wants 80 minutes 2fr's but Frizell's back problems are an issue so I think that's why they might carry a 2fr like Leilua/Host on the bench just in case Frizell needs a rest due to his back.

Sounds like 80 min Friz with just rests depending on his health and not gameplan then....

Trajan wrote:

Vert satisfying when it comes off Wolfie. I was fortunate because bellyache took
him off at the 65 min. mark and he was topping the tackle count at the time for the Storm.
That will not be the last time this season that Croft sets up a Kaufusi meatpie.
I am still not sure on NAS minutes, beast that he is.

Thought that right away too mate.

Yeah, the minutes for NAS is certainly a concern, and from that game it's hard to read into what's going to happen in the future.

SoylentGreen wrote:

I read an interview today with Sims saying he really wants to be starting - that he was challenged by Mary last year to play a role as an impact forward, but he sees himself as a backrower.

I read that, which lead me to read the Dragons forum. There is a long thread about Luciano Leilua, but it's not just about him, but about him, Tariq and Host and who get's that spot. It didn't help much, just a lot of speculation.

I'm a few pages behind, and I haven't even logged in to select a single player yet, but people are asking who is going to play 80, Whitehead or Tapine? Posters seemed to have choosen Whitehead, however don't forget Tapine played 80 for the Kiwis (I'm pretty sure??)

Welshy wrote:

Sounds like 80 min Friz with just rests depending on his health and not gameplan then....

No way Frizz could go through a whole 80 minute game without going down with injury.

Finch wrote:I'm a few pages behind, and I haven't even logged in to select a single player yet, but people are asking who is going to play 80, Whitehead or Tapine? Posters seemed to have choosen Whitehead, however don't forget Tapine played 80 for the Kiwis (I'm pretty sure??)

Archer better to confirm

But I think Sticky prefers Whitehead in the middle with Tapine out wide due to defence

wolfking wrote:

No way Frizz could go through a whole 80 minute game without going down with injury.

Take that back you absolute scoundrel

wolfking wrote:

Thought that right away too mate.

Yeah, the minutes for NAS is certainly a concern, and from that game it's hard to read into what's going to happen in the future.

NAS is a beast. I don't want to give up on him. They had I think 12 interchanges tonight. No way they normally bring JBrom back for a second stint in the first half? Is concerning though. I'm reserving judgement.

Welshy wrote:

Take that back you absolute scoundrel

haha. I think the guy is a gun personally, and I hope he can stay fit, it's disappointing for the team when he gets a knock all the time.

mulvy wrote:

NAS is a beast. I don't want to give up on him. They had I think 12 interchanges tonight. No way they normally bring JBrom back for a second stint in the first half? Is concerning though. I'm reserving judgement.

I was surprsied too when JBrom came back on in the first half, that seemed weird. And yeah, 12 interchanges. Definitely hard to read at the moment.

I reckon Whitehead plays 80 minutes. Tapine 2fr, Whitehead lock. Soliola comes on for Tapine to play lock & Whitehead plays 2fr.