2018 NRL Dream Team Virtual Sports/Sports Deck (VSDT) Part 1

Concussed wrote:

Right team, so who are the guys primed to go bananas to close out the season? The guys that aren't in the cookie cutter teams so to speak, that are left field but aren't in a whole different stadium! Haha

Or are we best to save all trades remaining until the final few weeks or emergency injury trades?

If I were trying to find POD (some less PODish than others) guys to close out the season Id probably look at (in no particular order):

Brown (13% ownership - dropped by most of top teams a while ago)
Pearce (2% ownership and perhaps the best POD choice out there given how a number of the high profile halves have been going!)
Vaughan (8% - suspect much of that is in teams who had him from the start and aren't in contention)
Kikau (39% but has become a bit of a POD now - at least among the top teams)
Crichton (19% - same as Vaughan - not in many top teams)
Holmes (3% ownership)
Burgess (33% - in a couple of top teams but not many)
Matterson (15%, Another huge POD at C if he can maintain 80min edge spot! Im hugely surprised at his low ownership. Looking at the top 10 only 3 have him: 1st 2nd and 5th)

That list covers all positions except hooker. where to be honest I think its not worth going outside of Cam and Cook to finish the season. Obviously Farah, McInness, and even Fainu are POD guys that are going well, I just can't see, barring injury, any of those guys outscoring Cam and Cook by much  (if at all) over the remainder of the season so in looking at PODs I'd go the rest of the positions.

Rippin and Tearin wrote:

If I were trying to find POD (some less PODish than others) guys to close out the season Id probably look at (in no particular order):

Brown (13% ownership - dropped by most of top teams a while ago)
Pearce (2% ownership and perhaps the best POD choice out there given how a number of the high profile halves have been going!)
Vaughan (8% - suspect much of that is in teams who had him from the start and aren't in contention)
Kikau (39% but has become a bit of a POD now - at least among the top teams)
Crichton (19% - same as Vaughan - not in many top teams)
Holmes (3% ownership)
Burgess (33% - in a couple of top teams but not many)
Matterson (15%, Another huge POD at C if he can maintain 80min edge spot! Im hugely surprised at his low ownership. Looking at the top 10 only 3 have him: 1st 2nd and 5th)

That list covers all positions except hooker. where to be honest I think its not worth going outside of Cam and Cook to finish the season. Obviously Farah, McInness, and even Fainu are POD guys that are going well, I just can't see, barring injury, any of those guys outscoring Cam and Cook by much  (if at all) over the remainder of the season so in looking at PODs I'd go the rest of the positions.

Great list mate thank you! How about Cameron Munster?

Still weighing up the saving trades vs the POD route, will probably be doing the same thing this time next week haha.

How is the Fanatic league getting on?

Concussed wrote:

Great list mate thank you! How about Cameron Munster?

Still weighing up the saving trades vs the POD route, will probably be doing the same thing this time next week haha.

How is the Fanatic league getting on?

Yeah I like Munster, but I like him much more if you have another DPP player you can interchange him with . That gives him more value as he can =cover a gap in your halves as well as at WFB.

Re saving trades... how many do you have right now? TO be honest mate, I'd be incredibly surprised if the average trades people have remaining in the top 10 was more than 2 or 3.

If I had more than that (and I dont, I have none) I would be using all but one or two to bring in a few PODs to see if you can get into the top 10. That being said, you team killed it last week was it? So perhaps you dont need to do much. I'd probably get Pearce if I were you. Play him over SJ and hope SJ keeps flopping. All the top teams are playing SJ right now...

I might consider a POD forward too - not sure who though to be honest...

Overall, in the fanatics league Sam (miracle workers) is first (11th overall), Im 2nd (16th) and bull bender is 3rd (20th)

In terms of the H2H league top 4 are West end warriors, me, sam, and NHTFS (in that order)

I think we have all but sewn up first place in the battle of the leagues.

I'm bringing Matterson back in this week

Smith Cook
Fifita Surgess James
Brown Martin Gallen TLolo JTrbo
DCE SJ
Materson Aitken
Tedesco TTrbo Ponga

Arrow missing out this week.
Currently ranked 125 and can't see how I can make significant ground - everyone's teams are too good. Just have to hope for a few injuries from people above me who have no trades left to adjust.

Milchcow wrote:
I'm bringing Matterson back in this week

Smith Cook
Fifita Surgess James
Brown Martin Gallen TLolo JTrbo
DCE SJ
Materson Aitken
Tedesco TTrbo Ponga

Arrow missing out this week.
Currently ranked 125 and can't see how I can make significant ground - everyone's teams are too good. Just have to hope for a few injuries from people above me who have no trades left to adjust.

Good call on Matterson mate, I have held him this whole time and he repaid me last week for sure.
I benched Taumalolo for Arrow last week, so having options isnt always a good thing I guess (not that you can predict injury, and he was on track for a good one)

My Team with 5 trades left and mass confusion is...

Cook, Smith
Taupau, Fifita, Burgess, James
Trbojevic, Brown, Martin, Taumalolo, Arrow, Gray-DPP
Cherry-Evans, Johnson, Lewis, Luai
Matterson, Mitchell,Olive, Croker-$$$
Tedesco, Trbojevic, Ponga, Tuivasa-Sheck, Mann-DPP

I dont even know who to leave out of the 4 reserves with Ponga back!?
Do we think Scott & McClean back will help or hinder Taumalolo?

Milchcow wrote:
I'm bringing Matterson back in this week

Smith Cook
Fifita Surgess James
Brown Martin Gallen TLolo JTrbo
DCE SJ
Materson Aitken
Tedesco TTrbo Ponga

Arrow missing out this week.
Currently ranked 125 and can't see how I can make significant ground - everyone's teams are too good. Just have to hope for a few injuries from people above me who have no trades left to adjust.

I'm running Kikau, Alvaro, Taupau, McInnes, Pearce, RTS and Munster as PODs from you (and most others) for that reason. So far, only to my detriment but at my rank there's no point being too conservative

Also what happens when we get to page 51 here?

Concussed wrote:

Good call on Matterson mate, I have held him this whole time and he repaid me last week for sure.
I benched Taumalolo for Arrow last week, so having options isnt always a good thing I guess (not that you can predict injury, and he was on track for a good one)

My Team with 5 trades left and mass confusion is...

Cook, Smith
Taupau, Fifita, Burgess, James
Trbojevic, Brown, Martin, Taumalolo, Arrow, Gray-DPP
Cherry-Evans, Johnson, Lewis, Luai
Matterson, Mitchell,Olive, Croker-$$$
Tedesco, Trbojevic, Ponga, Tuivasa-Sheck, Mann-DPP

I dont even know who to leave out of the 4 reserves with Ponga back!?
Do we think Scott & McClean back will help or hinder Taumalolo?

I have the same dilemma in the backs to start with. It would probably not be a dilemma except for the fact that RTS is playing a day game v the Titans. He'll run for 200m + I think + attacking stats. Could comfortably hit 50-60.

Rippin and Tearin wrote:

I have the same dilemma in the backs to start with. It would probably not be a dilemma except for the fact that RTS is playing a day game v the Titans. He'll run for 200m + I think + attacking stats. Could comfortably hit 50-60.

My thinking on this is based on last week, a guy playing first week back after a leg injury can sit on the bench and prove his fitness first. This will now blow up in my face when Ponga scores 80, but at least that will be proof his hammy is ok haha. I to think Roger will have a field day against the Titans, so I will stick with my plan I think...

Still lost on Arrow vs Taumalolo though!

Who would you leave out?

WFB: MBye v Isaako OR Reserves: Arrow, TPJ or Isaako.

Mbye out for me.

I too currently have Pong starting with RTS on the bench. Not 100% confident given the matchups and Ponga's fitness, but his pedigree this season is hard to resist
(COuld always play both and leave TTrbo/Teddy on the bench)

mickspicks wrote:Who would you leave out?

WFB: MBye v Isaako OR Reserves: Arrow, TPJ or Isaako.

Isaako to play surely, injury free, second game at fullback, goal kicker in a team that whist inconsistent COULD explode any given week

Gents, how does this one compare to Fantasy? I might switch next season. Sorry - a bit of a broad question...

Milchcow wrote:
I too currently have Pong starting with RTS on the bench. Not 100% confident given the matchups and Ponga's fitness, but his pedigree this season is hard to resist
(COuld always play both and leave TTrbo/Teddy on the bench)

Yeah I went with my heart with Arrow last week, as when fit he scores points for fun! I love Ponga, but I just cant drop any of the other 3 all coming off strong games and good legs. Like I said earlier though, Ponga will more than likely belt out an easy 80, but I will roll that dice this week and see how he goes

Verbal Kint wrote:Gents, how does this one compare to Fantasy? I might switch next season. Sorry - a bit of a broad question...

A better overall product IMO. I'll be focusing on this and SC next year.

Verbal Kint wrote:Gents, how does this one compare to Fantasy? I might switch next season. Sorry - a bit of a broad question...

Way better IMO, and easier (in that fewer people play) shh, dont tell anyone though!!

With a lot of players pulling out late with injury recently, sometimes its best to play your guns in your starting 13 when you can. I.e. if Ponga starts play him. Then if you need a sub late in the piece you have RTS

Arrow, Munster or Cotric for last reserve? Playing Matterson and Aitken in the centres this week

Clack Bocks wrote:Also what happens when we get to page 51 here?

Seems like it's business as usual.