Draft Breakdown: Waiver-wire targets, finals strategy

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We didn’t get many hits last week with Mason Lino and Mitch Kenny being mediocre and Hymel Hunt failing with the rest of the Knights.

Jarrod Wallace was the best call and is still playable this week as long as Jai Arrow isn’t back.

Most leagues are into the business end of the season, with Draft finals kicking off this weekend.

This week I’ll go through a couple of tips for those that are unfamiliar to Draft finals strategic gameplay.

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Strategy #1 – Two bites of the cherry

The strategy is about using your bench player effectively and giving yourself a chance to take that players score if he goes well.

All year we have been collecting potential players on the pine of our Draft sides. In finals that changes and you should be getting ready to drop your entire bench and one of your starters if your bench player goes well.

I like to choose a risky high upside player (usually a FLB, CTW or half) on my bench who I think might go well and plays relatively early in the round.

If he goes above 70 or even potentially lower depending on my opponent’s score, I will ensure my bench is all NPPs and have one NPP in my starter side to get the bench score.

If he doesn’t go well, we obviously don’t drop players and start another player – thus getting another chance at getting a good score.

For example this week, Starford To’a or Justin Olam play early games and would be good options to have on your bench and see how they score.

Keep in mind this effects your VC loophole and if you are planning on taking your VC you might want a safer forward option on your bench.

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Strategy #2 – Waiver sniping

Another tactic in finals is analysing your opponent’s side and working out their weakest position and where they can upgrade on the waiver.

Depending where you are on the waiver-wire order and how your own side is shaping up, you can target a player they could potentially use against you.

For example, if they just lost a hooker to injury or are weak in 5/8 you may want to waiver a Kenny or Lino.

There is a fine line when using this tactic as you can definitely take this too far and go into waiver blocking (continually picking up and dumping players) which is a dirty tactic in my eyes, but targeting a key player or two an opposition may use is fair play.

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WAIVER-WIRE TARGETS

Any Panthers starting player

The Broncos are the team you can consistently count on to leak points anywhere on the field.

I doubt there are many available Panthers starters left on the waiver with the form they are in, but there’s a good chance even the likes of James Tamou and Tyrone May could fall over the line against the Broncos.

Watch out for whoever gets Yeo’s spot if he fails his HIA protocols or if anyone is rested.

Tyrone Peachey (CTW)

Peachey has been playing big minutes in the middle without Arrow.

Even with Moe Fotuaika returning from suspension he could go massive against the Bulldogs.

Corey Thompson (CTW)

The Titans are continuing to impress and the Bulldogs are giving up the most SuperCoach points to the right winger than any other team.

Justin Olam (CTW)

Olam is finally benefiting from playing outside of Cam Munster along with Little Papi’s recent form.

Souths have been good recently but their recent improvement in defence is up against a high flying Storm side.

Mitch Rein (HOK)

If Starling isn’t available Rein will do a decent job for you.

He likes to run from dummy half a lot, which means he gets decent base even when playing only 60 minutes and is a chance to get a meat pie.

Albert Hopoate (CTW)

There has been some big wraps on young Albert for a while – look up the 2017 under 16s Origin final try where he links up with Bradman Best.

He finally debuted last week against the Storm and got found out defensively a few times, but still managed to get through a decent amount of work in his first 80 minute game of football for a long time.

Manly are shot this year but they come up against a defeated West Tigers side who are leaking the third most points to right centres.

Starford Toa and Enari Tuala (CTW)

The Knights were really poor on the weekend and it was scary how little Kalyn Ponga was able to get involved in attack.

However, the Sharks are giving up the fourth most points to the opposition left winger and third most points to opposition centres before this weekend.