Nick Moon
Self-proclaimed funny guy
Weekly Wrap: Highs, lows and shocks, Rd 12
Check out our Round 12 NRL SuperCoach wrap, with popular captaincy options hitting the skids for many.
Weekly Wrap
May 31, 2021
What a rollercoaster week of Supercoach that was! We had the highs of Nicho Hynes tearing up Suncorp stadium – again to the lows of Turbo ensuring he was fit for Origin by putting in a Harry Houdini performance and the no show of Josh Schuster.
Scores were well down on previous weeks after Cleary and Turbo were kept quiet as the most popular captaincy choices of the round, but a Nicho Hynes 156 meant loopers were out in force. The only problem with that though was popular nuff Ben Trbojevic made his debut playing all of 45 seconds with Dezzy Hassler having a laugh bringing him on with only seconds remaining.
I hope all that bye-planning was worth it and you have a solid side heading into next weekend! The Origin selections will cause a few sides some headaches as will the match review panel, but I’ll just be happy to get rid of a few dead weights after this week and look to build for the final run home.
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Embed from Getty ImagesBrisbane v Melbourne
Nicho Hynes is the messiah sent from the Supercoach Gods! 156 to go with his 138 and 182 in the past two weeks, the Melbourne fullback is breaking the Supercoach year apart!
Whether you picked him up six weeks ago or two, the kid can do no wrong.
If I found him in bed with my wife I’d dead set tuck him in. If you are an owner heading into the Round 13 bye you would be pretty happy. Non-owners can only watch from the sidelines as he gets close to being worth $900k.
Brandon Smith bounced back with a two try performance, and in hindsight, should have been in everyone’s hooker plans for round 13.
TPJ tried his hardest and to his credit, was also on his best behaviour too. He knocked out 62 points and was probably Brisbane’s best player.
Payne Haas picked up a knee injury hence the reduced minutes but has been picked for NSW. He’s a sell now until after Origin.
Minute Watch – Haas 51 (injury affected), Palasia 70, B Smith 51
Cowboys v Warriors
Another Val Holmes masterclass in Townsville! He was busier than a glassie at the Mad Cow on Friday night and seems to morph into some sort of Matty Bowen/JT clone when he runs out on Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
He set up two tries and kicked a massive field goal to get the Cowboys home. I can’t see him being a trade target for the next six weeks, but after Origin he shapes as a must-have for me.
If the Cowboys are any chance of making the eight, he’ll have a massive role to play in that.
Reece Walsh was in everything again and scored a try that will feature in highlight reels for years to come.
The Broncos recruitment manager may be looking for Jobseeker payments come the end of the year if Walsh’s from continues. To think he couldn’t get a crack at Brisbane!
The thought of trading one of the Origin fullbacks to Reece Walsh in a couple weeks could be the gutsiest move you make all year. I’m all for it.
Minute Watch – Robson 56, Tevaga 52, Egan 80
Embed from Getty ImagesWest Tigers v Dragons
I only watched this match to make sure my Round 13 bye coverage players got through it unscathed.
Daine Laurie was on the chopping block for me four weeks ago, but I thankfully held and this was a little payback for all those who also stuck solid as he banged out his second 100+ performance of the year with 117 to go with his 119 in round 8, also against the Dragons.
It’s a shame he can’t play them every week. Actually I’m pretty sure 15 teams would say that.
Nofoaluma too was solid and will be a very very popular pick next week and beyond. His base stats are as good as 2020s (No research in that comment) and he is finding the line just as well. You can set-and-forget in your CTW from here on in despite the Tigers tough upcoming run.
Adam Doueihi also shapes as a very popular play for next week after his 83 on Friday night with the injury to Schuster. A straight swap for the Tigers centre looks a safe play, but that would mean about three Tigers in my side and that’s probably two too many if you ask me.
There aren’t too many Dragons players that would feature heavily in most sides, but Ben Hunt might be worth a look having missed selection for the Maroons, whilst I’m stuck with Jack Bird who needs to find the tryline this week to repay some faith.
A possible looming suspension for Luciano Leiulua along with Joe Ofahengaue’s Origin call up is great news for Shawn Blore and Stefano Utoikamanu owners ahead of the first bye weed of the year.
Minute Watch – L Leilua 80, Blore 28, Seyfarth 42
Embed from Getty ImagesPanthers v Bulldogs
What was expected to be an absolute mauling turned out to be quite the opposite.
Despite the score line, Cleary, Luai and To’o were kept relatively quiet with Cleary scoring 54, his lowest score of the year! Fancy that up against the Bulldogs whose best player is their coach.
For the holders, Charlie Staines scored two tries and finished with 94. A nice option to have in your side based pon match up.
The Panthers will be decimated with Origin, so they become a pretty interesting side moving forward, especially in the weeks post Origin to see how they all back up.
I’d be very wary of trading out players like To’o and Cleary knowing you will have to bring them back at some stage.
Burton found the line again finishing with 66 and has that dual position bonus heading into Round 13. Having picked him up two weeks ago I feel that the anyone now jumping on are band wagoners so rack off and let us day 1 players take all the glory
Origin call ups, along with a possible suspension for Moses Leota, is great news for Spencer Leniu owners.
Minute Watch – JFH 58, Kikau, 68, Leniu 22, Thompson 60, Topine 69
Embed from Getty ImagesRabbitohs v Eels
We saw the Rabbitohs of old on Saturday as their left edge ran riot on the Eels.
Johnston and Gagai going ballistic scoring 146 and 163 respectively. Gagai must have Origin looming.
Johnston shapes as a great CTW after Origin when all his teammates join him and the Rabbitohs do like to time their runs to the back end of the year. Cody Walker also too found some form scoring 83 and will cost you just a tick over $530k which is dirt cheap for a proven Supercoach gun with a great draw post round 13.
It was a quiet night scoring wise from the Eels, still getting over last week’s demolition probably with not one player breaking the 70 mark. Papali’i scored again – I’m sick of writing that – and notched up 62. He will decrease in price marginally but with the Round 13 coverage, is the pick of the 2RF/FRF.
Reed Mahoney was in my plans for bye-planning, but having been named at hooker by Maroons coach Paul Green means he’s a no-go. Why do we bother bye planning at all??
Minute Watch – Arrow 49, Murray 47, Papali’i 63, Matterson 70
Embed from Getty ImagesRoosters v Raiders
With his 105, James Tedesco has finally pegged back some of that cash he was bleeding all but four weeks ago. It’s a tough call for owners trying to sort out whether to hold or sell, but you will have to get rid of one of your fullbacks if you own Teddy/Turbo/Ponga with the uncertainty that players will back up after Origin.
Sam Walker was ruled out late and will take on the Titans in Round 14. He shapes as a real tough choice as to whether to hold him or take your money and run. He has a BE of 126 and to be fair, has looked out of sorts over the past few weeks.
The only long-term option is to move him to Hughes or hold. I don’t see too many halfbacks screaming out to be traded in.
Owners of SST would be pulling their hair out at his inconsistent weeks. He scored 52 on the weekend but is set to lose more money. If you still have him I’m not sure there is much more you could do apart from hold for the Round 17 weekend.
Tupouniua continues his surprisingly good form with 95 to go with last week’s 90. He has a five round average of 73 and with no sign of Cordner just yet, will be a great pick up after next week
Minute Watch – SST 49, Hargreaves 80, Tupouniua 80, Hodgson 80, CHN 80
Embed from Getty ImagesSharks v Titans
The Welcome return of David Fifita was about the only shining light in this match for me!
I was one that held the Titans back-rower and a final score of 82 which included, get this, 16 tackle busts! His score came without any attacking stats hopefully justifying mine and hopefully many others decisions to hold.
He’s one that will be in most 17s come the end of the year and freeing up the cash may seem good at the time, but you have to get him back in at some stage. And with a price tag of $800k, it makes getting him back that little more difficult.
Two tries and 97 points to a returning Ronaldo Mulitalo looks like a good score, but keep in mind 54 of those points came in tries and I don’t think Cronulla can have days like yesterday all that often! Look I may be wrong, but keep an eye out on him over the next month.
Brian Kelly scored a try but only finished with 36 points. Meaning 19 points. Even my boy Jack Bird is better and that is saying something.
Minute Watch – Rudolf 50, Fa’asuamaleaui 70, Fifita 70.
Embed from Getty ImagesKnights v Sea Eagles
Tommy Turbo. I can forgive you for a performance like that. A lot of others won’t though and that’s fine. 40 points in his quietest game in God knows how long? The popular captain choice let a whole lot down in the final game of Round 12. Freddy might have had a word to him on the quiet and said just keep fresh for Origin.
The withdrawal of Schuster late just topped the weekend off. It’s a pretty good lesson to make sure any players playing in the later games are your reserves and not in your initial 13 to avoid things like this happening. And getting the AE score of a player who makes one tackle and a hit up was a fitting end for the weekend that was, thanks Burbo.
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As for the Knights, Connor Watson was outstanding playing the full 80 for the first time this year, mostly at five-eighth. If he gets more minutes like that he shapes as a season keeper. He finished with 89 points which included a TA.
Bradman Best too was back to his base stat best – that’s a mouthful, finishing with 62 without an attacking stat. Both his score and Watson’s looked good on my NPR bench whilst I copped Burbo as my AE. Did I mention that?
Minute Watch – Barnett 56, Fitzgibbon 55 (Injury affected), Keppie 70 (Sin-bin), Lawton 73
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