Weekly wrap: Round 19 winners, losers, injuries

Well, that is bye planning for 2023 done… For the most part!

We still have Round 20 to navigate but how did we all fare?

I can tell you it feels like we all overthought these bye rounds that’s for sure!!

With only the 13 counted, it wasn’t a matter of quantity but quality, and making sure you owned that one player who went nuts for the weekend. Even as we got to Round 19, it didn’t seem like 13 was needed and bringing in a player just to score you a 30 or 40 seemed not to matter.

Team list Tuesday and then the resting’s post Origin will make for a very interesting Round 20.

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With trades running low and some must-haves breaking the bank, I think we will start to see some very different sides in head to head matchups. And that leaves plenty of unanswered questions… Is Cleary a must have? Does Fifita back up? Ponga? Could I keep better than Johnny Bairstow? Drinkwater is how much!?

I managed to see some green arrows for the first time since I had to wait at an intersection turning right to post 938 from only 11 players thanks large in part to Ford, Mahoney (two guys who were on the chopping block only weeks ago), and a Nicho loop whilst my co-contributor – who also had the bye this weekend – managed 884 from her 12 players. Thankfully for many, we are only providing a wrap up and not the actual technical advice regarding SuperCoach tactics.

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Tigers v Sharks

Compare the pair. Same Age. Same income. Same Starting balance. One scored three tries, the other scored a measly 19 points. Do you wish you switched sooner? Yep, Sione Katoa went absolutely nuts whilst his wing mate, the most sought after player for the round, Ronaldo, was barley sighted off Nobbys scoring only 19 points! 19 points!! He relies heavily on attacking stats but in his 15 games this year, he only had one score under 50 and that was back in Round 1.

He will have plenty of new and existing owners baying for blood in the next couple weeks if he can’t start putting some scores on the board. Those who held off will appreciate the price drop but with games against a stout Warriors defence and a desperate Manly and Penrith, the horizon looks grim.

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But things weren’t all bad… I mean, Talakai ran over the top of someone not named Morgan Harper for a change and had a day out finishing with 103, while our Lord and Saviour of Supercoach 2023 Mr. Nicholas Hynes just carried everyone on his back with a sublime 109.

It was about 110 short of what we expected against a Tigers side who gave up 74 last week, but for those with the C or VC, it made for an easy decision. Especially after the Nicho points were awarded on Sunday morning – The standard 25 or so unicorn points awarded every week.

Nikora was strong running off Nicho and looks a set and forget for the remainder of the season, scoring a handy 88 whilst Kennedy was busy but did have a TA taken off him and awarded to Ramien.

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For the Tigers, they were gritty and probably got to half time and didn’t know what to do or say! Bula only managed 40 and has been significantly quieter since Brooks and Api started missing games. Dropped a heap more cash so it was probably time for him to go last week. Bateman was a lot busier back on the edge, playing the full 80 and scoring 70 all in base. And Shawn Blore finally showed some of the promise that made me buy him in 2021 and stick with him throughout the whole year where he averaged 29. One for 2024 perhaps?

Minutes played – Ipap 74, Bateman 80, Brailey 80, McInnes 52,

Injuries: Daine Laurie (quad – pre-game)

Judiciary: Starford To’a (Dangerous Throw)

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Dragons v Raiders

I didn’t have this game going viral and pissing off Piers Morgan on my NRL Bingo card but here we are! Great work from the Raiders lads to drop what is the greatest post try celebration since Piggy jumped the fence at Wollongong all those years ago.

And they could have re-enacted most of the Ashes with the amount of tries in this game! Plenty of Supercoach points to be had with some massive scores.

In a match that not many would have targeted for players, we had the likes of Ravalawa, Timoko, and Lomax all go large whilst Joey Taps FINALLY found the line and posted a huge 94 for owners.

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Ravalawa though was the pick of the players on the night as he crossed for a hattrick and a try assist for a huge 145 points. I didn’t see him floating in anyone’s teams, but he’s a player that has a game like that in him. If he suited up for a top 8 side, I’d guess he would be in a lot more teams than he is in now.

His combination with Zac Lomax is as good as any centre/wing combo in the comp as the much-maligned centre too had a day out, running at poor Crokes for the night, putting on 138 Supercoach points. Has been pretty solid all year without being spectacular. Like Harry Brook, he seems to score plenty of 40s whilst looking very good.

All this talk of Ravalawa and Lomax and you would have been forgiven for thinking the Dragons won… Well, the Raiders did their very best to make that happen!

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With a try to his name, Joey Taps made the Friday night just that little sweeter for owners finishing with a season high 94 and a 3RA of a tick over 81. Coming good at the right time of year!

Huddo Young wasn’t quite the POD play a few were calling for, only managing 45 after his Origin snubbing but at least he didn’t have to spend the week with Freddy singing Kumbaya with his shoes off.

Minutes played – F Molo 38, Liddle 53, JDB 80,Young 80, Taps 55

Injuries: Paul Turner (back), Jacob Liddle (head knock), Jayden Sullivan (hamstring), Ben Murdoch-Masila (knee)

Judiciary: Nil.

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Eels v Warriors

As I sat at home, watching on as Luke Metcalf put on an absolute clinic on Saturday night, my wife asked me who was missing from this Parramatta side who had seemingly turned into the Tigers in the space of two weeks. “Well only the fullback and Moses” I replied, “oh and a prop”. “Hmm” she said, “well they’re not defensive players, they’re both attacking players and it’s 30-4 at half time!”. My wife, smarter than the average pundit… And definitely smarter than Blocker Roach!

And she was dead on, as the Warriors turned CommBank into their training paddock, putting 46 past the Eels who were missing, as I said, their halfback, fullback, and a prop! Didn’t know RCG made 50 tackles…

Luke Metcalf was outstanding in the opening half, setting up two and scoring two himself and was unlucky not to have a third. He finished the evening with 112, adding only around 15 to his half time score. What he did though was enabled SJ to sit back and chime in when needed… He still played his role but might have been thinking of the dirty nappies and lack of sleep ahead of him with the impending birth of his child. Still managed 75, but with his side putting 46 on, many would have hoped for more.

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Tohu the Warrior, both figuratively and literally, went off with a knee injury and had more strapping tape on it than Tutankhamun but decided to get back out into the thick of it, banking owners a handy 94.

CNK, AFB, and DWZ – there’s a joke there somewhere but it’s late and we need wickets – all failed to fire by their lofty standards.  They have had a month of big scores so no need to panic, and they are three players I would love to have at my disposal.

Shaun Lane had a successful return, bagging a try and 64 but was put on report for tripping. Might give him another week but looks a good POD for the run home once their attacking players return.

Minutes played – Matterson 80, Hopgood 65, Lane 45, Ford 80, Harris 58, AFB 60, Egan 61

Injuries: Dylan Walker (arm)

Judiciary: Shaun Lane (Dangerous Contact – Tripping)

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Rabbitohs v Bulldogs

Tallis, Munro, Tyrone, Duncan! Whichever way you put it, what stars these kids will be! It was another try-athon with the Dogs scraping home, not before Munro and Duncan found the line to put a massive scare through the Dogs fans.

Matty Burton shook off the bright lights of Allianz to post a huge 105 as he found playing with a dominant half might just be what he needs as Toby Sexton came in and looked like he had been there for years. Allowed Burton to do his thing on the left edge and the points flowed.

Blake Wilson found life easy playing on the wing for the Dogs, bagging a hattrick and probably the first winger since Brain Bevan to score a hat-trick in headgear. Wilson finished the night with 109,and is still sub 270k.

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For patient owners just like myself, when I saw R. Mahoney on the try scorers list I let out a little squeal! An absolute bludger of a year, with a dearth of attacking stats in the last month, he finally crossed the line and updated beautifully to 85, his second highest score of the year. Wil play an important role to backup H Grant for many owners.

Jacob Preston too might have done his dash and looks a good upgrade option if you can afford it. The long season carrying the dogs defence might be starting to take its toll as he finished with 49.

Tyrone Munro, playing only his second game of NRL, bagged a double and a huge 91 Supercoach points which seemed like 180 to new owners! He was priced at bottom dollar and looks like he may hold onto the right-wing spot. Will make a ton of cash, but cash generation aint what we are looking for at this time of the year! Although, he is a great downgrade option if you can afford the trade.

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It wasn’t all tries and line breaks for the wingers in this match, with Alex Johnston being starved of footy managing only 21. Like the old schoolyard rules, no hat no play but for Souths, no Trell or Cody means no play for AJ.

Kenner looks a bit of a trap, and only came in after Chee Kam got ruled out. Those who brought him in might be looking at a 380k player on their bench.

Minutes played – Duncan 31, Tatola 54, Preston 80, TPJ 39

Injuries: Ryan Sutton (neck)

Judiciary: Taane Milne (Careless High Tackle)

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Titans v Dolphins

Old Wiley old Wayne up to his tricks again! A match that both teams would have been desperate to win, it was the Dolphins that found something in golden point to break the Titans’ hearts. The Titans are now favourites to win the “Worst team in QLD” trophy.

There wouldn’t have been too many Supercoach eyes on this match apart from Lemuelu, VTW, and Jamayne Isaako, and all three were somewhat disappointing.

That’s probably a bit harsh on Lemuelu who found the line to post a solid 72 which turned out to be his highest score since Round 9, but from the Spy’s perspective, not good enough!

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Isaako was the hottest piece of Supercoach you could get your hands on vour weeks ago, but since then has posted scores of 66, 66, 50 and now 56, leaving plenty to rue what could have been. Goalkicking has been on song but the low scores seem to coincide with big Val inside him. A player that could actually play without his winger, he is loath to feed him some footy. Desperately needs Brenko Lee back in the side; a sentence I thought no man on the planet would utter.

And whoever asked the Playbook boys about B Kelly as a POD, get in touch. I’ll organise an apology message from the Spy. 105, I hope you jumped on!

Minutes played – VTW 85, Lemuele 85, Stone 67

Injuries: Joe Stimson (head knock)

Judiciary: Jarrod Wallace (Careless High Tackle)