Round 15 NRL Supercoach Wrap: 10 Things We Learnt

Did you have Reuben Garrick as captain?

The above question seemed to have the biggest bearing on this weekend’s scores.

Unfortunately for me, that answer was yes.

The second question was is it open yet?

Took their sweet time on Monday morning!

Captains failing, players getting ruled out, benching and some massive AE problems, it seems the Supercoach roller-coaster goes on!

Can’t seem to land 2 good weeks in a row to make some moves but the boat has plenty of others in it with me.

Despite the Garrick headaches, Turbo’s Hamstrings had another respectable week scoring 1120, shooting me up 758 spots to 4392 overall. I was 10000 only 2 weeks back so heading in the right direction!

Saved trades on the weekend so hoping to fill a solid 13 for this weekend.

Team list Tuesday might have something to say about that though…

Here are the top 10 things we learnt from Round 15 NRL Supercoach.

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1. Depth deepening 

Depth, depth and more depth! It’s been 15 rounds of this year’s Supercoach and the message just keeps getting clearer.

Make sure you have depth! 

We saw a number of late outs this week, sides running out with only 16 players and some massive AE troubles.

The NRL seems to be getting faster and tougher, which means players will be missing for the odd week more often than not.

We saw it with Fifita, KPP, Young and Galvin. 

Coaches know how long the season is and if they can get them a rest at some stage you bet they will be taking it.

We need to be able to cover these late changes, and that’s why it’s so important to have a full squad of blokes ready to go… Not named Joe Chan

I got away with it relatively unscathed but that was mainly thanks to Ivan Cleary switching out Cole and Brad Schneider.

Brad, I was only kidding about what I said last week. I love you. 

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2. HIAs suck

Yep. They can get in the bin!

I switched the captaincy armband late from Manu to Garrick and after Manu went about his business I slept like a baby on Saturday night.

But the rest was short-lived till about 2:30 pm Sunday afternoon when Garrick failed his second HIA. And what a dagger it was! 

Moses Suli was a late omission, meaning Christian Tuipulotu was named in the centres, that same edge that Reuben Garrick would have been running at.

And the way Cherry had it on a string it was inevitable us owners just saw a 130+ go through our fingers.

In even more bad news, he misses the vital round 16 game that owners would have been licking their lips for.

Oh well. At least he wasn’t the only CTW to play poorly and not be playing next week.

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3. DWZ headaches

Has there been a bigger fall from grace!

The mercurial Warriors winger was one of 2023’s best and early signs this year seemed like he’d carry that form well into 2024.

He was priced at $725k back in round 4 after a run of 99, 74, 43 and 91.

That’s when owners jumped on. 

Since then has only scored more than 61 twice and that was the last 2 weeks.

He had a BE of 5 going into this matchup and if my calculations are right, would have made owners a cool $8400 

The crowning moment came on the weekend where he was sin binned for an inexcusable high shot, we talk about players bending their backs to make a tackle, well he bent his knees to get up and clock Anderson on the head.

He now faces the prospect of missing round 16, the round where the owners need him most. 

I’d say it’s time to sell, but like an NFT, it’s lost all value and it’s embarrassing to let people know you own.

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4. Backrowers time to shine 

I went back to the well this weekend hoping for my CTWS to go ballistic again, but it appears that’s somewhat dried up and the well of 2RFs is overflowing! 

Points galore in the back row spot with some absolute standout performances across the weekend. 

Nikora shrugged off a quiet month with a massive performance to kick the weekend off, although it wasn’t enough for the Sharks.

He scored a try and set another 2 up for a huge 120. With Nicho now out of the Origin frame, he looks a super buy post Round 16.

Then the blues pairing of Olakau’atu and Crichton showed Madge why they will be rolling back into camp on Monday with a pair of hundreds, Ola finishing with 118.

In fact, I think any back row would have finished with that score had they ever been running off Cherry-Evans on Sunday afternoon. 

Honourable mentions to Katoa who ran amok off Hughes, Barnett and Dylan Lucas, who whenever I see him to watch the Knights play, is screaming away for another try.

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5. Psycho-Plath

Greatest nickname in the game at the moment and one of the great players to own in Supercoach.

I don’t know what that’s like, but I can imagine you owners out as there would be loving life as a Max Plath owner.

Has been enormous barring his HIA game and is the type of player Wayne Bennett just loves.

Crashed over for a try and banged out over 45 in base. 

By the time you’re reading this, you’ll know if he has been named in the Maroons squad which will be an absolute dagger for those looking for a number this round.

Remains to be seen whether he laces up the boots for the Dolphins. 

Despite this, is priced at around 530k and is available at 2RF and 5/8 for those looking for a stop gap in the next few weeks.

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6. Captain’s going down with the ship

Any danger of us landing a captaincy choice 2 weeks in a row?

I know there’s some out there that might not have gotten one right this year, but coming off Zac Lomax VC last week, personally I was hoping to back that up with another big score. 

Are we going back to the days of Payne Haas and edge back rowers who get your 60 each week?

It was a wild time but at least we could lock in a somewhat respectable score.

Joey Manu was the 4^th most popular choice overall, but a popular pick for those in the top 10k and the less said about his game th better.

Had a mountain of opportunities, but the Chooks found some success on Parra’s right edge and that’s where they stayed. 

Dylan Edwards was the top choice and if not for Moses Leota, he too would have had a sub 50 game.

Managed 69 in the 80 minutes but got through it and has now landed himself a Blue jersey

And Garrick.

I feel like the single digit captaincy has happened to me far too often this year.

Anyway we go again. 

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7. Squeaky bum time for trades

It’s getting to that time of the year where we start clenching a little harder every time we make a trade!

They are running low, players are dropping off like flies and we still have two major byes to get through! 

There is nothing worse at this time of year than making a trade that doesn’t go to plan or is a waste.

I think we’re at the stage now that when we make a trade, we have to assume that they won’t be getting traded out.

Well that’s the way I am going about it. 

I think the boat has sailed on players like Hopoate as we start looking to build squads and not look at cheapies.

They are only making you money if you trade them in and out again.

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8. Brailey benching

More bad news for owners and it came in the last game was Jayden Brailey being pushed back to the bench again!

Whether he was your last reserve, your last player or an AE, it was yet another dagger for owners as O’Brien pushed the starting hooker to the bench.

He then only got through 38 minutes of work, coming on just before half time. 

There isn’t any doubt he is a good backup hooker, but at those minutes he is a sell. Has only scored over 56 once this year, and 

Only issue is he has not made any money.

The trade to Hands seems the likely option, but who wants to make that trade at this time of year?!

Actually, who really wants 2 hookers?

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9. Sharpe seals the spot

A skip, a jump and away he went!

Fletcher Sharpe showing the NRL world he is a star in the making.

His opening try made Jarome Luai look second rate and all but ended David Armstrong‘s 2024 run in the number 1 jumper.

Armstrong returned from the quad complaint in the NSW Cup and I’m guessing that’s where he will stay for 2024 barring any big injuries which is a massive loss for owners if you haven’t already traded him out, but with the bye in Round 16 he becomes an automatic sell.

The trade to Sharpe seems the simple option but with KP looming, it might be one to pass up. 

Thanks for the memories Davie.

That runaway try on Sunday in Magic Round when I was sipping on a spicy Marg with one of the all-time headaches was one to savour!

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10. Minute Watch

Sharks v Dolphins
Nikora 80, Talakai 80, McInnes 41, Aitken 80, Plath 63, Lemuelu 80, JMK 80

Raiders v Cowboys
Levi 58, Tapine 58, Smithies 52, Luki 59, Nanai 80, Cotter 70, Robson 80

Rabbitohs v Broncos
Moale 34, Cook 80, Kepon 61, Murray 49 Carrigan 62, Piakura 69, Haas 59

Tigers v Titans
Fainu 80, Stefano 57, Api 80, Haas 64, Fermor 80

Warriors v Storm
AFB 62, Ford 66, Barnett 80, Egan 80, Grant 80, Katoa 80, Chan 24

Eels v Roosters
Hands 66, Tuilagi 70, Carty 57, Lane 65, May 26, Watson 80, Crichton 80

Sea Eagles v Dragons
Ola 80, Burbo 80, Garrick 23 (HIA), RFM 26, Su’A 80, Liddle 80, JDB 45

Knights v Panthers
Brailey 38, Lucas 80, Crossland 60, Yeo 80, Henry 36, Sorenson 80