Positional watchlist: Front-row forward targets for 2025

Due to the current nature of Supercoach in which high ceiling games are pivotal to climbing the rankings, front row forward is generally the least appealing position to spend money in. This season could be considered different however, with Terrell May and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui undervalued and as players who have propensity to tonne-up in games. 

The benefits of starting with those two also likely means avoiding spending unnecessary trades at front-row. With Corey Horsburgh also available at a clear discount, I don’t think there’s any need to overthink the position. 

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Targets 

Priced 50-65

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Terrell May – Tigers – $597.5k

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui – Titans – $531.3k (FRF/2RF)

The hype is justifiably real for Terrell this pre-season. He seems to get better as the game goes on, averaging 80 points per game when playing over 50 minutes last season. Moving to a team who need wins and are happy to throw the ball around, he’s likely to be heavily relied upon and have a license to offload. Lock and load.

Big Tino averaged 78 points in 2023, which was a career high. At just 24 years of age, he could certainly return to those lofty heights, it might just take some time as he recovers from the ACL that ruled him out for nearly all of 2024. So, knowing what he’s capable of, do we risk leaving him out when priced at around 55? 

He’s the type of player to go looking for work, so even though it might take some time to get his full explosiveness back, it’s hard to not to see him beating that price to start the season. A progressive improvement across the season would then likely see him as a keeper in the shallow front row forward position. 

Priced 30-49 

Corey Horsburgh – Raiders – $355.5k (FRF/2RF)

After a career year in 2023 in which he averaged 62 points at 1 point per minute, Corey only played 3 games at the back end of 2024, returning after a fallout with coach Stuart. This relationship is reportedly back on track along with Corey’s fitness. 

I expect the Raiders to play two hookers again to start the season. This means there should be enough minutes to justify picking Horse, whether he gets named to start or on the bench. Go back to 2022 and he averaged 48 points from 43 minutes per game. Priced at around 36 points per game this would still be enough to justify selection in starting teams. 

Form watch

Priced 65+

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Payne Haas – Broncos – $669.2k

Payne regressed by 6 points last season to a 68-point average. This was largely due to a reduction in hit-ups (by 7.5 points), which could be attributed to a poor Broncos season and/or niggling injuries. 2024 was also his most injury affected season in the last four years, playing 14 games, compared to 20 games in each of the three seasons prior. 

NRL physio is confident in Haas’ return from an ankle clean out, so there’s every chance the Broncos’ big man goes back to averaging 70+ to start the season. I don’t know there’s enough upside in him to be worth a spot in our starting sides though.

Priced 50-65

Stefano Utoikamanu – Storm – $529k

Stefano is a player who often promises in SC but has yet to fully deliver on his potential. He looked the goods to start last season, averaging 65 in the first four rounds, including 60.8 in base (hit-ups and tackles) + power (tackle breaks and offloads). However, he then tapered off to finish with a season average of 54 points. 

I can see improvement as he adjusts to the Storm system, but I’m unsure how much and how quickly this occurs. He’d need an uptick in minutes/offloads/attacking stats to reach gun status, all of which are possible but could take time. 

Job Watch

Priced 65+

Mitch Barnett – $661k

Barnett reached the top echelon of front rowers last season, averaging 68 points. This was largely due to a change in role during for a period in which he rotated between front row and edge second row during games. This role coincided with a mid-season purple patch, when he averaged 85 points between rounds 10 and 18.

If he reprises that role at any stage, he’ll again become an excellent option. It seems unlikely to start the season though. 

He’s also a handy goalkicker, having kicked 16 goals at 76% back when he was playing for the Knights. It looks like Luke Metcalfe will take these duties for the Wahs, but it’s worth keeping an eye on, nonetheless.

Priced 50-65

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James Fisher-Harris – Panthers – $549.2k

JFH’s best SC season at prop was back in 2021, when he averaged 62 points in 53 minutes (PPM 1.18). His points per minute dropped to just above 1 for 2022 and 2023, then increasing back to around 1.2 again in 2024. This was largely thanks to four tries.  In 2024, he averaged 67 when playing over 50 minutes (7 games including 2 tries) compared to 56 (from 47 minutes) across all games. 

With Mitch Barnett capable of also playing big minutes in the front-row, I’d prefer to wait and watch to start the season. I won’t be surprised if JFH starts strong for his new club though. 

Priced 30-49 

Erin Clark – Warriors – $391.2k (FRF/2RF)

Naufahu Whyte – Roosters – $367.1k (FRF/2RF)

It’s been encouraging to see Clark’s PPM on the rise over the last few years, increasing by around .15 in 2023 and then by a further .1 to 1.04 in 2024. This has primarily been due to an increase in base stats, as he’s transitioned from a hooker to a middle forward. 

There is opportunity at lock for the Warriors with Tohu retiring, but he’ll have to contend with Dylan Walker for minutes. Clark recorded 32 points in 38 minutes in his only game starting at lock last season. He showed a little bit more than that at the backend of 2023 in a four-game stretch starting at 13, when he averaged 58 in 50 minutes across those games, including one try.

Priced at 40 points per game, I think Erin would need around 50-60 minutes to be worth starting with. How much he gets is very difficult to say at this point, so I’ll likely wait and watch in Vegas.

Fellow dual FRF/2RF Naufahu Whyte is an intriguing option to start the season. In four games over 50 minutes last season he averaged 53 points, going at 1 point per minute. 

With JWH retiring and Terrell May being allowed to move on, there is a case that the Roosters have confidence in Whyte’s ability to step-up in 2025. At just 22-years of age there’s plenty of room for growth. He’s a close pre-season watch – being named on the bench for this week’s trial isn’t ideal. 

PART ONE, CHEAPIE RANKINGS: BEST FORWARD BARGAIN BUYS

Priced 30 and below

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Benjamin TeKura – Broncos – $232.6k

Cody Hopwood – Knights – $198.8k

Ethan Roberts – Sydney Roosters – $198.8k (FRF/2RF)

Myles Martin – Canberra Raiders – $198.8k (FRF/2RF)

Filling front-row forward cheapie spots looks as difficult as ever this season. They’re likely to be slow burns, so one strategy is to pick players who could get increased gametime over the Origin period. TeKura is one player who fits that mould, as potential cover for Carrigan and Haas at the Broncos. 

He impressed in the Broncs’ first trial with 67 SC points, including a linebreak and try. At 6 foot 9 and 122kgs, he’s shown a strong propensity to get across the line in QCup, with 11 tries from 34 games. He also jagged a try in one of his three NRL games last season. He costs around $35k more than bottom-dollar, which isn’t ideal, but if he does jag a bench spot to start, he’ll be a good option to fill the last FRF bench spot.

18-year old Hopwood has only played the one NSW Cup game, so his available stats are limited. It is encouraging that he started at lock for NSW U19s last season. Rugby League Guru rates him highly. Definitely an option if he gets a spot in the Knights’ 17. 

Outside of those two, starting with a nuff (non-player) could be an option. In doing so, I’d be looking for a dual in the likes of Myles Martin or Ethan Roberts. I’d prefer to wait for the full team lists, so given Martin will lockout during the Vegas games, Roberts is my preference at this stage.