NRL Supercoach Round 5 Wrap: 10 Things We Learnt

Just keep trading.. Just keep trading!

The way things are going, I’ll have run out of trades midway through Origin!

Its just seems like a week-on-week game at the moment, with no discernible pattern to follow!

Another week of missed opportunities and poor decisions on my behalf.

I was smart enough to captain Gutho, but that 80 minutes was the most enjoyable I’ve had all year!

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE SC PLAYBOOK SUBSCRIBER COMMUNITY

I had 15 players score between 50 and 60 this weekend, which was a stark realisation as to why I scored only 1144 after projecting 1400-odd on Wednesday.

Anyway.. we go again!

I’ll have some decisions to make this weekend over cash or form, hoping to move on some cash cows but realising boosts aren’t unlimited and I’ll need to calm down on the trade front soon or ill be stuck with Finefeuiaki as my starting backrower come Round 24.

The Reapers of Mars did see some green arrows, but my rank is still in the 60000 thousandths range with no sign of getting it any better!

1. King Gutho and his paupers

There could only be one king to rule them all.

Can’t believe I’m here writing this but King Gutho what a man!

Must have been the blue and yellow I despised on him because I am loving what he is doing in 2025!

Come out on a dry and Sunny Saturday afternoon and banged out his 3^rd 100+ score of the season, a lazy 130 whilst plenty and I mean plenty now own!

Was a whisker away from 15, but with plenty throwing the captain armband (Or VC) it meant for an enjoyable Saturday afternoon.

Out and out the most consistent scorer, and it doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon.

He is in everything, the link man on both sides and will do as much as he can to get his new side over the line. 

He looks refreshed and his game is so Supercoach friendly.

The Dragons will score some points, and he will have a say in most of them.

If you held off, suck up your pride and pay the extra.

Trust me, its very enjoyable.

2. Get out of jail free cards

Felt like there was a couple absolute tightrope games this weekend, which non-owners got out of without much of a scratch!

Nath Cleary was back and all signs pointed to a drubbing.

Except this Panthers side is more Sanyo than Oak Milk and Cleary and his chargers couldn’t put away a desperate Cowboys side.

Cleary was quiet, but the Unicorn came for him late and he managed to update to 94.

Still not so bad for non-owners. He is dropping cash big time, and he will be well within reach in a week or so.

Then Sunday afternoon rolled around, and if you had said Melbourne would score 48 points, you could write out a score for Paps and even that would seem low, but non owners again were kissed on the …. after Paps was in everything but nothing, scoring only 65 pre updates.

He banged over a swag of goals, and looked threatening, but every time a Melbourne player strolled over for a try, he wasn’t involved.

Was given an early mark with what seemed to be “hamstring awareness”.

Not sure as a non-owner I want him playing against Warriors, Dolphins and Rabbitohs.

3. Jayden Campbell lets us all down.. this week anyway

At least collectively we can all wallow in our decisions.

Was the most traded in player not named Jenkins for Round 5, with the promise of points, he was saved only by updates as he and the rest of his Titans side turned in a shocker.

Coming up against a winless Dolphins side, he couldn’t find a way through credited with only a try contribution and one line break.

That must have been running on after half time.

Was touted by plenty as the number 1 five-eighth and he may yet reach those heights, but with only 1 score over 63 to start the year it might be a frustrating watch. 

Still, he has the ability to turn one on and I just hope we are patient because it will come. 

4. Form line shot to pieces

One thing I have learnt after 5 rounds of NRL, is that I don’t know much about the game, nothing makes sense anymore and I cant find a winner!

What a start to the year, teams winning when they shouldn’t, Roosters and Panthers in the bottom 3, Dogs undefeated and flying and 4 points separates 13^th and 2^nd. 

Its giving us absolute nightmares trying to find any sense in any upcoming fixtures, where to target, who to bring in.

Some games look like locks for some big points i.e. Broncos v Tigers but they fail to deliver.

The Bulldogs and Storm look the only 2 sides to avoid, with the Bulldogs defending bvery much like Penrith which usually means no Supercoach points.

5. Broncos go belly up

Well the Broncos did a good job of ruining most of our weekends!

It wasn’t the sun going down an hour earlier hammering home the fact Winter is on our doorstep that made for a bleak weekend.

It was those men in maroon and yellow that let down a whole heap of us!

Tasked with taking on the Tigers on Saturday night at Suncorp, it was meant to be a points feast that we could lock into and kick on from there

Shibasaki and Arthars have had a hot start to the year, but the latter was on the nose of a few, and plenty cashed out early.

He crossed for 2 but only scored 60 in the process. It’s a bold play either way.

He could make a lot more money, but that house of cards could come crashing down with a score of 5 which is inevitable.

And Walsh, well I’ve been there and I’ve been hurt before so I know the feelings you owners were going though watching that match.

3 runs In the first half, he somehow ended up with 66, setting Arthars up for one and kicking a few goals when Reynolds went down.

I want to say he looks good, but I just cant see it. Is just as likely to score 130 as he is 10.

An enigma if there ever was one.

6. Iongi keeps the dream alive

There is a lot wrong with Parra at the moment and Isaiah Iongi isn’t one of them!

You think as a non-owner you may have gotten away with it, but he just looks so good, and on Saturday he finally showed what a talent he is.

If he hasn’t had a hand in every one of Parras tries this year, he’s had a hand in 90% of them.

Thankfully for us who don’t own they haven’t scored too many.

But when they do and if they click.. Gee its going to be a tough watch!

He has combined with Dylan Brown with ease and looks a genuine hold for a few weeks now, especially with the 107 from Saturday in his rolling average.

Been a long burn for owners, but seems patient has paid off.

7. Cheapies continue the bull run. Cash out now?

Arthars, Starling, Toia, Purdue, Iongi, Jenkins, Hubner, To’a, Mamaz, Paix, Shibasaki.. The list goes on!

We have been blessed with cheapies to kick start 2025, they have had their time in the sun, and now the tricky part starts, getting in at the right to sell!

Spoke about Arthars earlier, but Toia has held his own and hasn’t dropped any cash as yet, Purdue looks better and better with each weekend, Jenkins will be milked until the cows come home and Shibisaki looks a hold.

But Ricky Stuart must hate us, and is only playing Starling for 50 odd minutes, with Pattie now eating into them.

He looks a sell, but the hooker position is looking shakier and shakier with each and every week, so I’m not sure who you turn him into.

Hubner returned and set a try up, he’s one I had since day one but forgot he was in my side.

That was one shing light! He’s a hold for a few weeks at least.

8. Haas worries?

Just a late night thought, but is this what we get from Haas from now on?

51 minutes on Saturday night which is in keeping with him to start the year.

He has now played 5 games, and played 49, 57 and 51 in 3 of those games.

We know how he went against the Cowboys, but Maguire wont want to burn his main man out, and anytime Brisbane take control, he’s probably the first one to get a breather.

Not panic stations by any means, but if he plays more than 60-65 minutes, it could be an anomaly.

Still the no. 1 FRF, but non-owners might start to get away with it if he keeps these minutes.

9. Flexing on opponents

I’ll keep harping on about it, what a change the flex has made to Supercoach!

But.. and there is a but.. it really benefits a side who has lost someone through injury – which is what it was always meant for. 

So those who owned and played Humphreys, were saved as he would have dropped out, meaning you “lost” only 1 point.

But if you are like me, and had 16 absolute spuds running around, well you technically “lose” your worst score, who might be 30-40 odd points.

This affects H2H players more so but is a real dagger when you check your side after the last game and see you have lost 30 points. 

Let me tell you I needed every one of those this weekend! 

10. Minute Watch

Raiders v Sharks
Nicholson 77, Young 80, Horsburgh 51, Tapine 59, Starling 51, AFB 55, Nikora 80

Panthers v Cowboys
Smith 46, Yeo 80, Robson 70, Bateman 66

Rabbits v Roosters
Peter M 80, Koloamatangi 80, Hubner 62, Humphreys 5, Watson 66, Whyte 49, Wong 80

Eels v Dragons
Hopgood 54, Smith 66, Guymer 38, Couchman 69, Liddle 35, Stewart 37

Titans v Dolphins
Tino 63, Fermor 80, Fifita 65, JMK 65, Plath 80, Finefeuiaki 56

Broncos v Tigers
Haas 51, Reynolds 46, Paix 80, May 70, Pole 51, Seyfarth 80 

Sea Eagles v Storm
Tevaga 43, Ola 80, SST 49, Grant 80, Ekat 80, Wishy 19

Bulldogs v Knights
Preston 80, Mahoney 80, Cant 80