NRL Supercoach Round 15 Wrap: 8 Things We Learnt

Well, after taking my 1 week holiday that I am given for every 5 years of service to SC Playbook, I am back in the wrap-up seat and ready to launch into the second half of the year!

Thanks to the overlord for knocking out the article last week, it seems he spent more time dissing both my cricket and football ability.

I’d say he went easy on me!

Anyway, the second mini-bye round has concluded, and the scores were really dependent on whether you owned Herbie or not!

The Dolphins’ superstar lit up Round 15 with 150 points with 2 try assists and one of his own.

He has been on a heater for what seems to be all season, and no signs of slowing down yet.

The Reapers were left rueing a missed captaincy choice, going with Drinkwater over Herbie, which cost me 120 odd points.

Finished with 972 which gave me 872 green arrows to 17,671 overall.

1. I, for one, welcome our new Dolphin Overlords

What is in the water up in Redcliffe?! Points, points and more points!

Incredible month of footy for our finned friends, and the Supercoach points are flowing!

The Dolphins have been on a tear in recent weeks, and owners are the ones reaping the benefits.

A lot moved to Jamayne Isaako this weekend, and whilst he didn’t find the stripe, he still managed 84 kicking a thousand goals.

In any other week, it could have been the right winger to score 4 tries, so those who now have Isaako can rest easy.

And what about Herbie!

One of the more enjoyable and carefree ownerships I have had probably since Turbo 2021.

Week in week out, he delivers, and those who held off really got left behind this weekend, after he was gifted a try but set two up to finish with a monster 150.

Scored now in 8 weeks straight, and all but one of those weeks it’s been post the 62^nd minute!

There’s a new junk time king in town!

Their attack looks so good with Katoa and Nikorima pulling the string, so much so that taking a flyer on a Bostock or Averillo doesn’t look all that silly.

Bostock might be the obvious “chasing points” play, but playing outside Herbie, where a lot of the Dolphins’ attack is heading, might mean some more big scores.

2. Trade targets flop!

This is really just a platform for me to get the Scotty Drinkwater move off my chest!

I have spent the last 14 rounds death riding him, so I thought it was time to jump on the Drinkwater bus.

Turns out, so did 12,556 other Supercoaches. 

I put his 14 behind him and recency bias of his 100+ against Melbourne was very fresh, so I thought now was as good a time as ever.., and in my hubris decided the C would also look good on him after removing it from Herbie.

120 points that cost me, but hey… round 16 starts in 4 more days…

For those who went to Lawson from the Dragons, I’m sure it enabled you to land a big one, so that one I can forgive.

Despite his 20 points, the Hiroti move is just bad luck.

And to the 5 people that traded out Bostock.. I’m tipping you have logged out of your side and aren’t reading this article!

3. Injuries cruelling end game prospects

We only had the 5 games this weekend, but my word, didn’t we have some big injuries and ones that will have a big impact on the next 6 weeks, and beyond.

The biggest issue over the weekend was the eye socket fracture to Keaon Koloamatangi!

Initially classed as a Cat 2 HIA, word filtered through on Sunday evening that it was more serious, and he wasn’t going to join the Origin camp!

Massive blow for owners, which, if you are still playing, is just about everyone.

He was set for dual position in a couple of weeks, but anything longer than 3 weeks, he is a sell.

Big blow for those who grabbed him only this week.

Add that to the pile of wasted trades for 2025

It didn’t get much better with Haumole Olakau’atu succumbing to a dislocated shoulder.

The agony was further heaped on owners as he had his try disallowed.

The bye for Manly will suck one week out of his return to play, but again, like Keaon, anything more than 3 it’s a sell.

Hiroti too, who I spoke about, failed to finish the first half with a calf strain.

He was on many radars and was traded in by a lot who saw he left centre spot for Cronulla a try-scoring gold mine. 

And Marzhew was one I was glad to miss.

Mind you, I’ll be trying to fade anyone in that Newcastle side not named Dylan.

4. Tommy Turbo, it’s time we had a chat

It’s not you, it’s me..

No, actually, Tom, it’s definitely you.

I hate the way you promise me the world and deliver an atlas.

I hate the way you get a little injury after trading you in for 72 points, only for you to be out for the next 2 weeks and come back for 40 points.

I hate the way you keep me thinking about 2021, when it was 4 whole years ago..

But mostly, I hate the way I don’t hate you 

Not even close.

Not even a little bit

Not even at all…

Now that I’ve gotten my poem out of the way.. I can just put Turbo down to another poor fullback choice for 2025.

That’s Turbo, starting with Hammer, Ponga after round 3, and picking Drinky now, and not 8 weeks ago.

Only scored 40 on the weekend and didn’t look even close to 50%.

A couple of half chances that a Turbo of old would have just eaten up, he was 2 yards too slow and was caught short.

It’s not a great position that me and other Turbo owners are in.

Bye incoming into Tigers and Souths, then another bye. He will be sub $500k coming out of the lockout, and no idea who to go to from here!

Or maybe just hold until 2029.

5. Captain and VC choices 

On one hand, it’s just a game, so have a crack, on the other, do I just go with the tried and true FRF who averages 70, hoping for a try?

The VC and C choices for me this year have been nigh on diabolical. In a weekend where we get 2 cracks at it, my combined C/VC score was 74.

That’s not even enough to loop!

It can make for a frustrating weekend, and as Clementine so eloquently put in the WhatsApp chat, it’s best to watch from behind the couch.

Hopefully, though, you were in a different boat and actually made good use of the double points a captain offers, because it certainly helps on these shorter rounds.

6. Updates are in

Seems every week they are getting later and later! 

No games updated until 11:30pm or so on Sunday night!

Now I know it’s the same for everyone, yada yada yada, but we as a community should be pushing for updates to occur more frequently, and at set times.

Thursday – Done by Friday kick off, Friday games, done by Saturday 5.30, Saturday games, done by the Sunday kickoff.

Means we could work out how we are travelling in some H2H fixtures, or whether a VC loop is worth taking. 

Not sure this whole, wait until the last game for all updates to come through is really good for the game

7. Mini Byes

Final thoughts on the best 13…

I know it’s great for the masses to only have your best 13 scoring, but it doesn’t allow for much movement through the Origin period to try and grab some ranks.

Depending on whether you owned Herbie or not wasn’t really the defining factor, as there was only about 100 odd points between a good weekend and a so-so one.

It’s clear that the harder rounds are the ones after the mini byes, which can make for difficult planning, but even upping it to 15 would allow some more differentiation between scores.

My second thought? Make boosts unlimited.. Who cares if you run through your trades by Round 16.

It would keep more people interested if they could make 3 trades every week.

It’s the trades that are limited.

Then people could go hard to start their year and try and hold on, or if you are well prepared, run home with a hell of a wet sail.

You’re welcome, Sangsta!

8. Minute watch

Sharks v Dragons
AFB 67, Nikora 80, Talakai 46, Couchman 80, Liddle 51, Cook 56, Stewart 22

Titans v Sea Eagles
Fermor 80, Simpkins 22, Ola 61, Tevaga 31

Knights v Roosters
Lucas 80, Cant 26, KPP 76, Smith 80, Foketi 49

Cowboys v Dolphins
Hess 45, JMK 61, Keeley 51

Rabbitohs v Bulldogs
Keaon 69, Aitken 80, Duncan 80, Hubner 39, Kiks 80, Preston 80