NRL Supercoach Round 16 Wrap: 8 Things We Learnt

Well, nothing seemed to happen… then a lot happened in one day!

Super Sunday delivered in spades for most, with some big scores coming the way of some popular players.

It was much needed as Friday and Saturday didn’t really get the Supercoach juices flowing unless you owned Herbert.

But we have come to expect that from him now.

Teddy, a popular captaincy choice, did a job, whilst those looking for a left-field option were probably left wanting.

My captaincy choice copped some friendly fire, was deemed a Cat 1 HIA, and will miss the next 2 weeks.

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If Jayden Campbell thought he had a headache, you should have felt the one I had on Sunday night!

If I could nail a captain’s choice, I would be dangerous.

But like I say most weeks, only 3 more sleeps until the next round!

The Reapers had a forgettable week, not being able to nail my sit v starts and the captain dropping out hurt big time – Second time this season it’s happened – for only 1053 points.

Slipping far away from civilisation, it seems.

Dropped 8,770 into 26,441 overall, and suddenly my side looks like a rabble.

Anyway… here are the things we learnt from Round 16.

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1. Herbie continues on his merry way

Non-owners of Herbie, I have some great news!

He didn’t cross for a try for the first time in 9 weeks!

Rejoice!

But he scored 106, I hear you say? 

Another week, another masterclass from the form player of the comp.

Didn’t cross the stripe as I mentioned and the streak is over, but had 3-line break assists, racked up 18 points in offloads and 2 try contributions.

He just finds another gear when required!

Wasn’t enough though to get his Dolphins side home, but did all he could, busting tackles, offloading at will and popping up on all parts of the field.

Was priced at $815k before this weekend, so should touch $900k come Monday lunchtime and is nearly ungettable for those who don’t own.  

If you sold Turbo twice, you could nearly get one full Herbie!

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2. Injury ward getting busy

Things are not looking good for next week!

Just when we thought we had gotten away after the first lot of mini and major byes, round 17 sneaks up on us and is set to bring us all down.

Big injury concerns heading into next week, including having the Roosters on the bye, meaning we may be short and some!

Jayden Campbell went down with a head knock and was deemed Cat 1, meaning he misses next week into a Round 18 bye.

I would trade, but as my incumbent captain, it’s something only Billy Slater can do.

It couldn’t have come at a worse time, with the Cowboys next week.

That could have been the 170 game.

Massive implications for those running with him at 5/8.

That’s 2 weeks without him, into the Broncos at the Gold Coast.

Coupled with that was Metcalf picking up a leg injury.

Warriors say only a cork, but with a bye in Round 18, is he rested?

Fletcher Sharpe ended up in the hospital with a lacerated kidney, which usually don’t come good with some physio and ice.

Knights saying 6 weeks. Dramas. Sell.

As I said in about Round 7, the winner of this thing this year is going to have an almighty amount of luck!

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3. Chasing points goes bad

And adding to the injury woes was last week’s hero, Jack Bostock!

I did say it reeked of chasing points, but I don’t begrudge anyone who made the jump to the Dolphins winger.

Cash to be made, hot side, there was a lot going for him.

Unfortunately, he went down with a season-ending ACL injury and that’s all we will see of him in 2025.

The highs of last week came crashing down, and fingers crossed for a full recovery. 

Would have made you $100k, so not all doom and gloom, providing you have trades.

I just know someone out there went Lehi, into Hiroti, into Bostock…

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4. Roosters fire a warning shot

The Roosters came, saw, conquered, and left with Supercoach points to all!

In the most heavily owned side in the game, the red, white and blue put on a show against the hapless Cowboys, amassing 1,161 combined points!

Plenty of points to be had, and question was whether you were able to find the right players to sit and start.

Tedesco just continues to deliver for owners, whilst somehow, not cruelling non-owners at the same time.

Popular captaincy choice for the weekend and finished with a handy 107, but when the Chooks put on 42, you would expect that to be 130+.

Getting away with it for now, but its looking ominous

Billy Smith finally found the line in what seems like forever.

Maybe with Herbie failing to score and Billy scoring, the baton has been passed, and we are about to see 8 weeks of Billy Smith magic?

Maybe? Hopefully? 

Sandon Smith found a try assist or two to score 69 whilst his halves partner Savala, continues to get better and better on the eye scoring 79.

Not a chance I was going to play him, but he is firming each week.

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5. Getting sold a lie when you thought you bought hopes and dreams

I’m not one to enjoy the “I broke X player” posts, but it appears someone, and I am a culprit, may have been the straw that broke Scotty D‘s back!

Another poor showing from the Cowboys’ fullback, and looks a shell of the man he was in Round 8 when he went on to post his 3 tons in a row.

It’s like seeing a flashy, new car getting advertised.

Looks great to start with, then everyone buys it, tells you how good it is and when you finally get around to getting one of your own, it’s a lemon and won’t start, and when it does, it gives you nothing but trouble!

Not panic stations just yet, but leaking cash big time, and I can’t afford another FLB under $500k.

Been there, done that already.

Just keep repeating the mantra… the best ability is availability, the best ability is availability, the best…

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6. AJ chases record

Ok, hear me out..

Do Souths do everything in their power to get AJ the record in the next 2-3 weeks?

I’m talking about handing over balls over the tryline?

You just know they will be sending all their attack down that left edge to see him reach what was always thought to be an untouchable record?

So.. does he return to Supercoach calculations as a short-term play?

Dolphins next week, into an Origin-depleted (just kidding) Manly side, then a bye.

He needs 7 more to break the record.

Probably gets 4, all going well.

The match against Manly will be without Latrell.

Plus, maybe it’s our way to pay homage to a guy who has been in our teams at one time or another..

Plus, who could forget that end to season 2020…

Now that I write that, Timmy has probably forgotten about the end of the 2020 season.

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7. Origin backups hit differently

Well, I was wrong!

I could have locked down all players not backing up after Origin 2 in Perth, but here we are!

Timmy gave Grant 100-1 to back up on Saturday night, but there he was, as fresh as someone who sat on the lounge and watched Origin eating Pizza.

Scored an early try and showed signs of the Supercoach star he is.

Munster too backed up but scored only 63, which was his 7^th score of 65 or less in the last 9 games. 

Tino started off the bench and only managed 38 in 37 minutes in the Titans’ loss, which was not good for those who were waiting and played him.

Don’t think playing him was a bad choice, nor was sitting him on the pine.

Hopefully, though, you are not looking at big numbers in grey like me.

And Haas 108 without a single attacking stat.

That will do me! Madge, the man needs a rest, sit him down and give him a couple of weeks off!

For all of us non-owners’ sake.

At this rate,I won’t be able to afford to bring him back in!

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8. Minute Watch

Tigers v Raiders
May 68, L Fainu 53, Taps 48, Young 55, Hosking 80, Horse 59, Pattie 20, Starling 63

Warriors v Panthers
Halasima 80, Sorensen 80, Smith 57

Dolphins v Knights 
Bostock 27, Keeley 62, JMK 70, Lucas 80, KPP 80, Sharpe 47

Rabbitohs v Storm
Keaon 80, Duncan 84, Katoa 84, Grant 84

Broncos v Sharks
Haas 58, Carrigan 51, AFB 65, Nikora 80, McInnes 72

Roosters v Cowboys
Crichton 73, Foketi 80, Whyte 53, Watson 80, Hess 47, Nanai 55

Eels v Titans
Lomax 80, Smith 34, Williams 62, Fermor 80, Tino 37