Tim Williams
SC Playbook founder, 2nd NRL 2020, 43rd BBL 21/22'
NRL Supercoach 2026: Ranking first picked players
Former NRL Supercoach runner-up Tim Williams drops his first picked players to start the 2026 campaign.
NRL
December 22, 2025
NRL Supercoach 2026 is here!
At least the early look Team Picker is…
The player prices and positions have been revealed, it’s key to remember that from here prices can’t change and nor can the current positions, however they can ADD a second position to a player before round 1.
I’ve run through every player in the game to come up with an early list of my first eight players picked, along with a number of very likely candidates for my round 1 team.
As always to begin the year, every single player is one that I perceive as being valued significantly under what their output will look like.
Generally speaking these are players who have had injury interrupted years who should bounce back to their best Supercoach output if fully fit.
When selecting my starting squad for the season it’s all about generating early cash to maximise my squad value as quickly as possible, allowing me to bring in the big guns such as Nathan Cleary and Payne Haas before they do too much damage as a non-owner.
Here’s my first eight player picked for the 2026 NRL Supercoach season, in order:
David Fifita $485,300
Big Fifi gets a new lease on life under Wayne Bennett who could turn a jockey into an NRL player if he put his mind to it.
Fifita isn’t a former jockey, he’s a former Queensland Origin player that’s been plagued by injury and other disruptions over the past 12 months.
Fifita should start on the edge this season where I’d expect he plays a 60-65 minute role under Bennett, potentially the full 80, making him an absolute must for mine.
He averaged just 50 points in 48 minutes per game last season, in the two seasons prior he averaged 77 and 82 points.
I’ll genuinely be tempted even if named off the bench in round 1.
Embed from Getty ImagesKeano Kini $495,000
Kini starts heavily discounted in 2026 after returning from injury off the bench last year.
He averaged 45 points in 51 minutes per game for the Titans.
In his three 80 minute games though he averaged 71.6 points per game which is in line with his average in 2024.
He’s a must at fullback in my view and even has borderline season keeper potentially, granted it’s a stacked field.
Latrell Mitchell $626,800
Latrell is available at CTW only at this stage which makes him fairly irresistible to me.
He’s likely to start the season at centre, although he could still play fullback.
If he was to be named in the No.1 he should be in 100% of teams.
Even at centre though I can’t pass up Latrell with his upside on what should be a red-hot Rabbitohs left edge provided they all stay on the park.
His two games at centre last season produced scores of 51 and 79, both games were on return from lengthy injury lay-offs in a decimated Rabbitohs outfit.
If he stays injury free he’s a season keeper.
Jonah Pezet $235,600
Pezet has plenty of creativity in him in an Eels side on the up.
He’s not someone I’d look to play in my 17 too often, but he does look like a prime cheapie to stack on the bench and generate some early season cash.
Ethan Sanders $246,400
Rinse and repeat the above on Pezet, Sanders should make good cash at his bargain starting price.
If he were to kick-goals he’d elevate above Pezet, so that’ll be a huge pre-season watch.
He does face stiff competition from Broncos recruit Coby Black which will be a fascinating battle to watch play out leading into round 1.
Embed from Getty ImagesKalyn Ponga $607,800
Ponga at $607k looks serious value to me and will either evolve into a season keeper, or provide an easy stepping stone to the likes of Reece Walsh and James Tedesco.
Ponga had a miserable Supercoach season in 2025 averaging just 62 points, down on averages of 81 and 87 in the two years prior.
In theory the Knights can’t be any worse having won the wooden spoon, so any improvement could lead to a significant increase for Ponga.
Injury is always a worry, but you could say the same for most of the fullback options.
They start with games against the Cowboys, Sea Eagles and Warriors which bodes well for KP.
If the Knights and Ponga look like a lost cause in the pre-season you could avoid, but provided they’re showing some spark and Ponga looks sharp I’ll find it very hard to ignore him.
Cameron Murray $548,900
I was hoping that after featuring for just 21 minutes last season that Murray would have been discounted a little more, but they’ve only wiped a bit of value off his $610k starting price in 2025.
For this reason there’s a case to avoid Murray early and wait until he gets minutes under his belt on return from injury in what is a pretty stacked pack.
However he’ll have an entire pre-season to ready himself for round 1, and he’s simply a gun.
There’s definitely some bias in this selection as his no.1 fan boy, but I do like Murray to start the season.
Embed from Getty ImagesBrian To’o $598,800
If Penrith’s draw to begin the season was easier, Brian To’o would be far higher up this list as an absolute must.
The difficult start to their campaign does hinder the purchase a little though.
The beauty of To’o though is that with his workrate he’s not entirely attack reliant as other wingers in the game.
He starts at under $600k priced on a 61 point average after carrying numerous niggles throughout 2025.
He averaged 70 and 71 points per game in the two seasons prior.
If a gun crop of cheapies emerge I’d be happy to go against To’o, but he’s extremely reliable, discounted and has upside.
NEXT BEST:
Campbell Graham, Mitchell Moses, Harry Grant, Hamish Stewart / Toby Couchman, Ativalu Lisati / Storm starting edges
Would throw Paseka in as heavily discounted FRF at 33 from his 48, 45 and 54 averages in last 3 years
Yep provided he comes back well through trials he’ll be great a nice slow burn bench FRF!