NRL Supercoach Final Word | Preliminary Finals

Well, here we are, proper crunch time for Hilux hunters. With just 3 games left in the season, 240 minutes of rugby league will decide who wins the car.

If you’re in the top few hundred, you are still a solid chance if you pull out all the stops and nail your VC and C.

Both games have some absolutely elite matchups, so I guess I’ll just run through my thoughts position by position with a lens more focused towards those still in the hunt.

Become a member of the SC Playbook community by subscribing for less than $2 per week! Gain access to additional premium articles on site every week, our Discord community, prize money and plenty more. Check it out here.

At Hooker, we have a good old Mexican standoff between Max Plath, Jeremy Marshall-King and Reece Robson.

Plath has some elite numbers and is probably the most likely to score a try of the 3. That being said, I really can’t go past JMK here at 1% ownership. 

JMK gets 50 in his sleep from just tackles; however, if the Phins get some momentum through the Roosters’ middle, he could easily notch up an assist or two and go 80-100, which is what you’ll need from nearly every position to stay in the hunt to win this car. 

Much like hooker, FRF really only presents 2-3 solid options.

Embed from Getty Images

Naufahu Whyte is my pick of the bunch simply because of how little game time he got last week, so he should be fresh and ready to rip into the likes of Tom Gilbert and Thomas Flegler, who are also decent low-ownership shouts in their own right. 

Lindsay Smith, Liam Henry and Moses Leota are all perfectly reasonable picks as well, but it becomes tough to pick which of this bunch is most likely to score a try, as that is basically the only thing that will distance you from the pack at FRF. 

2RF is definitely one of the more interesting positions this week, and in my eyes could be the deciding factor.

Embed from Getty Images

Isaiah Papali’i is my top tip; he has the experience and the pedigree to get over for a try in this sort of game. 

Siua Wong is also a fantastic pick but has less explosiveness and attacking upside/flare than Ipap. 

Lastly, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki is a great scoop at just 4% ownership and easily has the credentials to go in for a meat pie and rampage his way to that 80-100 score you’re looking for. 

Embed from Getty Images

At Halfback, don’t muck around; Cleary is the GOAT, so just get him and don’t be tempted by anyone else – this is highly unlikely to be the position that going against the grain will get a higher yield, so I’d advise to just stick to the straight and narrow with Nathan. 

It’s entirely possible that Sam Walker goes big on return, but I just don’t see the match fitness being there for him to compete at 100% for 80mins against this Dolphins team who will no doubt come after him early. 

5/8 is obviously wide open, with the masses flocking to Fletcher Sharpe, who has been in elite form this finals series, to be fair.

Though Penrith is a different beast entirely for this Newcastle team, so I can definitely see huge potential for taking the road less traveled here. 

Embed from Getty Images

Blaize Talagi and Kodi Nikorima at very low ownership are both extremely sound options for those willing to take on a bit more risk.

Neither has much base to their game, but they are crafty, zippy, and cunning players who can run rings around their opposing number on any given day. 

DCE has given us food for thought, averaging 75+ this finals series; however, with Walker back, I expect his production to decrease, so he’s an avoid for me.

CTW lock in the professor Hubert Farnsworth. 

Embed from Getty Images

I think people probably learned their lesson in week 1 of finals when he knocked most of us out of Hilux contention who didn’t have a VC or C on him, let alone those who decided to fade him entirely.

So I repeat, don’t fool around and just lock him in. 

Fullback and Flex has to be a combination of Kalyn Ponga, James Tedesco and Dylan Edwards.

I think all of these guys will score solidly just through high work rate and tacklebusts alone, but the attacking stats each is able to notch up will be what sets them apart. 

For this reason, I’m leaning heavily towards just camping the VC and C on Ponga and Tedesco respectively, as it simply just feels like they are the fittest and healthiest big-name players left in the competition, minus Herbie, of course, who is also worth a VC/C shout.