Huge scoring round for fantasy. I ended scoring 980 for the round and moved to a rank of 369 overall. With rep round we are taking a week off from the podcast but we will be back to full strength the following week and will roll out 4 podcasts and the now 4-5 articles a week. Big shout out to all your Legends supporting the show, we have had a massive year and couldn't of done it without you guys.
Trades on my mind for round 16:
Sam Walker to Will Kennedy
Izack Tago to Jesse Ramien.
I have 5 players for round 17and potentially Nicho. Looking at 4-5 trades for the round. I currently have 9 in the bank and then we get the additional 4 at round 20. I think if you have 9-10 players for round 17 that will be enough.
My notes for the week: South Sydney
Cook with a huge 85 and Murray with a 71. My issue with these two is their price which will be well over $850k and for Cook over $900k. With still a long stretch of origin to come and these two not really getting managed how fatigued will they become the back end of the season. Post Origin buying Grant around $700k and Haas around $650k seems a better choice.
Mark Nicholls at $353k might be an interesting cash down if you need a MID cover on your emergency. Has had 3 games back from injury for minutes of 39, 33 and now 46 minutes. He is easily first string so one to look out for if you can cop any more Rabbits players.
Havili continues to impress but you’ve missed the boat on that one.
Lachlan Illias had a shocker but at least his coach was talking about sticking solid so hold for now.
Dragons
I wish it was post Origin as Ben Hunt’s $623k would be tempting. Hunt is an elite level hog in this team and at his best would be worth $750k.
Birdy with another handy 40, at his price of $442k and dual could be a handy cashdown from those holding Tago and carry as an 18th man.
De Belin came out flying then did nothing, id be an avoid on him, his score of 53 with a try isnt that great.
Ramsey looked fantastic and scored a try in his score of 54. Will be a nice cashie, I think his coach Hook really love this guys style. I don’t have him and won’t be buying him and at around a price of around $390k on open he’s a bit too expensive now.
Storm
Jahrome Hughes made a huge impression with a two try score of 64. What was great to see was how much he dictated play and also great to see him at full pace after his calf injury from earlier in the year. With his 70BE he will lose a little bit of money but he is now at a great price and finding form for a round 16 or more likely round 17 pick up for me.
Harry Grant back to form with a 63 but with a 83BE will lose around $20k more, I would love to pick him up around $750k post Origin for the run home.
Munster took a back seat to Hughes in this and will need to do more than a 52 with a try to make me pay $800k for him.
I hope you didn’t get on Grant Anderson who came right back to the pack with a 17. The left winger Dean Ieremia looks cheap but the job security of both just isn’t there with Paps going to force Meaney back to one of the wings.
Cheese started at lock and looked good for the first 20 minutes. Will fall under $400k now band only got 32 minutes. Really it's a big dick move by the coach. He is sending a season long message to his star players about the team being bigger then the player. In hindsight I'm sure Cheese would admit he would have handled his Roosters move more professionally.
Broncos
Ezra Mam with a cheeky try to end the game just made another $50k. Will be a great cashie can see this guy going well over $500k.
Kotoni Staggs could be an interesting play post Origin. Falling now to around $550k. What I love about him is he is always a threat to score, loves a tackle break. I wouldn’t mind a pairing of POD potential pair like Staggs and Ramien for the run home.
Pat Carigan is a bit too expensive for me but I highly recommend you watch him mic’d up on Benji, his talk and leadership is next level.
Payne Haas will lose $30k and slip below $700k. With two bad shoulders still knocked out 63 minutes. If he is looking healthy post origin he would be a steal between $650-700k especially for me who sold him at $913k when he got suspended for Kelly incident.
Manly
DCE is an interesting one and we know how much Manly rely on him with no Turbo. Price is an issue especially when Hunt, Hughes and Moses are all below $700k. If you have Cleary, Burton and Hynes do we really need DCE?
Garrick continues his Mr Consistent run of 50’s. Another I have missed for price so I’ll stick to Mr Eyeliner and then post Origin To’o.
Josh Schuster only played 22 minutes to push his price nearly below $400k. An interesting one to watch if he can give up his KFC diet and get some fitness into himself.
Cowboys
Drinkwater with another solid 50. I recommended him as my straight swap for Jackson Hastings owners. His importance to the spine is huge and the Cowboys are the real deal. Would be a handy guy to have on your interchange but I wouldn’t buy past next round as his price right now is value.
Lolo played big mins but came back to the pack with a 44. What stood out for in 68 minutes he only made 21 tackles which is much lower than his average. What is pleasing is his intent with the ball with his 216 run metres. The injury to Cotter will only push him playing even more big minute games.
Connolly Lemuelu hitting trap city with a pregame benching and only seeing 27 minutes. Might be out of the team with the additions of Tom Gilbert and Luciano Leilua in the coming weeks. Leilua is on the watch list big time.
Reuben Cotter hurting a lot of coaches with his pre game hamstring strain. Post round 14 he was still 24% owned by the top 5000. He is a massive SELL and was the first minute he got picked for Origin.
Injuries: Reports have Reuben Cotter out of Origin 2 and set to miss 4 weeks with a hamstring strains. NRL Physio saying “Rare for hamstring strains to have a quick recovery. Cotter had been dealing with a hamstring “niggle” all week, often a warning sign of sorts for increased muscle strain risk”.
Sharks
Brailey knocked out a nice 59. 43 tackles but was evident was the 5TB as he bounced out of dummy half alot. Still a good price and in my thoughts. These quality 80 minute hookers are hard to find, what I love about them is their high floors.
Will Kennedy is starting to return to form. His touches are high and ball distribution is very good. At $251k I dont think there is a player in fantasy below $300k with his job security or upside. With the Sharks draw I can finally sell Sam Walker and bank $260k.
Jesse Ramien is under i think i’m going to buy. Will be around $560k next round and at the moment he is just hitting base which I don’t mind. Is literally unowned so pod potential is huge and I like the Doggies match up ahead. I will probably sell Tago to him for round 16.
Cam Mcinnes owners would be hating Fitz. Minutes were reduced with Finucanes return and with the Sharks dominating the ball early his defensive stats reduced. Not a bad buy I just don’t think his worth $700k in my team.
Sifa is looking cheap, but now he is in Origin he’s a no go for me.
Titans
I don’t want to own any Titans players even Tino is a bit too expensive. Fifita is about to return but his just always injured.
After a great run of form it might be time for Sexton owners to cash him out now for a round 17 player. If you have plenty of halves cash him down to Will Kennedy and bank the cash.
Panthers
Brian To’o was quiet for 60 minutes before a huge last 20 mins which I was hating as I want him at his price now. Will add about $30k which is still pretty good. I want to buy him but I just don’t trust guys playing Origin. I would still pay up to $650k for the back end of the season.
I think Tago is now a massive sell. He hasn’t hit a 50+ game since round 10 against the Storm. Will have a Joey Manu matchup against a desperate Roosters team also.
Warriors
My boy Walshy ripping out a nice 60. He is a one man team at times, nice match up against the Tigers coming up. Not a buy but all of us that go him in round 13 have been wearing the eyeliner like smug kents.
Ronnie Volkman has some game. At bottom dollar if you need a cash down he’s a good one as I think they will put heaps of work into him. Has good fundamentals and I think his confidence will only grow. I’ve got Mam in my emergencies so don’t need him but if you dont have Mam i’d encourage you to own this guy.
Tohu Harris is annoying me but i’m not selling him if his hitting mid 40’s. I think Addin returning this week helped him and he ended up playing all his minutes in the middle not on the edge as he was named.
Eels
Will Penisini is making it impossible to ever consider selling. A huge 54 with 4 offloads to hand, he’s only a kid but growing every week.
Ipap was on fire early, then did nothing for 20 minutes before copping a HIA check. Will be $850k next round so I think thats a great price entry for those who don’t have him.
Dyl Bags with a nice try but a lowish 41 for his involvement level. Will watch closely as he now falls below $700k and with a high BE in round 16 could be a nice play for round 17.
Sivo and Gutho I don’t mind. But their awkward price points makes it difficult to buy them with any confidence.
Roosters
Suaalii is not the worst buy at $378k but I wouldn’t prioritise it. He is a massive hold for those who have him.
Billy “Ghost” Smith with a cracker of a performance for his 35. Looked like Tarzan at times. I wouldn’t buy him but hold if you are an owner.
Nat Butcher with an unfortunate HIA. Still made plenty of cash, i think Rads is close to return after rep round so might be time to consider the sell.
His brother Egan if he ever got an 80 minute role down the track, throw the house at him. Such as outstanding fantasy relevant style of play. Put him in the blackbook not the buy book.
Raiders
Adam Elliott is such a gun that I'm probably never selling him at this rate.
How did Savage only end up on 44 he was about that after 20 minutes. Another good price rise, I think CNK will find it difficult to take the no 1 jersey back, the kids got too much x factor.
Tapine with a solid game and continues to make cash. Still too expensive for me.
Jamal Fogarty will open around $620k and no one has him. Has had consistent stats for 3 weeks running and runs the team with class. I’ve heard worse ideas then owning this guy.
I didn't even know they won the game. I went to Woolies with 5 minutes to go thinking the game was over. An hour later I find Hudson Young won the game.
Knights
Don’t panic too much if you own Klemmer. Bad games can happen.
Mitch Barnett with another handy 50 and thats with going off with a HIA. A dual forward hitting 50’s and under $600k. Will consider him strongly.
Frizell’s HIA hurt owners but with a pricer of around $678k and missing Origin he is also well on the radar for his quality. So low owned also.
Ponga with a solid 53 and with a BE of 66 is under $500k. Reclaimed the goalkicking. Not looking at till post round 18. Newcastle play on the Friday after Origin 2 which is the Sunday so a short turnaround, so he might miss that and then round 17 also. No rush on him.
Gagai has totally fallen off a cliff. The 4.7% that own him surely have deleted app by now.
Injuries: Tyson Frizell HIA
Bulldogs
Atleast I was rewarded for riding the TPJ train. Will consider a sell come round 17 but it has to be someone better and the only one I see is Frizell.
With King also a GOAT it might be Kiraz and RFM who eventually get sold in a couple of weeks. But seriously how good are the Doggies bro!!!
Tigers
Maybe Madge wasn't the problem. Do not consider any of them.
Injuries: Alex Twal HIA
Enjoy your week off fantasy and freshen up for the run home.
If you haven’t yet check out the round 15 fantasy wrap podcast. Andy hosts with thoughts from Corby, Kyle and Jake.