KFC SuperCoach NRL Cheapie Bible: Trent Copeland’s best bargain buys ahead of Round 9

It’s a dream week for the Cheapie Bible faithful — finally we have a host of options to choose from. TRENT COPELAND reveals the players to prioritise.

Trent Copeland

7 min read

May 4, 2022 - 4:00PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

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A dream week for the Cheapie Bible faithful, with Isaiah Tass, Te Maire Martin and Christian Tuipolotu all starring! And, had it not been for a toe into touch, the most talked about KFC SuperCoach cheapie the past two seasons, Joseph Suaalii would have scored 80+ points.

With injuries to key guns like Payne Haas and David Fifita, cash isn’t everything, but picking the RIGHT cheapies so they don’t end up at $240,000 and an AE nightmare is absolutely essential.

A cheapie by definition is any player under $300,000, as the season goes along we will give a running verdict on when to sell, sit, buy or hold. If a player is not on the list, we’ve determined they are not a viable selection. Once a player eclipses the $350k mark they will be given a final verdict in the ‘Bon Voyage’ section.

Let’s get into it!

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Te Maire Martin is a popular buy (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Isaiah Tass | CTW ($175,400 | STH) - 84 points

About 20 minutes into this game on Thursday night I thought you could get the permanent marker out and put a line through Tass as a KFC SuperCoach cheapie, having made three bad errors with high balls and handling in the backline movements. Then came the reason why we’re seemingly ALL in on Tass this week. A try, a try assist, 20 points in runs and just generally looked menacing any time he carried the ball … and we know how profitable that Rabbitohs’ left edge is! We all urged caution on buying last week, thinking the return of Taane Milne from suspension would result in Tass moving to the bench or out of the 17. But Tass has retained his place — SO FAR. Of course, 24 hour cuts and final teams can still change, but for now jump on the expected $100,000 price rise this week alone.

VERDICT: BUY. Just make sure you watch late mail.

Tolutau Koula shapes as a KFC SuperCoach star of the future.

Tolutau Koula | CTW ($243,100 | MNL) - 29 points

HERE WE GO. Mark my words, with Morgan Harper still recovering from the Talakai bath, and Brad Parker and Jason Saab injured, Koula is LOCKED in to the Sea Eagles’ best team at least until round 13 if not permanently, and the almighty Tom Trbojevic is back in the fullback jersey. Ahhh, all is right in the world. Koula’s talent is immense, but with all the disruption, different roles and game flow he’s had to deal with we haven’t scraped the surface. I think we see the best of him over the next five rounds encompassing the all-important round 13, all we need is a try to get him going.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD.

Joseph Suaalii | CTW|FLB ($290,900 | SYD) - 45 points

Oh man. The drama in that last few minutes against the Bulldogs. Joey Manu flick pass, Suaalii in the corner for a double and the match winning try, which would have dished up in excess of 80 points. NOPE! A toe in touch crushed our dreams there, but nevertheless Suaalii looked very much at home at the level — and importantly is getting into his work with over 20 points in H8s both over the past two matches. An initial jump of $31,400 isn’t humungous, but carrying a -6 BE into a matchup against the hapless Titans this week should (hopefully!) prove fruitful.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. Still a buy over Isaiah Tass for me if you don’t own either, with coverage of the round 13 bye an added bonus. Playable in your 17 this week.

Blake Taaffe still has money to make.

Blake Taaffe | HFB|FLB ($299,800 | STH) - 66 points

$50,000 in the kitty, and another very solid performance from Taaffe. Excitingly, the Rabbitohs’ attack is starting to look much more like it’s old self — which equals bulk KFC SuperCoach points for their fullback and goal kicker for the foreseeable future (past the round 13 bye at least). Taaffe found the try line, had 24 points in goal kicking, a line break an 17 points in runs. With a current BE of 11 heading into a matchup with a Payne Haas-less Broncos, and projected -7 BE the following week against the leaky Warriors, all signs point to Taaffe rocketing up past the $400,000 mark by round 12.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. Still value, and playable every week until the bye. Go you good thing!

Te Maire Martin | 5/8|FLB ($205,100 | BRO) - 51 points

Eyeball test wise, Martin has ALWAYS passed with flying colours whether it was in the halves in the early days of his career or over the past two weeks in the No.1 jersey for the Broncos. 38 and 51 points respectively is a decent start, particularly at almost base price. The concerns for me are significant, however, as the work rate hasn’t been high (only 9 points in runs last week), and add to that the lack of go-forward without Payne Haas in the middle rotation. The other main factor to consider is the opportunity cost. By trading in Te Maire Martin, when others are trading in Cody Walker or Cameron Munster to that slot… An interesting conundrum, but ultimately on his own, Martin is a solid KFC SuperCoach cheapie.

VERDICT: LOW END BUY. Ilias to TMM nets $100,000. That’s some solid business if you’re not buying a gun, just make sure you get one in this slot ASAP.

Jason Saab has copped an injury.

Jason Saab | CTW ($237,200 | MNL) - 26 points

Disaster. After an early try, things looked on the up for Jason Saab buyers. But a flurry of errors, missed tackles and now a turf-toe (painful!) injury have absolutely killed the hopes of not only any cash, but big points upon Turbo’s return this week.

VERDICT: SELL/HOLD. The only way you hold is for round 13 if he’s your last CTW and don’t need the cash immediately.

Christian Tuipulotu | CTW ($292,600 | MNL) - 84 points

After thinking Tuipulotu was merely a placeholder initially, he’s done a wonderful job for the Sea Eagles not only in scoring important tries the past two weeks, but also providing a serious impact off their own line with 14 points in tackle busts and 31 points in runs last weekend against the Rabbitohs. Now sitting at a tick under $300,000 with a -44 BE coming into the matchup against the Tigers, Tuipulotu is looking at some SERIOUS price rises.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. Much like Koula above, should cover round 13 too.

Viliame Vailea | CTW ($205,100 | NZL) - 34 points

The Kiwi early-season Cheapie Bible favourite, Vili Vailea made his return from injury to play his second game, and whilst it wasn’t a monster score, it was a solid 34 points with a crucial try in an amazing come from behind win for the Warriors. If we can lose the errors, and get a little increase in work rate we could be looking at an important stretch of games (encompassing the round 13 bye coverage) for KFC SuperCoaches. This weekend’s matchup with the Sharks is a nightmare, but the Rabbitohs, Dragons and Knights thereafter is much more friendly for attacking stats. Watch this space.

VERDICT: HOLD. If you aren’t an owner, I would prioritise Tass or Koula.

Lachlan Ilias is an obvious sell.

Lachlan Ilias | 5/8|HFB ($307,400 | STH) - 29 points

Ilias seems an obvious sell this week with TMM ‘on the bubble’, and guns like Cody Walker appearing to have bottomed out in price and found form. The simple equation is he ‘could’ make more money but the Rabbitohs go left, always. On the rare occasion they do go right, it’s to Koloamatangi from Cook or Murray. Let’s keep this short and sweet… Whilst playing some relatively solid actual NRL, he’s got to go.

VERDICT: SELL.

Kelma Tuilagi | 2RF ($322,800 | WST) - 46 points

Ok, 46 points in 75 minutes is a little more like it. Within fingertips of a try, and still found a way to leave the field for a HIA (that he thankfully passed this time!) so there’s undoubtedly upside still here — forgive me, I have said that every week since round one but it is true I assure you. Now with Luciano Leilua’s absence, I think it’s locked in that Tuilagi plays 80 minutes barring injury. Surely, between now and round 12 he can find that try line!

VERDICT: HOLD. BE of just 12, with a bit of luck Tuilagi will eclipse $400k by round 12.

Kelma Tuilagi still has lots of upside.

BON VOYAGE

Max King | FRF ($389,800 | BUL) - 44 points

What a job Max King has done for us, in a serious time of need with chaos at the position there is nothing surer than a good PPM over 1.0, a couple of offloads and a score between 40-55. Whilst that’s not going to blow the top off cash wise like an Izack Tago or Taylan May, it’s still incredibly valuable. You could easily hold through round 13 coverage as King’s BE will be manageable the whole way, but if you can get him to a Taumalolo or Papali’i somehow that’s absolutely something you should do.

VERDICT: HOLD. Plan to sell to a gun in round 14 (or anytime between now and then that suits), what a great result this has been.

Max King continues to produce a strong PPM.

Selwyn Cobbo | FLB/CTW ($384,500 | BRO) - 26 points

The ups and downs of Selwyn Cobbo, eh. Three weeks of really nice scores against some pretty good defensive units, and then a 26-point dud against the Sharks even though the won! Crazy. Given Cobbo doesn’t cover round 13, you should hold this week (BE of 17) and hope for one more big score. If he doesn’t, then sell on to a CTW or 2RF (via duals) gun.

VERDICT: HOLD. For one more week.

Brodie Jones | 2RF ($344,800 | NEW) - 40 points

It was a nice idea, that we’d get 5-7 weeks of 80 minute games and make us lots of money. Just like most of my startup/entrepreneurial ideas … They sound great, but never eventuate! Brodie has now found himself out of the 17 with the return of Lachlan Fitzgibbon, so I guess the one positive is that he’s not an urgent sell/AE nightmare, but it’s time to say goodbye.

VERDICT: SELL. Hand up on this one, big F grade.