KFC SuperCoach NRL Cheapie Bible: Why the time is not nigh for Valynce Te Whare
There were many magic moments in Brisbane on the weekend but the NRL debut of a Dolphins rookie was the one KFC SuperCoaches should pay attention to, writes Trent Copeland.
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TEWHAREEEEEEEE!
Magic Round, magic player.
I shouted from the rooftops. I messaged everyone I know in draft leagues (that I wasn’t a part of, duh) to run, not walk, to the waiver wire and GET Valynce Te Whare in immediately as a potential league winner.
Yes, every now and then I go berserk on talent and KFC SuperCoach chops I see in lower grades.
This guy is it, and his two-try 94-point debut was the stuff of dreams. Wayne can’t possibly leave him out after this performance, surely!
Now, before I pass out with excitement, the hype needs to settle as the Dolphins are on a bye. So, let’s focus on all of our other Cheapies, headlined by two major success stories in Jahream Bula and Jarrod Croker…
Valynce Te Whare | CTW ($200,800 | DOL) - 94 points
Tell me you saw THE try. My goodness. I’m just so glad that now everyone has seen the magic, at magic round, I’ve been telling anyone who would listen about since pre-season. 94 points, two tries, 20 tackles, 12 points in tackle busts, and 15 points in runs. Lots of KFC SuperCoaches are (rightly!) excited here, but a couple of things to remember… Wayne Bennett is the coach, and is renowned for the tried and tested (risk of bringing Brenko Lee back) so as crazy as it would be that could happen. The Dolphins also have the bye this week, play in round 12 against the Storm before Te Whare would be the perfect ‘enabler’ to allow mass upgrades elsewhere in round 13 when you know for sure he will play and rise in price.
VERDICT: WATCHLIST. I’m excited too, but it can’t happen this week.
Jahream Bula | FLB ($282,700 | WST) - 59 points
Ahh, that sweet, sweet cash flowing in to the bank, it’s a beautiful thing all $82,000 of it. As was Bula’s performance yet again - sealed by a last second try saving effort in the corner just to solidify to non-SuperCoach folk (who even are those people!?) how much of an impact he’s had on the Tigers. Fifty nine points, following on from the 60-point effort against the Panthers the week prior, came from a try assist, another big haul of tackle busts (10) and 25 points in runs. Times will get tougher this week against the high-flying Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium, but given the BE is still juicy at -32 there is plenty more cash where that came from! Still a great buy this week if you missed the boat prior to Magic Round.
VERDICT: BUY. Will hopefully peak perfectly after covering round 16 for us.
Max Feagai | CTW ($234,800 | STG) - 37 points
Feagai has always been talented, and possesses a nice KFC SuperCoach game with his hunger
for the ball and tackle busting ability. I did not expect his opportunity to come in the centres at the expense of Zac Lomax who was dropped for magic round! Sixty three and 37 points respectively in his two games thus far mean Feagai hits a matchup with the Cowboys possessing a -28 BE and is one of the most purchased players this week already. Let me say this as a word of warning… This team is not playing well, Zac Lomax clearly isn’t the problem, and I wouldn’t class anyone other than Ben Hunt as ‘safe’ job security wise so there is no world where you can feel comfortable with this move.
VERDICT: AVOID. You could absolutely do it, and hope for the best as the scoring chops are
there, I just don’t trust the Dragons at the moment (See: Sloan *ugh*).
Jarrod Croker | CTW ($392,900 | CBR) - 60 points
This really is hay day stuff from Croker, and don’t look now but the Raiders are putting up a
truckload of points (30+ the past two matches) meaning Croker is has accessed 16, 16, 20 and 20 points in goalkicking alone in his four matches. The work rate is at the opposite end of
the spectrum to guys like To’o, Kiraz and co so without the attacking stats, Croker’s cash may drop off quickly, but for now the Raiders’ legend has ticked over $113,000 in rises already and still sits with a -8 BE for the clash against the Eels. Fingers crossed for three more good games through round 13 coverage and we could be looking at $500k Croker sideways to a gun like Garrick.
VERDICT: HOLD. What a story! Feel good stuff right here.
Tyrone Peachey | 2RF ($338,900 | PTH) - 50 points
Fifty points, and $50k in initial price rises. Scoring a try in both of his first two games, the Peach was one of the buys of the week last week, albeit at a position stacked with talent for most sides and delivered 50 points without a try or try assist. We must remember this is Izack Tago’s place, but he is still listed as out until round 16 with the pectoral injury - so we have likely four more games (Penrith have a bye in round 13), it would be incredible if the Peach were able to cover round 16 for us. At a tick over $300k and possessing a game style we know is made for KFC SuperCoach, Peachey remains a great purchase. Of course, most importantly, dual position status WILL be coming his way in round 12 - making him a CTW/2RF dual and incredible flexibility for us trying to trade during the bye
rounds.
VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. Dual position is a lock, and so is the scoring upside when he’s in this starting side.
LISTEN TO OUR KFC SUPERCOACH PODCAST!!!!
Karl Oloapu | 5/8 ($200,800 | BUL) - 16 points
Damn. After all the hype of his debut performance, Oloapu was primed to become this week’s
Cheapie of the Week. Fast forward and his second game produced 16 points in 50 minutes of
game time. Given Katoa is on a bye this week, you could argue it’s still a good opportunity to take $180,000 from the downgrade and spend it elsewhere, but is the upside there for big cash and scoring potential we had hoped? No, the reality is, it’s not. Brandon Wakeham and Jayden Sullivan really sit in the same boat, albeit at much higher prices. Hopefully Oloapu can crack the starting lineup and play the full 80 at some stage.
VERDICT: AVOID. Boooo, I had really high hopes here.
Jack Gosiewski | 2RF ($332,300 | NQC) - 51 points
Not only have the team selection and other injuries around Gosiewski really fallen into place
perfectly, but this week a try - his first since round three last season - has really helped price rises to kick towards that nice round 13 coverage. Now up to $332,300 KFC SuperCoaches can hope for three more games of 80 minutes with the scores between 35-50 points to peak at around $385k in round 14. Not a bad result after all.
VERDICT: HOLD.
Billy Smith | CTW ($289,500 | SYD) - 71 points
The injury worries at the Roosters, along with Joey Manu’s successful relocation to five eighth have seen a familiar face jump into Cheapie Bible contention in Billy Smith. No surprises that the scoring output was high, and let me be clear - this was 71 points in a loss, with NO attacking stats other than a line break. 22 tackles, TWENTY points in tackle busts and 25 points in runs. Exceptional scoring, and given the Roosters cover the massive round 16 bye week, Smith may well be a purchase next week if he can solidify his place.
VERDICT: WATCHLIST.
BON VOYAGE
Josh Schuster | 5/8|2RF ($271,200 | MNL)
Schuster is on the outer at the Sea Eagles, and the Cheapie Bible is giving the same treatment
until we see otherwise. Our worst fears were confirmed with coach Anthony Seibold and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans both confirmed a multi-week absence and even past that Schuster has to ‘fight his way back’. There were so many signs telling us to stay away, but we just couldn’t listen, could we!
VERDICT: HOLD. We have to hope that Schuster reappears for round 13 by coverage, if that
doesn’t come to fruition, SELL!
Jake Granville | HOK ($330,700 | NQC) - 34 points
This did NOT pan out as I had hoped, at all. Thirty four points, this time in a hugely diminished 35-minutes of game time, and the writing is on the wall barring a try at some point that 30 (ish) point games are the reality and immediately after round 13 bye coverage you have to sell to a gun.
VERDICT: HOLD.
There you have it! Have we missed anyone?
Be sure to tweet us what you think @copes9 and @SuperCoachNRL. Good luck this week!
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Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL Cheapie Bible: Why the time is not nigh for Valynce Te Whare
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