NRL SuperCoach 2025: Second-place finisher Dave Campbell’s team revealed

NRL SuperCoach’s runner-up for 2024 Dave Campbell is doing something he’s never done before with his starting team. Can it take him one better in 2025?

The trials are complete, dual status players have been updated and Vegas teams have been announced.

All of those things mean SuperCoaches should be fairly locked in on the team they’ll be taking into the start of the 2025 season.

The new Flex position creates some intriguing strategies and, of course, there’s the lessons learned in 2024.

I’m pretty set on my current squad but it means doing something I’ve never done before – going light in the halves and spending big in the front row.

I was shocked to finish second overall as 2024 runner-up SuperCoach champion... Is this the strategy to take me one better in 2025?

HOOKER

Connor Watson HOK/2RF $583,000

I got caught out a bit in 2024 by not having a lot of dual position flexibility so I have made a concerted effort to load up where I can, starting with Connor Watson. Brandon Smith’s ACL injury opens the door for Watson to play big minutes at hooker for the Roosters and the ability to slide him back to the second row down the track is a double win.

Connor Watson is a popular buy at both hooker and back row. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Peter Mamouzelos HOK $302,900

The main man in the No.9 jersey for the Rabbitohs following the exit of Damien Cook. I am very wary of the Rabbitohs given the injury list against their top 17 and the way they handled themselves in the trials but I’m hoping Mamouzelos is the exception to the rule here and makes a bit of cash before being upgraded to an out-and-out gun.

FRONT ROW FORWARD

Addin Fonua-Blake FRF $682,100

Front row was a wasteland in 2024, with only a couple of solid gun options that were difficult to get to if you didn’t start with them from the outset. I’ve decided to spend big in FRF for 2025 so I can hopefully set and forget that position. AFB has a new club at the Sharks and was one of the standout forwards of 2024. I’m hoping the enthusiasm of joining a new team and being in a happier headspace sees him meet or exceed his 72.2 2024 average.

Terrell May FRF $597,500

May was the guy I kept meaning to trade out of my team in 2024 but he kept finding a way to punch out big scores and make big money. In the end he was a season-long keeper. The move to the Tigers is concerning given their three consecutive wooden spoons but the hope is he will be considered the premiere front rower in the team and demand big minutes for big SuperCoach scores. He averaged 61 points in 2024 in a season that saw his minutes fluctuate wildly. Consistency could unlock May even more.

Reserves: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui FRF/2RF $531,300, Ben Te Kura FRF $232,600

Tino starts at a massive price reduction due to his ACL-ruined 2024 and is my only dual in the front row to allow movement between FRF and 2RF. Players returning from ACLs are always a gamble but the Titans need him and his last full season was a career-high 77.5 points per game in 2023. Te Kura is the only cheapie I’ll take in the front row but he also a bit of a placeholder pending his name actually appearing in the Broncos 17 for round one. He was impressive in the trials with two SuperCoach scores in the 60s – albeit with tries each game – so a genuine option as long as he is named.

Dave Campbell has spent up big for Addin Fonua-Blake. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

SECOND ROW FORWARD

Briton Nikora 2RF $682,100

The Sharks edge forward is only in 3.2% of teams which blows my mind. He has a high ceiling and knows how to find the tryline. Most of the top second rowers from 2024 have poor ownership at the moment which tells me people aren’t keen on spending big in this position to start the season and I think that is a mistake. Second row was absolutely stacked for guns last year with seven players averaging 70 or higher. Nikora missed being the eighth on that list by a mere 0.3 points per game. He is a great POD option many will steer clear of purely because the Sharks have the Panthers first up.

Haumole Olakau’atu 2RF $665,700

Olakau’atu had a great 2024 season but it’s how he will start in 2025 that has me saying “shut up and take my money”. No Sea Eagles byes until round 13 and in Manly’s first 12 matches to start 2025 they play bottom eight sides from last year nine times. That is an absolute dream run that could see big scores being racked up week in and week out.

Corey Horsburgh FRF/2RF $355,500

Horse starts at a discount (almost $300k less than his starting price in 2023) after playing just five matches last year, has been named to start round one at prop and has the flexibility of dual position with front row. There’s a reason he is in more than 50 per cent of teams already.

Reserves: Demitric Vaimauga 2RF $232,600, Coen Hess FRF/2RF $327,000, Lachie Hubner 2RF $232,600

Vaimauga looked good in the trials and has picked up a bench spot in round one. He’ll be a slow burn on the money-making front but showed enough in the trials to see he has a high PPM rate. Hess is back at the Cowboys following his own ACL injury so there could be money to be made but I’m not married to him being in my team pending the rest of round one team lists being announced. Likewise Hubner. As mentioned above I’m wary of the Rabbitohs but reports indicate Hubner has been training at lock. He’s technically just a placeholder but if those reports pan out come team lists he could be a goer.

HALFBACK

Sandon Smith HFB/HOK $237,600

I stacked my forwards so money had to be saved somewhere and that somewhere is my halves. I’ve never gone so light here before and it feels strange. No Cleary. No Hynes. It is definitely a gamble but I will also make some good money here and Sandon Smith allows my dual hooker flexibility if it all goes south. Luke Keary is gone and Sam Walker is out injured so Smith steps in with a potential $300k+ price rise on the cards.

Tom Duffy HFB $198,800

Duffy is a lock if named in round one. He looked good in the trials and kicked goals to sweeten the deal. Jake Clifford is lurking but if the Cowboys want to look at their next generation of stars Duffy is an ideal candidate.

FIVE-EIGHTH

Matt Burton 5/8 $648,700

Burton grew into his position at the Bulldogs in 2024 as the club became one of the surprise packets of the season. The Bulldogs have worked solidly on defence since Cameron Ciraldo took up the coaching gig and, with that part of their game firing last year, attack will surely be the focus of 2025. Burton has a friendly SuperCoach game and if the Bulldogs continue to improve as they have been the last couple of years, Burton’s 66.3 average will as well.

Luke Metcalf HFB/5/8 $443,000

Metcalf steps into Shaun Johnson’s boots at the Warriors. He starts underpriced given injury-affected matches as well as reduced matches while at the Sharks. Another player who hopefully lives up to the potential and gets turned into a gun down the track.

CENTRE/WING

Reuben Garrick CTW $680,300

The Manly star has been one of the most consistent SuperCoach centres of the past several years – hitting yearly averages of 70.6, 70.8 and 69.5 since 2022. As mentioned above, Manly have a killer draw to start the season which means Garrick and his goalkicking are points you can take the bank. We won’t talk about the nine points he got as captain for me after being double HIA’d out of last year’s round 15 game but as long as he keeps his head away from shoulders everything will be fine.

Greg Marzhew CTW $513,600

Marzhew suffered a huge 25-point drop in average between 2023 and 2024 which means he is severely underpriced to his potential. The plunge was a result in tries drying up for the Knights star but he should be back to playing on his preferred left side where he links up with Kalyn Ponga. Any return to the form of 2023 will see big prices rises and big points on offer.

Jack Howarth CTW $426,200

I’m taking a punt here but the Storm centre is gearing up for his second full season in the NRL. He showed flashes of brilliance when he got his chance at the back end of 2024. I’m hoping he learned a lot and will be just another star to emerge from Craig Bellamy’s NRL factory.

Alex Brimson 5/8/CTW $539,200

Brimson got dual 5/8 after starting there for both the Titans trials. Kieran Foran’s injury means the position is his long-term and there are SuperCoach points to be had. The Titans might not be the best defenders but they know how to attack and Brimson will be in the thick of it. He has averaged between 55 and 73 since 2020 as he bounced from five-eighth to fullback to centre. Consistency in position will allow him to build a proper season.

AJ Brimson is a genuine point of difference play. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Reserves: Jaxon Purdue CTW $257,000, Robert Toia CTW $198,800, Sione Finau CTW $279,000

These three guys are just straight-up cheapies who generate cash. Their positions in my team are contingent on round one selection and they will be cut the moment that reality doesn’t materialise. If you want to know why you should have them in your team, check out Tom Sangster’s Cheapie Bible right here.

FULLBACK

Tom Trbojevic FLB $875,600

The second best fullback of 2024 despite injuries and a cracker draw to start the season. Turbo is the one player I hate not having in my team because it means I watch Manly games through my fingers. I’m hoping his dominance dovetails nicely with my inclusion of Garrick and Olakau’atu in my team as well. An easy captain every week especially with that opening draw.

Isaiah Iongi FLB $232,600

Iongi has cheapie of the year written all over him. He replaces Clint Gutherson as the Eels custodian and stands to make plenty of cash. Fullback is another stacked position for guns that provides huge points but I just don’t think you can go past a cheapie of this calibre. Iongi produced 77 SuperCoach points in the Eels second trial so the potential is there. All aboard.

FLEX

Kalyn Ponga FLB $790,300

There’s been plenty of talk about the new Flex position and how to use it. Many think you can stash an extra cheapie there. Others think it is an opportunity to take three gun fullbacks into the start of the season. I’m sticking Ponga in there, allowing me to have two gun fullbacks and Iongi as my cheapie. I’m having my cake and eating it too. If someone in my squad fails to fire or gets HIA’s out of the game for a single-digit score... well, imagine have a Kalyn Ponga tonne slotting in there instead.

Originally published as NRL SuperCoach 2025: Second-place finisher Dave Campbell’s team revealed