KFC SuperCoach NRL: Round 2 best players and trade targets

The Mastermind runs his eye over every KFC SuperCoach NRL Round 2 game and lines up the next must-have trade targets.

Round 2 wrap of KFC SuperCoach NRL.

Two rounds in and it’s fair to say KFC SuperCoaches who banked on the Roosters are going all right, much like the Roosters on the field... going ALL RIGHT.

A hat-trick for the second week in a row to Brett Morris on the end of the Roosters right edge makes him the round’s top scorer with 135.

James Tedesco and Luke Keary tore the Tigers to shreds and put things on a plate for Brett while brother Josh, Lachlan Lam and Daniel Tupou barely got a touch.

My other highlight of a wet and wild weekend was the personal battle between David Fifita and Tevita Pangai as both scored KFC SuperCoach centuries in their own blockbusting style.

The number one trade target for the week has to be Knights hooker and captain Jayden Brailey after tries in both games for scores of 86 and 90. He’s got a nice draw over the next month and should continue to score well or become the perfect stepping stone to Harry Grant when he returns for the Storm.

ROUND 3 LATEST: CASUALTY WARD | EARLY MAIL ON TEAMS

Let’s take a look at the highs and lows from each game and the players to add to your watchlist.

EELS 16-12 STORM

Highs: Junior Paulo, 84, is the top point scoring FRF after two rounds with another try to his name. He scored 46 base points with a surprisingly low 10 runs. Reed Mahoney, 82, did the usual 50+ tackles and added a try assist and two linebreak assists. Justin Olam, 79, had 38 in base stats, eight tackle busts and a try. He’s now scored 10 tries in his past 9 games for the Storm. Ryan Papenhuyzen, 73, had more runs than any other player with 36 points from hit-ups alone. Had a try assist, line break and two goals.

Lows: Ryan Matterson, 35, went off after 46 minutes for a HIA and didn’t return. Given his previous concussions, KFC SuperCoaches will be tempted to sell with Matterson likely to miss at least one game. Blake Ferguson, 32, did a stack of work but the rushing Storm defence made sure just four of his 20 runs scored two points.

Watchlist: Maika Sivo, 77, scored a double and has three juicy games up next at Bankwest Stadium. Reimis Smith, 72, had 38 in base stats and looks like a good money earner in CTW.

WARRIORS 16-20 KNIGHTS

Highs: Bradman Best, 95, Hymel Hunt, 90, and Mitchell Barnett, 85, are all firing and that’s without Kalyn Ponga chiming in on the left edge for the Knights. Best had two try assists, Hunt scored two and Barnett kicked four from four goals. Given Ponga’s struggles with the boot last year you’d have to think Barnett holds on to the job with 10/11 to start the season.

Tohu Harris, 85, had 67 in base stats and a try assist. Smashing out big consistent scores with ease just like 2020 but he’s in just 9% of teams.

Lows: Chanel Harris-Tavita, 28, had plenty of KFC SuperCoaches interested in pre-season looks to have picked up a foot injury. David Fusitu’a, 25, needs a try soon or his value will start tumbling.

Watchlist: Tyson Frizell, 66, was almost all base stats. The low numbers of the players outside him says it all. The Knights are looking for a hard run and quick play the ball from Frizell then spread the ball quickly to the left. Leeson Ah Mau should start at prop with Jamayne Taunoa-Brown suspended.

TITANS 28-16 BRONCOS

Highs: David Fifita, 105, had two tries, two line breaks and seven tackle busts. Tevita Pangai, 100, had 55 in base stats, a try, linebreak, three offloads and five tackle busts in just 51 minutes on the field. Broncos cheapies Jordan Riki, 81, and Fanitesi Niu, 92, were very impressive and look like they can be trusted for a spot in your 17.

Lows: AJ Brimson, 18, had just 5 runs and made four errors. Anthony Milford, 18, as warned last week followed up a good score with one in the teens. He had -13 in negative points. KFC SuperCoaches who traded in David Mead, 21, after his round 1 game are probably regretting it. He reverted to his low base stats of the past and has a horrid run of fixtures after the Bulldogs.

Watchlist: Tyrone Peachey, 58, punched out 40 in base and set up one of Fifita’s tries. With the 2RF minutes still a bit unclear at the Panthers, Peachey could be a safer option than Kurt Capewell. Jamayne Isaako, 80, posted a big score without a try or try assist. He had eight tackle busts, a line break and a couple goals.

BULLDOGS 0-28 PANTHERS

Highs: Viliame Kikau, 123, was in devastating form with two tries, three linebreaks and eight tackle busts. Jarome Luai, 94, had two try assists, five tackle busts and four linebreak assists and has outshone Cameron Munster and Cody Walker to start the season. Nathan Cleary, 88, went off after a head knock in the 70th minute but had an amazing 30 points from forced drop outs.

Lows: Charlie Staines, 10, made just nine runs for the game. Jake Averillo, 14, missed four tackles and had three errors.

Watchlist: Josh Jackson, 75, was all base and showed what he can do in 80 minutes. He had only one missed tackle while Jack Hetherington, Dylan Napa and Adam Elliot all missed six tackles. Kurt Capewell, 36, played just 49 minutes coming off with a knock. He had 66 minutes last week with Kikau getting the game time this week and producing the goods. If you’ve got Capewell you want his consistent 2RF scores in the CTW position but that only comes with consistent minutes.

SEA EAGLES 12-26 RABBITOHS

Highs: Damien Cook, 102, as warned last week, bounced back with the goods. He had a try and two line breaks on top of 51 tackles. Taniela Paseka, 87, had 48 in base stats, a try assist and four effective offloads as he scored the starting prop position and 46 minutes.

Lows: Some injury-affected scores for Andrew Davey, 7, Cade Cust, 4 and Jaxson Paulo, 4, and Adam Reynolds 32.

Watchlist: Josh Schuster, 46, came on for the injured Davey and looks like a good cheapie especially if he gets another run in the backrow with Manly’s injury worries. Latrell Mitchell, 68, had a very nice score even with -18 points including a trip to the sin bin. Alex Johnston, 73, scored again and expect he’ll continue to do so with the Bunnies left edge one of the best in the competition.

COWBOYS 18-25 DRAGONS

Highs: Ben Hunt, 116, had a try, two try assists, a linebreak and eight linebreak assists. Be tween him and Keary for the best back-up to Cleary at the moment. Daniel Alvaro, 74, emerged as a nice FRF cash cows with 53 in base stats, a line break and three offloads as he played more minutes than any other Dragons middle forward.

Lows: Tariq Sims, 34, played 69 minutes and missed six tackles putting him below 0.5PPM.

Watchlist: Esan Marsters, 67, showed glimpses of his KFC SuperCoach best with six tackle busts and four offloads helping pump up his 32 in base stats to a surprisingly good score.

TIGERS 6-40 ROOSTERS

Highs: The Roosters right edge was relentless with massive points for Brett Morris, 135, Luke Keary, 123, James Tedesco 111 and Sitili Tupouniua 83. Morris scored his second hat-trick in as many weeks and Tedesco posted his second century meaning anyone who was brave enough to start without him in hope of a price drop is going to have to move this week or watch his price head towards $1 million. Tupouniua at just a tick over $400k is the cheapest option to get a piece of those right-edge points at the Roosters. He’s well worth considering.

Lows: Joey Leilua, 10, had seven missed tackles. David Nofoaluma, 33, had four errors.

Watchlist: Lindsay Collins, 75, produced another big score with 53 in base stats, a try assist and linebreak.

SHARKS 10-12 RAIDERS

Highs: Hudson Young, 75, scored a try for the second week in a row and looks like one of the better mid-range 2RFs. George Williams, 65, has ticked over two nice scores but will lose the goalkicking job when Jarrod Croker returns. William Kennedy, 65, is the focal point of the Sharks attack scoring a try after a double last week.

Lows: Matt Moylan, 20, had eight missed tackles and two errors. Chad Townsend, 43, had -19 in negative points with three missed goals, five missed tackles and three errors.

Watchlist: Sebastian Kris, 65, is playing well enough to be one of the better CTW cash cows but again Croker is due back from injury. Ryan James, 64, is set to surge in value after adding some attacking points to a solid base for the second week in a row.

THE MASTERMIND’S ROUND 1 WRAP