KFC SuperCoach NRL: The Mastermind’s 2021 team revealed
The Mastermind is set for another top 1000 finish with a late change to his team adding an under-the-radar attacking weapon set for a points explosion in 2021.
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The Mastermind is fresh off another top 1000 finish and has made a late change to his team adding an under-the-radar attacking weapon set to explode in 2021.
North Queensland’s wrecking ball Jason Taumalolo is cut from The Mastermind’s squad for the first time in … well forever. It sure hurts the heart for this mad Cowboys supporter, but we’re playing KFC SuperCoach with our heads and that’s what gets you to the top.
The player we’re banking on for big things in 2021 is Gold Coast Titans centre Brian Kelly who is owned by less than 4%.
He’s been slowly building to big things the past three seasons: 44PPG in 2018, 54PPG in 2019 and almost 65PPG in 2020 when he played the full 80 minutes.
I’m expecting more room for him and attacking points with David Fifta attracting plenty of defenders on his inside.
He’s got a very solid base stats of 30PPG but only scored 6 tries in 16 games last year. A few more tries and he’ll join or surpass his CTW rivals much like Josh Mansour and David Nofoaluma in 2020.
As a nice bonus, you get him for under $500,000 thanks to a couple games off the bench and an injury-affected score of 3 last season. Let the points flow.
THE MASTERMIND’S ULTIMATE POD SQUAD
THE MASTERMIND’S TEAM REVEALED
THE MASTERMIND’S BEST FORWARDS
Here’s who’s on board for The Mastermind in KFC SuperCoach for 2021.
HOOKER
CONNOR WATSON
Locked in as Knights lock but listed in KFC SuperCoach as a dual five-eighth/hooker. He’s averaged in the mid 50s in 2019 and 2018 but you get him at a 20PPG discount thanks to a tough year with injuries in 2020.
LACHLAN LAM
Lam gets first crack in the Roosters halves with Sam Walker waiting in the wings. Comes at a decent price after five games off the bench in 2020. When he did get 50 minutes or more in 2020 he scored 59, 45 and 65. More of that please.
FRONT ROW
SIO SIUA TAUKEIAHO
A goalkicking forward is just too hard to resist. We know Taukeiaho will score about 60PPG just through his workrate. He has a 70% strike rate over his career with the boot. If he plays about 57MPG again and the Roosters create the same amount of chances as last year, he’ll easily add 10 to 11PPG to his 63.5PPG of 2020. Pushing him close to top of the props. Sharpshooter Adam Keighran looms on the bench but I can’t see him playing too many minutes.
MATT LODGE
He only played 6 games in an injury hampered 2020. I don’t buy into him being too slow or not fit enough for the rule changes post-COVID. He played 56MPG at 62.6PPG in 2019. The minutes are there for him with Payne Haas suspended to start the season.
POASA FAAMAUSILI
Named on the bench but there are still plenty of minutes up for grabs in the Dragons pack. I’m backing him to get a good chunk of those. He had a stint on loan to the Warriors last year with a top score of 62 in 52 minutes.
STEFANO UTOIKAMANU
Cheapie with big wraps but I think we’re looking at a real slow burner here unless he can sneak a try to jolt a price rise. Can’t see him getting much more than 20-30 minutes.
SECOND ROW
RYAN MATTERSON
Matterson’s consistency is simply worth paying for. In 2020, excluding an 8 point game where he went off with a headknock, he didn’t score under 60 and averaged 79.3PPG. In 2019, he didn’t score under 50 for an average of 67.4PPG. He’s had three 100s and five 90s in the past two years making him a solid captaincy option too.
ANGUS CRICHTON
Crichton played the full 80 minutes eight times in 2020 and averaged 85PPG. He gets through a mountain of work and has attacking upside as shown scoring doubles in scores of 125 and 120 in back to back games in that same run last year. This is the year he claims the crown as best second-rower in SuperCoach.
TINO FA’ASUAMALEAUI
Fa’asuamaleaui is in half of all SuperCoach teams at the moment. He averaged 57PPG in 46.4MPG in 2020 with the Storm with a massive seven tries to his name. Even if the tries dry up a little without the service of Cameron Smith he should more than make up for it with more minutes at the Titans.
KURT CAPEWELL (switch from CTW, JACOB HOST out)
Capewell only managed a few games for the Panthers in 2020 and posted some very impressive scores of 89, 62 and 91 before his State of Origin heroics for the Maroons. He’s also a dual position CTW/2RF so we can shuffle him down to the centres when the cheapies are ready to sell.
JORDAN RIKI
Takes David Fifita’s place in the Broncos team and looks like one of the better cash cows for the year. A try in a strong showing for the Maori All-Stars in pre-season has convinced almost half of all teams to include him.
TYRELL FUIMAONO
On of 2020s cheapies returns again at a bargain price. He played under 30 minutes 9 times in his 17 games last year which has kept his price down. He’s back in the Dragons starting team so hopefully some consistent minutes deliver a quick price rise.
HALFBACK
NATHAN CLEARY
He’s coming off the best ever season by a halfback in SuperCoach with 82.9PPG in 2020.
Even if he reverts back to his previous averages in the high 60s he’s still well ahead of the pack in this position. Sharks halfback Shaun Johnson is injured, Daly Cherry-Evans and Manly have a terrible draw. We really have no choice.
JAMAL FOGARTY
Fogarty takes over goal kicking duties from Ashley Taylor at the Titans and should bump his 48.6PPG 2020 average to the mid 50s on that alone. Factor in he’s got attacking weapons David Fifita and Brian Kelly outside him and I’d expect an increase in try and linebreak assists and he’s potentially past 60PPG.
FIVE-EIGHTH
CODY WALKER
Finished 2020 with the highest ever SuperCoach score of 203. He’s been the most consistent in this position over the past three seasons, playing 64 of 68 games. Cameron Munster puts up similar averages but can’t match him on this front only playing 57 of 68 including getting a rest in the head-to-head finals the past three seasons.
MATT MOYLAN
He’ll be the focal point of the Sharks attack, but he’s only played 19 of 44 games in the past two seasons. If his hamstrings hold up and he gets anywhere near his previous averages of 50PPG there’s a stack of cash to be made.
CENTRES & WINGERS
BLAKE FERGUSON
Went close to scoring tries most weeks in 2020 but only managed 3 in 19 games for the Eels. He had a massive 17 tries in 24 games in 2018 for the Roosters at 65.4PPG. I see him much like Josh Mansour last year. A hardworker who’s undervalued and overdue for the attacking returns.
CHARLIE STAINES
The most popular player in SuperCoach off the back of 6 tries in one and a half games in 2020. Obviously, that’s not sustainable and his workrate in those games was pretty poor, but a $300k buy in to the Panthers backline is a solid investment.
DANE LAURIE
His only full game in first grade was a 71 point game in the last round of 2020. He scored two tries in the Tigers trial match against Manly. We’ve only had a glimpse at his talent but he looks like one of the season’s best cash cows if he can hold the spot when Adam Douehi returns from suspension.
BRIAN KELLY in (KURT CAPEWELL to backrow)
Averaged close to 65PPG when he played the full 80 minutes. He scored just 6 tries in 16 games. He’s partnered with David Fifita on a potentially lethal left edge for the Titans. Expect defenders to swarm on Fifita and give Kelly even more space to do even more damage.
DAVID FUSITU’A
1 try in 7 games for the Warriors in 2020. He had one of the best strike rates in the competition, including 23 tries in 23 games in 2018. There’s money to be made here but he’s capable of some very low scores too. Leave him out of your 17.
JASON SAAB
Cheapie Manly winger is not for your starting 17. Hope for a few quick tries and a price rise then move him on.
BAILY SIMONSSON
Cheapie who scores a starting role for the Raiders could fill a. Hope for a few quick tries and a price rise then move him on.
FULLBACK
JAMES TEDESCO
His average has jumped from 73.6 in 2018, 84.1 in 2019, to 95.2 in 2020. Can he crack the 100 average in 2021? I wouldn’t doubt it. He had six hundreds last year using his lethal attack and relentless workrate to notch scores of 103, 199, 108, 178, 176 and 132. Pick him and give him the captaincy each week and your season becomes much more comfortable.
FANETESI NIU
Much-hyped Broncos cheapie looked good in glimpses last year at fullback. He gets a shot at the right centre job with Kotoni Staggs injured. He’s dual-position CTW too.
THE MASTERMIND’S ULTIMATE POD SQUAD
THE MASTERMIND’S BEST FORWARDS
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