The Queenslanders you need in your SuperCoach team to start this season
Round one of SuperCoach is just a couple of sleeps away and with the NRL squads locked and loaded, now is a great time to ensure you pick up these Queensland bargains.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Round one of SuperCoach is just a couple of sleeps away and with the NRL squads locked and loaded, now is a great time to ensure you pick up these Queensland bargains.
Across four Queensland clubs, there are 10 players who are certain starters, and for the price will help you have the extra money for the big time players when they return.
But don’t sell these players short, just because the price is low, does not mean they won’t give you every opportunity to win come the end of the round.
Gold Coast Titans
AJ Brimson ($587,100, FLB)
Brimson played the second trial match for the Titans at centre, finishing with eight tackles, 176 metres gained and 43 fantasy points.
There’ll be positional updates after the trials and before the start of the season, so Brimmo will surely get dual CTW-FLB positioning.
It is uncertain how Des Hasler will inject Brimson at centre, but with his playmaking ability its hard to see him not playing a roaming role.
He averaged 58 points last season from 71 minutes, well reduced due to a number of in-game injuries.
If available at centre, and if his style of play in the trials looks appealing, you would be wise to start with him.
Beau Fermor ($467,300, 2RF)
He’s returning from an ACL injury which notoriously correlates to fairly poor scoring.
The difference with Fermor to other cases is that it was a 2023 pre-season injury, so not only has he had ample time to recover, but he starts at a discounted rate this season.
At $467k with a player of his quality it’s certainly tempting if he looks up to scratch in the trials. Another concern is the rise of David Fifita last season which will command plenty of ball.
If Fermor plays on the right edge he might not see a lot of quality footy as Fifita is the go-to guy in attack. If Fermor switches back to his preferred left edge outside Kieran Foran, he will look far more appealing. He averaged 65 points in 2022, but that did include a whopping 11 tries for the season.
Klese Haas ($356,000, 2RF)
The brother of Payne is frontrunner for the vacant edge back row spot of David Fifita (pectoral), who is out until round four. Translation: We have a borderline cheapie confirmed to play round one and presumably big minutes. They are the positives. But the negatives are big. Job security post Fifita’s return is almost non-existent.
Keano Kini ($287,900, 2RF)
Some big ticks here. Kini will play round one with Jayden Campbell out until round four with a knee injury. Kini is also an absolute beast, winning man of the match in the 2023 Queensland Cup grand final despite only being 19. Even though Campbell is very good, Kini is a rare talent and a chance of pushing his way into a permanent spot. But there are also crosses. Job security is bordering on horrible given Campbell is due back after just one price rise. He is also only available at fullback for SuperCoach, which is a position to stack guns and not cheapies.
North Queensland Cowboys
Jeremiah Nanai ($583,500, 2RF)
For punters who believe Nanai can rediscover his breakout 2022 form this season, the towering young gun is a steal at just under $600k.
Fresh from celebrating his 21st birthday, Nanai is all-but-guaranteed a starting jersey for the season after Luciano Leilua’s departure.
After a stunning 17 tries in 23 games in 2022, injuries and suspensions kept him off the park for half of last season – leading to just six tries in 13 appearances.
A return to the mean could see North Queensland’s greatest aerial threat become one of the topscoring SuperCoach backrowers.
Reuben Cotter ($542,700, FRF/2RF)
After a horror start to his NRL career Cotter has become one of the competition’s best workhorses, earning him Queensland and Australian rep honours.
North Queensland has a hulking front row rotation including Jason Taumalolo, Jordan McLean, Coen Hess, Griffin Neame, Sam McIntyre and Thomas Mikaele, while Jamayne Taunoa-Brown will miss the first half of the season after suffering an Achilles injury.
Cotter is expected to wear the No. 13 jersey in round 1 and could see big minutes with McIntyre the most likely backup lock, and Taumalolo also a possibility to cover the position during the in-game rotation.
Priced at 53.2PPG after an injury interrupted 2023, SuperCoach reporter Ian Maybanks believes he is about 10 points under what he should deliver as the Cowboys new captain.
Brisbane Broncos
Xavier Willison ($265,200, FRF)
The Broncos have lost some serious middle power in Thomas Flegler (Dolphins) and Keenan Palasia (Titans). Willison was huge in the All Stars match, scoring a try and running for 84 metres, and he appears to have won a bench spot for round one. Willison is a big man with a bright future – and a horrible history with injuries – but his PPM of 1.53 is basically unheard of in SuperCoach.
Blake Mozer ($238,900, HOK)
Blake Mozer has been the name on everyone’s lips at Red Hill for some time now, with the hooker seemingly edging ever closer to establishing himself in the NRL.
The Queensland Cup star made his first-grade debut in the final game of the regular season for the Broncos in 2023 and could force his way into calculations amongst Billy Walters and Tyson Smoothy.
Brendan Piakura ($426,800 2RF)
With Kurt Capewell departing it opens up an 80 minute role for Piakura who is rated highly from Supercoaches.
He’s priced on a 42 point average from 57 minutes per game in 2023.
He averaged 59.6 points in five 65+ minute games last season.
He averaged 39.4 in base stats (tackles and runs) in those games.
He is rated as a Briton Nikora type player who will rely more on attacking stats to score well, but he has the talent in a gun team to produce those attacking stats.
Definitely on the radar for many in round one, although 2RF does look like a position with plenty of quality options to choose from.
Fletcher Baker ($320,000, FRF)
The former Rooster is set to walk straight into a bench prop spot at the Broncos, who have lost Thomas Flegler (Dolphins) and Keenan Palasia (Titans). While Xavier Willison is preferred due to cheaper starting price, Baker is still set for serious improvement after averaging just 29 minutes at Bondi.
Dolphins
Jack Bostock ($314,500, CTW)
The Dolphins have made two big signings in their backline with Jake Averillo and Herbie Farnworth joining. The chance to play outside this duo is still up in the air though, with Bostock believed to be in the box seat to start the season.
The tall winger debuted in 2023 and made four appearances with a top score of 87 in the final round of the season.
More Coverage
Originally published as The Queenslanders you need in your SuperCoach team to start this season
Titans win stampede to sign boom Coast twins
The Gold Coast Titans have won a stampede to sign boom Year 9 twins from King’s Christian College, but a Logan City young gun from Cameron Smith’s old school remains hot property.
Maroons’ raiders flood SG Ball, Harold Matthews junior reps
Who were the Maroons’ raiders embedded deep in enemy territory playing in the SG Ball and Harold Matthews competitions? Revealed here, along with Queensland’s best female teens at Sydney clubs.