KFC SuperCoach NRL: 11 (not so) secret cheapies to spice up your round 1 squad
The latest player movement has created a new KFC SuperCoach NRL super cheapie – but hurt the hopes of another writes Rob Sutherland.
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The Wests Tigers, and KFC SuperCoaches, will be rejoicing about Daine Laurie’s shift to the club as we now have the prospect of a quality player with plenty of opportunity at a bargain price.
However, the move creates a concatenation at Concord which could hurt the chances of another pre-season darling.
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1. Jacob Liddle HOK ($247,200) v Jake Simpkin HOK ($173,700)
Before the Daine Laurie/Paul Momirovski player swap (more on that below) it looked like Jacob Liddle was leading the race to start at hooker for the Wests Tigers. Even in that scenario, I still saw some value in Simpkin who with 25-30 minutes off the bench would still be a decent if slow money maker. And then if/when Liddle was injured (for those new to the game Liddle has a horrible history when it comes to injury) and Simpkin’s minutes expanded you wouldn’t burn a trade bringing him in.
However, Laurie is expected to oust Moses Mbye from the fullback position and should that occur the versatile Mbye would slot onto the bench as a utility capable of covering hooker, halves/centre and fullback. Mbye’s ability to cover Liddle at hooker would mean the club no longer needs to run a spare hooker on the bench.
So, what’s all this mean then? Well it would seem that Liddle is now the cheapie hooker to have, though I’m not sold yet. I expect the Tigers will give Liddle all the minutes he can handle and just cross their fingers and toes that the unlucky rake doesn’t break.
And what should we expect from Liddle with 50+ minutes? Well, that’s hard to say because of the 44 games Liddle has played in the NRL he has only managed to play 50+ minutes eight times. In those eight games Liddle does boast a rather tasty 58.5PPG. Summing it up, assuming Jake Simpkin now misses out on selection in the round one 17, Jacob Liddle has the opportunity to deliver a very nice return on a small investment. But that reward carries plenty of risk.
2. Connor Watson HOK|5/8 ($288,600)
So if not Jacob Liddle then who? I’ve got my eye on Connor Watson from the Knights. Watson had just no luck in 2020 with an ankle suffered early in round three keeping him out until round 10 only for him to rupture his Achilles in round 11 ending his season. The 2021 silver lining to the 2020 injury cloud is that Watson is priced to start this season as if he had produced an average of around 34PPG. And Watson is better than 34PPG. Let’s look at the worst case scenario first – Watson is named at 14 as a Mr-fix-it utility. Across 2019-20, Watson came into the game off the bench nine times (excluding one game where injury limited him to just six minutes) averaging 52.8 PPG and 47.4MPG. The best case scenario sees Watson in the starting team wearing the number 13 jersey. Watson has reportedly been spending some time at lock in the pre-season as the Knights weigh up his ball playing, hole running ability compared to the more rugged Mitch Barnett (who was pretty good at lock in 2020 it has to be said). IF Watson is named to start at lock then his selection is an easy one, and I think there’s value even if he’s named at 14.
3. James Roberts CTW ($277,700)
A starting centre who played Origin less than three years ago and scored almost 1,400 points at an average of 60PPG the year before that, for under $280K? There’s got to be a catch I hear you say. Yes, yes there is. Roberts’ ability is undoubted, but a mixture of injury and off-field issues have left The Jet spluttering rather than soaring over the past couple of years. Now surely on his last chance in the league, Roberts finds himself at the Wests Tigers and reportedly set to start on the right edge with wing weapon David Nofoaluma outside him. With such an extensive list of off-field indiscretions to his name, and a body that has endured more than its fair share of injuries of late, it would surprise me if Roberts gets through the whole season. But at this price we just need Roberts to get through the opening 8-10 weeks nabbing a try or two on occasions and he’s an easy upgrade to a keeper.
4. Jordan Riki 2RF ($277,500)
The departure of David Fifita leaves a massive hole at the Broncos, a hole that many a SuperCoach is hoping is filled by the large frame of Jordan Riki. Currently the eighth most popular player in the game, 34% of us have Riki in their teams. That’s a lot of trust in a youngster who has had just one good but not great eighty minute game to his name. In that game (round 20 last year), Riki scored 50 points with 38 tackles, eight runs, a couple of tackle busts and an offload. Not numbers that will see the big bloke roar towards a huge price rise in a hurry, but enough for him to slowly build towards $400K and become a stepping stone to a keeper. I’m not ‘all in’ on Riki, but if he starts for the Broncos then he starts for the Belalie Beasts.
5. Spencer Leniu FRF ($218,500)
As has been noted by a few people already this pre-season, the departure of James Tamou (19 games avg. 43MPG) and Zane Tetevano (16 games avg. 32MPG) leaves plenty of minutes to be filled in the middle at the Panthers in 2021. Penrith have added Matt Eisenhuth and I expect Moses Leota to step up and play a larger role than he did in 2020, but all things being equal I think it’s fair to assume that Leniu will enjoy at least a 10MPG/10-12PPG bump on the 20MPG/25PPG he averaged last year. Don’t count on a score you can include in your scoring 17 each week, rather a slow burn money maker.
MORE SUPERCOACH:
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KFC SuperCoach NRL 2021 Cheapie Bible
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SuperCoach club-by-club guide to transfer madness
KFC SuperCoach NRL transfer guide — Part 2
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6. Daine Laurie CTW/FLB ($223,200)
Already in 13.6% of KFC SuperCoach NRL sides I’m expecting Laurie’s ownership rate to treble before the week is out after news filters through of his move to the Wests Tigers in a player swap with Paul Momirovski. Laurie is tipped to be the Tigers long term fullback and while coach Michael Maguire has been at pains to state that Laurie won’t just walk into the fullback role for round one, I would think he’ll be wearing the No. 1 jersey sooner rather than later. Laurie showed what he could do at fullback when the Panthers, already assured of the minor premiership, gave him a start in round 20 last year. Yes, it was against a pretty broken Bulldogs outfit, but 21 runs, four tackle busts a try assist/linebreak assist all adding up to 71 points gave us an indication of just how quickly we can expect the young man’s price to rocket up once he’s playing fullback full time.
7. Matt Lodge FRF ($299,000)
I’m not 100% sold on this selection, but sometimes find it cathartic to write a player up and see where the stats take me so let’s see how this goes. After a superb 2019 season in which he played 21 games averaging 57MPG and 63PPG, Lodge came into 2020 with high expectations. However, in February 2020, Lodge suffered an ACL injury at training and then another knee injury in round seven. That injury kept Lodge out until round 13, in which he played just 35 minutes before it was discovered that he had in fact fractured his tibia and his season was over. Tom Flegler is the young prop on the rise at the Broncos, and Tevita Pangai Jr (provided he can avoid suspension) will spend more time in the middle than he did in 2020. But I still see enough of a role for Lodge to suggest that his sub-$300K starting price is a bargain. Throw in the fact that Payne Haas is suspended for the opening three rounds and I think Lodge could be a player who quickly adds value. I think I’ve sold myself here – how about you?
8 Matt Moylan FLB|5/8 ($253,600)
There’s no questioning Moylan’s ability to score at an average that would see his price double before we reach the turning point of the season. The dilemma is whether Moylan’s dodgy hamstrings will make it to said turning point. Moylan was limited to just eight games in 2020 and 11 the season before that. Locked in to start in the halves and then, should fitness allow, you would expect him to take up the fullback role when Shaun Johnson (expected round 8) returns from injury. ‘Training the house down’ for what that is worth, we just need Moylan to last eight weeks and average 50PPG over that span and then you could happily upgrade to a safer season-long option.
9 Fanitesi Niu FLB/CTW ($232,500)
The young gun played a mix of bench and fullback in an injury-limited 2020 but there’s a new coach at the Broncos and Niu looks to have a new role with Kevvie Walters running Niu at right centre in the pre-season. Regular right centre Kotoni Staggs (ACL) won’t be back till midway through 2021 and that’s more than enough time for Niu to make some money for us before we upgrade.
10 Stefano Utoikamanu FRF ($186,800)
The young prop has had huge raps on him for a couple of years now. Was under-utilised at the Eels but now at the Wests Tigers I expect him to carve out a solid role. Like Leniu above, don’t expect huge price rises, no matter how much talent they have forwards need minutes to go up in value, more of a slow burn.
11 Charlie Staines FLB/CTW ($297,700)
The $130K price bump on a true rookie is unwelcome, but Staines will start in my team. The departure of Josh Mansour appears custom made to allow Staines a starting role and the Panthers are the most exciting attacking team in the competition so Staines at sub-$300K still represents value.
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Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL: 11 (not so) secret cheapies to spice up your round 1 squad
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