KFC SuperCoach NRL 2022: Rob Sutherland’s round one team

You may know him as an opinionated loudmouth, we know him as Rob Sutherland, and here he reveals his round one KFC SuperCoach NRL side.

There’s no more time for theories, no more time to put together experimental lineups ‘just to see how they look’.

The team I put down here is the one – barring injury – that I will take into round one on Thursday.

One call was easy; Nathan Cleary is out. Penrith’s refreshing display of openness when they told rugby league fans, and diehard SuperCoach tragics, that Cleary wouldn’t just miss the opening round but in fact the first three rounds means you cannot possibly carry his million-dollar price tag into round one.

Another was simple; David Fifita is in. The Titans say he’s training the house down and no forward offers the upside Fifita does so I rate him a must.

Which leaves one big question: to Tom ‘Turbo’ Trbojevic or not to Turbo. I have flipped, flopped and flipped again on this one. My team (in globo) looks so much better without Turbo. But my fear factor is so much lower with Turbo. I won’t go into the ‘why’ as I need to leave you a reason to scroll through the 2,000 odd words below, but I will reveal the ‘what’ and it’s Turbo time for the Belalie Beasts in 2022!

Run Cookie run! Picture: Grant Trouville/NRL Photos

HOOKER

Damien Cook HOK ($575,700)

I’ve always been a fan of Cook and his revelation to my esteemed colleague Fatima Kdouh that he expects to run more in 2022 was music to my ears. Do you know what happened the last time Damien was free to fire up the jets – it was 2018, Cook SC fans know it the pre-Bennettonian era – the little dynamo averaged 78PPG exactly 20PPG of which came in runs/tackle busts. That’s a number which compares very favourably to the 11.5 he averaged over those stats last year and I think Cook adds between 5-10PPG to his 2021 average this year.

Chris Randall HOK ($245,500)

The pre-season Achilles injury to Jayden Brailey was terrible news for Brailey and the Knights but great news for Randall and KFC SuperCoaches everywhere. Newcastle don’t run deep at hooker and Randall is clearly the next man up at the position. He may not play the full 80 minutes, but Randall has the workrate to make money as, while the sample size is very small, in the five games he has played of 50+ minutes his average is 61.8PPG.

Payne Haas has broad shoulders, let him carry your SuperCoach squad. Picture: Zak Simmonds

FRONT ROW

Payne Haas ($595,800)

The Broncos tasked Haas with playing reduced minutes last year, but 60MPG is still a good 10-15% more minutes than the majority of his FRF competition. The offload was put away somewhat in 2022 but that was largely offset by Haas running through tackles as an alternative. Solid as a rock at the top of your team and buying him now saves you a trade later.

Jai Arrow FRF/2RF ($457,700)

I’m still tossing up between Arrow and Stefano Utoikamanu at this position. I feel Utoikamanu is safer, we have a stronger read on his minutes and role. Arrow is riskier. I believe he’ll play pretty solid minutes, mostly on an edge, but also floating through the middle. Arrow also has DPP FRF/2RF which I very much like. The South Sydney bench is an odd one with one prop, one hooker/lock utility and two edge forwards. Will we see Arrow play under 50 minutes? If so it’s bad. But if Arrow plays 60+ we have a winner. Fingers crossed.

Ethan Bullemor FRF/2RF ($280,000)

This was never a play I wanted to make but I have let myself be bullied into it by Tommy. That’s not exactly true (the bullying part) but I enjoyed typing it. Formerly at the Broncos, now at Manly Bullemor appeared set for SuperCoach irrelevance until Josh Schuster injured his ankle. That injury opens the door for Bullemor to start on an edge for 5-6 weeks and while I’m not expecting the world – an average of around 50PPG would see a nice little price rise. There’s still a part of me that wants to drop Bullemor for Spencer Leniu but for now I’ll opt for the big brain that is Bullemor.

Max King FRF ($188,700)

Formerly at the Storm, King missed all of 2021 due to complications from off-season Achilles tendon surgery and is now at the Bulldogs on a one-year deal. Not super flashy, not one to generate big offload or tackle bust numbers, King is nevertheless a solid professional prop who has looked very very good in the pre-season. Hi job security is fair without being superb, but he’s also very cheap so I’m prepared to take that gamble.

Angus Crichton of the Roosters brings base stat consistency and upside to your team. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

SECOND ROW

David Fifita 2RF ($745,200)

Here’s an interesting little collection of numbers which illustrate just how good David Fifita is. In 2021 the bullocking edge forward scored 100+ in five games. In those five games his highest base stat total was 49 – in two of them Fifita’s base was under 40 points. This is testament to Fifita’s explosive power/attacking stat scoring ability. No forward can score points as fast as Fifita, no forward is as dangerous. It’s a lot of money to find but I would argue it is very much worth it.

Angus Crichton 2RF ($653,200)

Crichton averaged 75PPG in 2021 and 76PPG in 2020, I like that consistency. It is a consistency built upon the solid foundation of Crichton’s workrate both in defence and attack, a workrate that saw the Rooster average better than 50+ PPG in base in each of the last two years. To that you can add some upside – not Fifita-sized upside but upside nonetheless, with Crichton adding approximately 15PPG in tackle busts/offloads and linebreaks combined. On top of all that Luke Keary’s return is huge for the Roosters’ attack. The playmaker is a stud at running to the line and putting his edge second-rowers through gaps and I can sniff more than a few Mighty Angus pies in 2022.

Heilum Luki 2RF ($351,500)/Jeremiah Nanai 2RF ($343,700)

I’ve bracketed the two Cowboys second-row studs as what I write for one I can largely write for the other. Highly talented, highly regarded within the club, both youngsters made their NRL debuts in 2021 with Luki playing 11 games (three starts) and Nanai four games (two starts). Neither are ‘base stat monsters’ but the base is fine and both are dangerous ball runners, hard to tackle and have plenty of speed should they break a line. Both are named to start in round one, and if that remains the way the team lines up for 6-8 weeks I’m confident they’ll be nudging $500K. I’d also note that while bye planning is a mug’s game in the Covid environment, both play the first bye in round 13.

Kelma Tuilagi 2RF ($253,900)

A starting second-rower for just $250K? Sign me up. A Junior Kiwi who came to the Tigers via the Storm, Tuilagi is an absolute handful in attack and a reliable defender. With Luke Garner sitting on the bench Tuilagi may not play 80, but I don’t need him to do that, fifty minutes would be more than enough to get the profit flowing.

Jirah Momoisea 2RF/FRF ($205,100)

Momoisea was a player I was expecting to flourish in 2021, but injury cruelled his season and we did not see him in the NRL until round 23. Fully fit and looking good in the pre-season I expect we’ll see plenty more of him in 2022. The Knights have some depth at 2RF but this kid is the future, is DPP and just $200K. Not expecting huge minutes or profit via the bench but don’t need that from my 2RF (6).

HALFBACKS

Sam Walker HFB ($545,900)

A cheapie with potential coming into 2021, Walker starts 2022 rated a legitimate gun at the position. The return of Luke Keary will mean less ball in Walker’s hands, but it should mean the ball he gets will be better with defences no longer able to zero in on him as the main attacking threat. The Roosters have the best draw of the opening two months and I’m expecting Walker to pile on the points over that period.

Brad Schneider HFB ($188,700)

The injury to Jamal Fogarty opens the door for young gun Schneider to have a prolonged run in the NRL and while I’m not expecting ‘Walker 2021 numbers’ this guy does have the ability to be a SC star of the future. A willing defender and handy goalkicker (who should kick for the Raiders while Jarod Croker is out), Schneider should be a handy early season money maker.

FIVE-EIGHTHS

Talatau Amone 5/8|CTW ($284,500)/ Lachlan Ilias HFB|5/8 ($205,500)

I have gone double cheapie at five-eighth reasoning that both these players have solid job security, both should make decent money early, and there’s nothing I can write here about them that you haven’t already read so I won’t try. I will say that my plan is to upgrade one of these guys to a stud at the position (Munster/CWalker etc). Both Munster and Walker are priced pretty high and I don’t expect them to significantly outscore that price early so am hoping these cheapies can jag some early attacking stats and close the gap to the guns.

Brent Naden is a proper pain to tackle and everyone loves tackle busting centres. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

CENTRE/WINGS

Brent Naden CTW ($341,900)

The former Panther now Bulldog Brent Naden was one of my early pre-season gut picks, I swapped him out in the second version of my team but am very glad to bring him back for the final iteration. Part of the rebuilt Bulldogs left edge, Naden will have fellow former Panther Matt Burton inside him and Origin star Josh Addo-Carr outside him – good areas. An elusive tackle buster with the ball, Naden also has a tremendous strike rate as a try scorer. On the flip side he does a have somewhat ‘glue hands’ try assist record which should be interesting as the man outside him is used to receiving good service.

Billy Smith CTW ($294,600)

Billy’s back! One of the unluckiest guys running around the NRL, Smith has not been able to catch a break on the injury front seemingly forever. ACL, shoulder reco, Lisfranc – Smith has spent more time on NRL Physio’s Twitter feed than known SC stalker Wilfred Zee. This is somewhat of a fanboy buy, obviously there’s injury risk, but when Smith is fit he is a $150K better player than what he is priced at. A ballrunner, a tryscorer, Smith is a good footballer playing for a high-scoring team with a great draw. Just stay healthy Billy, not for me, not for the Roosters but for you!

Izack Tago 2RF/CTW ($287,900)

The departure of Matt Burton, Paul Momirovski and Naden leaves gaps in Penrith’s backline, particularly at centre. Tago looks to be the man most likely to fill that slot. Big, athletic and loves a tackle bust, Tago was impressive in the first trial of the season, let’s hope that form continues. Tago’s DPP also works nicely with the likes of Ben Trbojevic should I pick him as my last 2RF.

Will Penisini CTW ($255,700)

Fitting that Penisini slots in here below fellow Kings alumn Suaalii. Another youngster identified from his early teens as an NRL star of the future, Penisini looks to be well placed in the race to secure a starting job in the centres for the Eels to start 2022. In his three regular season games at centre in 2021 Penisini impressed with a strong workrate and solid defensive stats. Lock him.

Sean Russell CTW/FLB ($285,400)

I won’t pretend to be super-enthused about this buy, not that I have anything against Mr Russell, just I don’t know all that much about him. What I do know is that his job security looks pretty solid and he’s on the end of a pretty prolific attack. I’ll take that for under $300K.

Viliami Vailea CTW ($205,100)

What I do know about Vailea is not much more. Though his QCup highlights package is impressive with plenty of speed and power – enough to average just shy of four tackle breaks per game! Cannot go wrong at the price.

Tolutau Koula CTW/FLB ($175,400)

Speaking of price...you cannot get cheaper than Koula. Named on the bench, I am not expecting big minutes, if any at all in round one and then I would not be shocked if Koula is relegated to the reserves as early as round two. So, ‘why pick him?’ you ask; because reports indicate that should there be an injury to pretty much any part of the Sea Eagles outside backs it’s Koula who is next in line. And he’s cheap.

No FOMO with Tom Trbojevic in the team – but is it value?

FULLBACKS

Tom Trbojevic FLB ($1,256,100)

Crikey that’s a lot of money. Buuuut not owning Trbojevic killed my 2021 SC season and FOMO is real. With a BE of 143, and games against the Panthers and then Roosters to start the season, buying Trbojevic is almost certainly burning starting salary cap. But will he get off to such a start that those who don’t have him are playing catch up and burning trades to find a way to get up to him? It’s the biggest call of the pre-season and my thinking is this. IF Trbojevic does not look like a $1.2 million star in the opening two games (allowing for the tough nature of the opposition and the easier opposition to follow) then I can sell him to Latrell Mitchell/Ryan Papenhuyzen prior to round three (for no loss of money) and use the leftover cash to upgrade a cheapie five-eighth to Munster/CWalker. If Turbo does ‘2021 Turbo’ stuff then, well, I’ll be laughing.

James Tedesco FLB ($760,100)

Tedesco quietly pumped out seven triple figure scores in 2021 (three 90+ too) with a season high of 182. He carried a bandaged and bedraggled Roosters outfit last year and with Keary back and Sam Walker having the benefit of last season’s blooding I can only see things being better for Teddy in 2022. The Roosters also have that sensational opening eight-round draw and I expect Teddy to be averaging 100+ come round nine.

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL 2022: Rob Sutherland’s round one team