KFC SuperCoach NRL Cheapie Bible Round 9: Amazing year for bargains continues

A record year for KFC SuperCoach cheapies just keeps getting better and better, writes TRENT COPELAND.

What a year it’s been for KFC SuperCoach cheapies. Sam Walker, folks, could in fact be the best cheapie we’ve ever seen!

A massive 163 points secured a further $130,000 ($320,000 total) in price rises and maintaining a ridiculous -109 BE. Add to that the performances of Josh Schuster, Daine Laurie and most recently Josh Curran and we are laughing all the way to the bank.

By definition a ‘cheapie’ will be referenced when under $300,000 and actually relevant for KFC SuperCoach purposes. Key word being ‘relevant’. Once players eclipse the $300k mark they will be given a final verdict in the ‘Bon Voyage’ section.

Buckle up, here we go!

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Sam Walker HFB (Roosters) $494,700 - 163 points

It’s ‘Bon Voyage’ time for Sam Walker in a Cheapie Bible sense, but he’s staying right here front and centre where he belongs with these super-human performances. 125 points last week, 163 points this week, and if KFC SuperCoach Plus is correct, Walker could peak at over $700,000 by round 12. Just insane.

Sam Walker has risen $320,000 in total (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

With no glaringly obvious ‘gun’ halfbacks outside of Nathan Cleary (who you should already own), it may be a situation where Walker is a season long keeper with the goal kicking duties and the reins all his on offence for the Roosters. I’m out of superlatives, but settle in for the long haul here… And by long haul, I mean the next 10 years in our KFC SuperCoach sides, regardless of price.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. Very much still a buy if you missed Walker to this point.

Josh Curran 2RF (Warriors) $293,400 - 66 points

GUN. How on earth has it taken so long for Curran to get a place in the Warriors’ 17!? Well, thankfully coach Nathan Brown has seen what I (we all) saw in pre-season two years ago and run with it, for the full 80 minutes each week on an edge with a licence to offload and most importantly with his brilliant work rate.

That work rate, by way of purely base stats (tackles and hit-up points) in his three games thus far reads - 72 points, 41 points (in 70 mins) and 50 points. That’s a baseline that players in the Ryan Matterson, Jason Taumalolo etc work with, with the tackle busts, offloads and much greater attacking stats the cherry on top. A try assist in each of the last two games shows the ball playing chops I’ve been raving about for way too long. Long may it continue.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. Still huge money to be made, and a play in your 17 every week.

Reece Walsh FLB (Warriors) $173,700 - 43 points

The name on every Warriors’ fans lips, Reece Walsh has been the catalyst for a LOT of good the past two rounds since making his debut. Two try assists and 56 points against the stingy Storm last week, and 43 points with a couple of try contributions this week. So, the scenario for KFC SuperCoaches is this. The positives are his undoubted freakish talent, a juicy -36 BE, matchup with the Sea Eagles and seemingly the Warriors’ investment in him being involved in the 17 somewhere for the remainder of 2021. The negatives are no round 13 coverage and this crucial question: Can you really trade in a base price cheapie at FLB where most teams are running with TWO guns like Turbo, Gutho, Teddy, Ponga, Papenhuyzen etc that are pumping out 100+ scores for fun? On top of that Chanel Harris-Tavita has been named on an extended bench to make his return from injury, does he push Walsh to the 14 jersey? Or fullback/wing switching with RTS? Only time will tell.

VERDICT: AVOID. Yep, huge call I know. There’s undoubtedly money to be made here but I think the opportunity cost (ie. trading out a gun) along with the other aforementioned negatives are too great to consider doing it.

Jake Simpkin HOK (Wests Tigers) $228,100 - 37 points

Uh oh. That warning I gave in the Cheapie Bible last week to A. pick Curran over Simpkin if you were choosing one, and B. that Moses Mbye and Jacob Liddle were hovering over his minutes, proved on the money. A score of 37 earned a nice $54,400 initial hit of cash, but it is the alarming decline in minutes from 80 in game one, to 70 last week, and this week… just 56 minutes! The points came entirely from base, and the Tigers won this game which is a good sign but in the last 25 minutes where the game was won Simpkin was entrenched on the bench. Now, Moses Mbye moves to centre, and Jacob Liddle has been named in jersey 14. The BE is still sitting at just 1 but as I’m sure you can ascertain from my tone, I’m worried for Simpkin owners banking on round 13 points.

VERDICT: AVOID/HOLD. I wanted to wait one more week to see how things played out, and unfortunately the minutes and attacking stats just aren’t there to invest. Hold if you already own until round 13, but don’t be jumping on now.

Brayden Musgrove CTW (Knights) $209,300 - 56 points

Another week, another VERY impressive eyeball test for Musgrove, scoring a try against the Roosters and finishing with 56 points. I was concerned about the return of Hymel Hunt and Edrick Lee pushing Musgrove out of the Knights’ side, but Lee is still on the sidelines, and Hymel Hunt’s return came at the expense of Starford To’a. At just $209k with a -1 BE and plenty more cash to make, plus likely coverage of round 13 (when Ponga and maybe even Edrick Lee are in Origin camp) you could argue a case for selling someone like Bailey Simonsson or David Fusitua to Musgrove. Still, despite the obvious talent, there’s a huge possibility Edrick Lee returns next week at Musgrove’s expense.

VERDICT: RISKY BUY. There’s merit in diving in here, you just have to hope Edrick comes back in and it’s Enari Tuala that drops out (with Hymel Hunt to the centres).

Nicho Hynes CTW | FLB (Storm) $350,400 - 69 points

Those that jumped on the Cheapie Bible’s POD-BUY of the week last week are some of the biggest winners in KFC SuperCoach this past 7 days, particularly if you made the suggested Charlie Staines to Hynes move. 69 points with two try assists, a massive $54,200 of cash earned whilst maintaining a -40 BE and most importantly the ‘risk’ that Papenhuyzen would return this week has been worth it, with the superstar fullback out at least another week. It really was a one-week window for KFC SuperCoaches as you can’t jump on now, but with round 13 coverage at fullback or in the halves — potentially even kicking goals — this trade has been a resounding success.

VERDICT: HOLD. Bravo to those that took the plunge! Great KFC SuperCoaching.

Zach Cini CTW (Tigers) $173,700 - 59 points

Zac Cini of the Tigers scores on debut. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

The moment Cini and that beautiful mullet of his scored a try on debut in the far left corner of WIN Stadium in front of an entire bay of similarly mullet-laden Wests Tigers fans and no doubt Cini family and friends was one of the best things I’ve seen in 2021. Moving to a more pure KFC SuperCoach sense and we could be looking at a player of REAL relevance given the dearth of CTW cheapies to this point, and the prospective round 13 coverage. News has surfaced in the past few days that James Roberts’ injury is requiring a second opinion and could see him out for a month (or more), and Tommy Talau is out with suspension — fantastic news for Cini’s job security. Matchups against the Titans, Knights, Warriors and Dragons come the next four rounds prior to an understrength Panthers in round 13. Let’s watch for a week, yes, those of you who have Cini in the most purchased players this week need to take a chilllll pill.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST. This is exciting, fingers crossed we get some concrete news on James Roberts this week.

Max Feagai CTW (Dragons) $203,100 - 51 points

Man, that was an impressive game in a losing team, living up to all the hype we’ve heard about this young Dragons’ back. 51 points with NO tries or try assists, a huge work rate coming off his wing to do the dirty work was great to see with 28 points in hitups, 8 points in tackle busts and a line break. Zac Lomax’s thumb surgery can only help, but the issue, despite the undeniable talent, is the returns from suspension of first-choice wingers Mikaele Ravalawa and Jordan Pereira over the next two weeks.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST. We could have two great round 13 CTW cheapies on the horizon next week. Just watch out for Ravalawa (round 10) and Pereira (round 11).

Tyson Gamble HFB | 5/8 (Broncos) $186,800 - 60 points

So, I’ll do it… The GAMBLE PAID OFF. Awful pun out of the way, and KFC SuperCoach wise we may have ourselves a dual position half that covers the first bye round, albeit in a team that’s not exactly humming along offensively. Nevertheless, Gamble’s first outing was a win against the Titans, and 60 points with three try contributions came alongside an impressive 25 tackles and 10 runs providing a nice baseline. Let’s watch this weekend against the Cowboys and see what we have on our hands.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST.

BON VOYAGE

Ryan James FRF | 2RF (Raiders) $287,200 - 15 points

Yuck. Things could hardly have gone worse the past four weeks following what seemed to be a back-to-his-best start to the season with 69 and 64 points respectively. A concussion followed by a week off, then some mediocre performances culminated in a 15-point dud in just 23 minutes against the Rabbitohs and being left out of the Raiders’ squad altogether this week. It’s not an urgent sell given he’s been dropped and the dual position is handy, but he’s got to go before round 13.

VERDICT: HOLD/SELL.

WATCHLIST:

Joseph Suaalii CTW | FLB (Roosters)

Shawn Blore 2RF (Tigers)

Ofahiki Ogden FRF (Bulldogs)

John Asiata FRF | 2RF (Broncos)

Sebastian Kris CTW (Raiders)

Zach Saddler 2RF | FRF (Sea Eagles)

Christian Tuipulotu CTW (Sea Eagles)

Dean Ieremia CTW | FLB (Storm)

Ben Trbojevic CTW | 2RF (Sea Eagles)

Greg Marzhew (formerly Leleisiuao) CTW (Titans)

Joe Stimson 2RF (Bulldogs)

Jock Madden HFB (Wests Tigers)

Jayden Sullivan HFB (Dragons)

Haze Dunster CTW (Eels)

Mat Feagai CTW (Dragons)

Brayden Wiliame CTW (Dragons)

Matt Timoko CTW (Raiders)

Semi Valemei CTW (Raiders)

Paul Turner HFB (Warriors)

Tom Ale FRF (Warriors)

Isaac Lumelume CTW (Storm)

Franklin Pele FRF (Sharks)

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL Cheapie Bible Round 9: Amazing year for bargains continues