NRL SuperCoach: Former champion Wilfred Zee reveals team
The champ is back for 2020 with a unique-looking side full of left-field PODs, low-ownership cheapies and the obligatory Anthony Milford.
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Injuries cause havoc in KFC SuperCoach and that applies regardless of whether it is mid-season or pre-season.
We’re getting close now and finding more and more information out about likely Round 1 teams.
There are still plenty of unsettled line-ups but here’s how I’m sitting pending SuperCoach Christmas (i.e. the first TLT of the season!).
HOOKER – UNCHANGED
Damien Cook ($705,500) / Blayke Brailey ($201,000)
Cook was the second best hooker last year behind Cameron Smith but his career is still entering its prime whilst the arguable NRL and SuperCoach GOAT’s entering his last (maybe) year. Either way, I can see Cook comfortably being the top scoring hooker this year and I’m going to get on board nice and early for a genuine captain option every week.
Blayke Brailey is the new starting hooker at the Sharks, who bid farewell to his brother Jayden over the offseason. Blayke is a more attacking-minded hooker and he could be in line for plenty of attacking stats as he works with that still-potent Sharks pack.
FRONT ROW – UPDATED
Payne Haas ($728,200) / Liam Knight ($437,300)
Haas was literally my first picked player this season after one of the all-time greatest breakout / rookie seasons… EVER! Haas is a KFC SuperCoach machine and a throwback consistency-wise to the greats in Corey Parker and Paul Gallen – but available at FRF! Sign me up.
Update: Trent Merrin is out, Liam Knight in. The news that Knight is a ‘lock’ for the No. 13 jersey (sorry) with Cam Murray shifting out wider to start, means he will lock up (sorry again) plenty of minutes and work. The up-and-coming middle forward is fast maturing into a genuine leader of this forward pack. Locked and loaded for me (sorry one more time).
Jamayne Taunoa-Brown ($171,900) / Toby Rudolf ($171,900)
Update: I’ve swapped out Stefano Utoikamanu and brought in ‘Yung Maynie’ a.k.a. JTB a.k.a Jamayne Taunoa-Brown. The Warriors’ middle forward depth has been tested thoroughly already, with Bunty Afoa and Mitchell Frei both suffering season-ending knee injuries, Agnatius Paasi in doubt due to an ankle concern and Jazz Tevaga still on the path to recovery from last year. Yung Maynie is in with a genuine chance to start Round 1 and the glimpses we’ve seen of him so far indicates he will get steady minutes at a high work rate.
In terms of Rudolf, plenty of minutes and spots are open at the Sharks due to the likes of Gallen and Matt Prior moving on, and question marks hanging over the heads of Andrew Fifita and Braden Uele. Rudolf is all but guaranteed a bench spot.
SECOND ROW - UNCHANGED
Ryan Matterson ($626,200) / Jai Arrow ($575,700) / David Fifita ($501,900)
News of Bateman’s surgery hurt me bad — probably not as much as it hurt Johnny but considering he was probably on pain relief, maybe me taking him out of my team was actually more painful.
I’ve replaced him with Ryan Matterson, another edge backrower who has a penchant for attacking stats. Sure, he’s on a new team but it’s clear he’s already striking up a combination with his halfback and earning the trust of coach and teammates alike, having been appointed to the leadership group. A strong base coupled with potential for attacking stats due to what appears to be a fairly friendly starting draw. Sign me up!
Shocking news for Ryan James and the Titans means more opportunity for the other Titan middle forwards – Arrow is definitely one of the likely winners and if he’s healthy and seeing the minutes, he is a potential top three 2RF option this season. Definitely an option for me to cull if I can find money somewhere, or if I need his dollars too!
David Fifita – I don’t really need to say too much here, right? You just had to watch the tape from Round 18 onwards after he nailed down an 80 minute role on the edge, dominating his way to a 76.9 point per game average. If he’s starting and playing 80 minutes, he’s in!
Luciano Leilua ($434,400) / Patrick Carrigan ($326,300) / Josh Curran ($216,900) – UPDATED
There aren’t many cheap options at 2RF but there are plenty of mid-range options to gamble on. I’m a self-professed fan of the Leilua family and if ‘Lucy’ gets a starting edge backrow spot, even if he doesn’t play the full 80 minutes, he’s still value with such an incredibly SuperCoach-friendly game – much like his brother!
Update: Su’A and Magoulias are out, CarriGUN and Curran are in. CarriGUN is exactly that – a gun waiting to break out. He was solid last year off the bench in his debut season, but has gone to a new level with an impressive preseason – on and off the training paddock. He has gone from interchange forward to starting lock and effectively the captain-in-waiting. Minutes are on offer for CarriGUN and his Corey Parker-like workrate (sans goalkicking) will see him make plenty of coin, if not be a borderline keeper if the minutes are there.
Curran replaces Magoulias due to the potential starting edge spot on offer for Curran, and decent enough hitouts for Curran in the All Stars game and the last trial. TLT will determine this final pick.
HALFBACK – UPDATED
Nathan Cleary ($631,500) / Billy Walters ($201,000)
Nathan Cleary’s game is built for SuperCoach as far as halfbacks go, so this wasn’t a tough decision for me. Locked and loaded for the season most likely!
Updated: Luai’s mediocre preseason, coupled with Matty Burton’s impressive showings, have given me the cold feet on Luai. Walters seems to have the starting hooker spot sewn up (for now) and pending further information on the potential Momirovski/Grant player swap, I’m happy to lock in his steady cash appreciation as a starting hooker for now.
FIVE-EIGHTH – UNCHANGED
Anthony Milford ($476,000) / George Williams ($333,800)
No, I haven’t just accidentally left Milford in here from last season. No, it’s not from the year before either. Or the year before that. I’m picking him, once again! Call me a sucker for punishment but would you believe that despite how mediocre he has been on the field and for SuperCoach, he was still the eighth highest averaging five eighth in 2019? That shows his pedigree for SuperCoach and with 2020 the first time since 2016 or 2017 (when he averaged close to 70 points per game for the season) that he had a decent preseason. Throw in (another) promising young halfback to play beside, and he might have a chance this year.
George Williams has been hyped by plenty but he’s basically Ricky Stuart’s “star signing” this year. His last one was John Bateman and that worked out alright I’d say! George played at Wigan, just like John, and in fact they played on the same side of the field if I’m not mistaken. Familiarity is often a blessing for SuperCoach and I’m hoping that applies here.
CENTRE/WING – UPDATED
BJ Leilua ($465,700) / Zac Lomax ($324,600) / Kurt Mann ($287,100) / Kallum Watkins ($271,800)
It feels weird but this may be the second year in a row that I’ve started with Zac Lomax in my squad. However, this year it’s because he’s apparently the new Dragons’ fullback, and goalkicker – both which should offer much greater SuperCoach scoring potential at a budget price!
Updated: Jimmy the Jet didn’t last long, Adam Doueihi’s on shaky ground, and Bradman Best’s omission was forced due to injury. But changes elsewhere have forced a reshuffle in my CTW line. I still like the Jet, but he needed to go. Because what’s better than one Leilua in your SuperCoach team? Two Leiluas! Joey “the best centre in the NRL” Leilua better do his talking on the field (and the stats sheet) rather than just in “swagger mode” interviews with journalists – but we know when he does, it can pay off in a big way. Mann and Watkins are by-products of our #CheapieCrisis and it’s a case of, well, they’re there and playing Round 1 and *should* make some cash at some stage.
Brayden Wiliame ($201,000) / Jake Averillo ($171,900) / Treymain Spry ($171,900) – UPDATED
Updated: Tommy Talau and Xavier Coates have both seemingly dropped down the pecking order and are unlikely to be there Round 1. Wiliame is 50/50 with Tim Lafai for the left centre spot at the Dragons – cross your fingers and toes please. Averillo looks like he could be the shock starter at the Bulldogs if Nick Meaney’s hamstrings aren’t better (and should goalkick too!) while I’ve added Treymain Spry because of names – his is so cool, and I didn’t really want to type Greg Lelei… well, you know.
FULLBACK
Kalyn Ponga ($634,300) / Ryan Papenhuyzen ($508,200) – UNCHANGED
Finishing up at the fullback position, and whilst there’s every chance that I’m loading up the “Teddy/Turbo” combo come end of season, that’s just not viable for the start of the year. In fact, Ponga and Papenhuyzen both represent undervalued options and should score above what their starting price indicates.
For Ponga, it just comes down to goalkicking – his average with and without the goalkicking was rather remarkable and it wasn’t just because of the goalkicks themselves. So that will be a huge determining factor here!
Originally published as NRL SuperCoach: Former champion Wilfred Zee reveals team