SuperCoach NRL team reveal: Ian Maybanks puts his faith in J’maine Hopgood

He’s managed to squeeze Nathan Cleary, Nicho Hynes, Kalyn Ponga, Tom Trbojevic AND J’maine Hopgood into his team - no wonder they call Ian Maybanks ‘The Mastermind’.

SuperCoaches must feel like they are on the naughty list. Team List Tuesday delivered very little joy with some dubious cheapies all that SuperCoach Santa left under the tree.

I had a pretty pessimistic view of cheapies coming into TLT so my team doesn’t need a massive haul just a few nips and tucks with seven new faces in my squad.

I’ll begrudgingly take Danny Levi and Joe Chan but they’re certainly not looking like J’maine Hopgood, Jacob Preston, Sunia Turuva or Will Warbrick from the class of 2023.

SuperCoaches will feel like Eels coach Brad Arthur burned us on the cheapie hooker front with Brendan Hands and Joey Lussick both in the 17. But I reckon he’s done as a favour with one less middle forward in the rotation for Hopgood.

J'maine Hopgood’s combination of workrate and offloads make the perfect SuperCoach package. Picture: Getty Images)

When Hopgood played 65+minutes he averaged 86.9PPG in 2023.

When he played 60+ minutes he averaged 79.6PPG.

He shapes as good value even priced off last year’s 73.3PPG.

Hopgood was the top offloader in 2023, made the second most tackles, scored the sixth most points of any player and had five games of 100+ (only David Fifita topped that among forwards).

As TLT threw up more question marks around some of the mid-price 2RF options I’ve opted to lock in the best available upside 2RF and he’s in just 11% of teams.

Some of the Hopgood money comes in at the expense of his teammate Dylan Brown, who I’ve felt uneasy about paying up for all pre-season. It means I’m going cheap at five-eighth but I’m happy to take the risk there with what looks like a solid line-up of cash generating cheapies in Ethan Strange, Kyle Flanagan, Max Plath, whoever the Tigers give us next week - potentially Sezer or Galvin. With Jayden Campbell an upgrade target not long after when he returns from injury for the Titans.

Reece Robson of the Cowboys. Picture: Getty Images

HOOKER

Reece Robson $561,100

While Robson played his way into a NSW Origin jersey in 2023 it was also his worst attacking output season since establishing himself as the Cowboys hooker. He had two tries and just three try assists last season compared to seven tries in 2022 and six in 2021. So naturally his average dipped by almost 10PPG last year. I don’t mind the opening draw for the Cowboys and can see some attacking numbers for him there. Bye in round 15 he can do a long-term job with a safe floor as one of the few 80-minute hookers.

Danny Levi $238,900 IN Joey Lussick in $313,700 OUT

As expected, the Eels have gone with two hookers so for effectively the same role we’re taking Levi who is much cheaper and a chance of slow burning up $100k. If Robson remains rock solid Levi won’t get near my starting 17. Something Harry Grant and Jeremy Marshall-King owners will have to contend with early.

FRONT ROW

Reuben Cotter $542,700

Has an insatiable workrate all he needs is the minutes to tick over the points. He showed he can do it on the biggest stage in State of Origin last year as the 2023 Wally Lewis medal winner for player of the series. He was a popular pick to start last year but didn’t quite kick on. He’s now cheaper and has dual-positioning, a favourable draw and no byes through to Origin. The injury to Coen Hess means there are minutes available in the middle at the Cowboys.

Jai Arrow $466,000

Arrow played just 56 minutes for the Rabbitohs in Vegas. He punched out 25 points in his first stint but was well out of the action when he returned to the field in the second half with the Rabbitohs chasing the game. Will give him another chance in round two but a trade down to Terrell May seems likely.

Sam Hughes $238,900

Impressed in the trials and should be in for a good chunk of minutes in the revamped Bulldogs pack. He looked like he could even be an option for starting 17s, but I’ll watch for a couple rounds first.

Viliame Fifita $204,300 IN Thomas Mikaele $238,900 OUT

Fifita is on the bench for the Dragons and I’m not expecting huge things but he has the dual 2RF/FRF status always handy for trading and is bottom dollar which helps us spend up elsewhere. Todd Payten said Mikaele was unlucky to miss out and would be next man up but preferred the mobility of 2RFs Sam McIntyre and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki on the bench.

Heilum Luki. Picture: Evan Morgan

2RF

J’maine Hopgood $748,300 IN Shaun Lane $446,200 OUT

Hopgood is the best 2RF available with David Fifita out injured. Lane’s prospects have dimmed a little with Kelma Tuilagi likely to sneak minutes off him as he did in pre-season. I’m happy to take a look at how that rotation works and come back for Lane later if he locks down 80-minutes.

Joe Chan $238,900 IN Dylan Lucas $502,300 OUT

I’ve held onto dual 2RF/CTW Lucas all pre-season and love his numbers but it seems inevitable that Kai Pearce-Paul is going to bump him out of the team. In five starts for the Knights he averaged 62.4PPG in 2023. Joe Chan has earned the left edge backrow spot at the Storm running off Cameron Munster. If he can hold off the competition from Shawn Blore he’ll be a solid cheapie but I’m not confident in his job security.

Beau Fermor $467,300 IN Josh Curran $421,700 OUT

Fermor is guaranteed 80 minutes, not something you can say about many of the other mid-2RF options. The Titans have a nice early draw so I expect him to land some attacking stats. The Round 2 bye isn’t ideal but I’ll gladly give Joe Chan a run against the Bulldogs that week. I think Curran should still command more minutes than most in that Bulldogs pack despite the forward heavy bench, but I’ll take a wait-and-see approach with him for now.

Heilum Luki $471,200

I can’t look past the numbers and potential of Luki on the right edge for the Cowboys now that Luciano Leilua has moved to the Dragons. Luki has had a horrid run with injuries but when he has played 60 minutes or more in the past three seasons he’s averaged 77.5PPG across seven games. In the final trial Luki was a focal point of the left edge attack and had a stack of runs.

Brendan Piakura $426,800

Went off after a head knock and just 4 points to his name against the Roosters in Las Vegas. I had the VC on him looking for him to find attacking stats. The Broncos backrower should be back for Round 2 so hold tight, that low score will be in his rolling average just once. In four 80 minute games in 2023 Piakura averaged 62.5PPG.

Morgan Smithies $345,000

I’m drafting in Englishman Smithies who scored at a point per minute in pre-season and should tick over some good numbers at lock while Corey Horsburgh is out suspended in the early rounds.

Nathan Cleary of Penrith Panthers. Picture: Getty Images

HALFBACK

Nicho Hynes $970,000

Hynes has been the top overall scorer for two years running since joining the Sharks. His running game has been pivotal to that with more hitups than any other half last year. Off the back of those numbers he’s top three for tackle busts and offloads. The threat of his running game in turn creates space out wide where he can feast on linebreak assists. He had 38 last season for 304 SC points well clear of the next best Luke Keary. Run, pass or kick Hynes ticks over points with ease.

Nathan Cleary IN $912,500 Drew Hutchison $354,900 SWITCH to CTW

Cleary didn’t last too long out of my team this pre-season. The only player I didn’t have who I feared could hurt me, even though I won’t captain him in the opening months. We got just enough on the cheapie front to upgrade Dylan Brown to Cleary.

FIVE-EIGHTH

Ethan Strange $238,900 SWITCH from CTW Dylan Brown $780,800 OUT

Brown was the top five-eighth in 2023 and I’ve baulked at paying the top price for him most of the pre-season as this position is one of the toughest to fill. He drops out as I find the cash for Cleary and bank on five-eighth being a spot for cash generation. Strange should be one of the season’s better cheapies, a real natural talent with none of the defensive issues other young halves have. Backing him to lock down the Raiders five-eighth position and I’m happy to play him in my 17.

Kyle Flanagan $310,500

Flanagan is locked in as the Dragons starting five-eighth and that job security has him in my team. He’s averaged about 40 in the half position without goalkicking in the past so should make some money and the Dragons fixtures are good enough early for a chance of attacking stats. I’ll have close eyes on Plath at the Dolphins and the Wests Tigers half options of Galvin and Sezer to roll through here too.

CENTRE/WING

Jesse Arthars $376,000 OUT Drew Hutchinson SWITCH from HFB

A little regret here after Arthars scored 60 in Vegas on the left wing for the Broncos. But his price was a little awkward for me and I will come back for him if he keeps that up. Drew Hutchison has landed the starting halfback role at the Bulldogs and switching him down to the centres gives me just enough cash to get Cleary back in at HFB.

Taine Tuaupiki $277,700 IN Ethan Strange $238,900 SWITCH TO 5-8

Starting fullback in a very strong Warriors team while Charnze Nicoll Klokstadd is out injured in the opening weeks. Tuaupiki is a risky pick but given CNK’s injury record it wouldn’t surprise if he’s there a little longer. You can play him in your 17 and if CNK returns potentially switch to whoever wins the Manly wing spot with Jason Saab out for six weeks.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck $539,600

RTS has impressed on his return to rugby league and is now in 42% of teams. Ticking the box for quality and quantity of touches he only makes a top 4 Warriors outfit from 2023 stronger again.

Taylan May $458,800

Missed all of last season through injury but at his best in 2022 he averaged 64.2PPG and scored 16 tries in 20 games on the wing. Whether he lands back on the wing or centre it’s a very nice price.

Jaemon Salmon $317,100

Salmon has the starting lock position at the Bulldogs so should be good value after being a bit-part player at the Panthers. The ballplayer type forwards aren’t always great for SuperCoach but at his price it’s a low risk and the dual 2RF/CTW is very handy.

Ben Trbojevic $277,400

A try and 40+ in base stats on the left edge for Manly in Vegas. A very strong performance in a winning team that should keep him ahead of Josh Schuster.

Jack Bostock $314,500

Bostock is a frontrunner for the Dolphins left wing spot which had five different players in 2023. In his four games Bostock averaged 38.5ppg with a high of 87 in the final round but three scores under 30.

Kalyn Ponga of the Knights. Picture: Getty Images

FULLBACK

Kalyn Ponga $892,800

Can the 2023 Dally M medal winner maintain the form from the second half of last year? Well, the draw is outstanding and Ponga comes into the season fresh without any injury troubles and the goalkicking. He played six games at five-eighth to start the season at 50PPG. From Round 13 he averaged 105.2 at fullback. From Round 18 he had the goalkicking back and averaged 119PPG. So there is probably some value in Ponga despite the price off on 87.4ppg average.

Tom Trbojevic $833,500

Scored 81 against the Rabbitohs in Vegas but it could have been a lot more with a couple tries going begging. The biggest positive for me was Turbo had more hitups than any other player on the field. I suspect it won’t be long until he goes 150+. He’s done it 13 times in his career. Tedesco has done it 9 times, Cleary 7 times and Hynes 6 times. Considering how little football Turbo has played the numbers are astonishing. The first seven rounds are all day or early kick-offs so nice dry tracks for plenty of points.