KFC SuperCoach Cheapie Bible: NRL 2020 resumption throws up exciting options
With the NRL set to return on May 28th, KFC SuperCoach is back on — and there are some exciting options to look at in the return of Cheapie Bible!
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Five trades.
That’s exciting, but also creates a ridiculous conundrum of possibilities. My advice? Sort out your cash generation first (this round) and pick off the guns thereafter. Those getting too hungry for points straight away will find themselves behind in the long run.
So, down to business.
Unfortunately, it’s Cheapie CARNAGE, with large scale casualties but two weeks ago in the initial post-COVID article there was a lot of ‘hold until we get confirmation’ style lines. Not this time, I’ve made some bold calls based off @NRLPhysio’s casualty ward and @WackoJacko’s predicted teams.
There is a LOT to get through here, and let me preface this with the fact we have no solid team lists to work with, and still just over two weeks away from resumption - lots can change!
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Tom Flegler and Tui Kamikamica are both just above Cheapie Bible price, but it would be remiss of me not to reference two young stars of the game absolutely killing it with their opportunities prior to the hiatus.
Both will be popular purchases this week, that’s for sure, but Flegler does have the return of Matt Lodge, Joe O and Alex Glenn in the Broncos pack, so keep that in mind.
Cheapies are the single most important key to KFC SuperCoach success, without them, you can’t afford the Cooks, Taumalolos and Tedescos of the world, and picking the WRONG cheapies can ruin your entire season burning trades to resurrect, or no cash generation if you choose to hold.
A cheapie by definition is any player under $280,000. As the season goes along we will give a running verdict on when to sell, sit, buy or hold every cheapie that hits our radar - if a player is not on the list, we’ve determined they are not a viable selection.
Here we go!
GONE! Kallum Watkins | CTW ($271,800 | Titans) - 24 points
We’ll start here. Tragically, England centre Watkins has been forced to quit the NRL to return home after his father was diagnosed with the Coronavirus. He will not play another game this season. We wish he and his family the best.
Verdict: MUST TRADE prior to start.
Eliesa Katoa | 2RF ($171,900 | Warriors) - 50 points
What a start for the young back rower, with 51 points in 52 minutes and 50 points in 65 minutes as one of the best players on the field in his second game. Causing havoc with his footwork at the line, what looks like a really nice offload game and solid in defence, I find it hard to believe that he doesn’t keep earning a spot in the 17. But, much like a lot of our cheapies who had early season opportunity - the cavalry (Curran, Paasi, Tevaga etc) are set to return - bad news also for another Warriors cheapie we’ll get to shortly. Predicted teams has Katoa clinging on to a bench spot, let’s hope that’s the case at a minimum. Worst case, one of 2020s Cheapie of the Year contenders could be gone all too soon.
Verdict: BUY. With a -47 BE, If he’s named you have to jump on as one of the best early season cheapies in a tough year for them. Hopefully Wacko is wrong on this one!
Emre Guler | FRF ($220,700 | Raiders) - 44 points
Guler was all the rage prior to the hiatus, scoring 138 points across his first two matches, sitting with a BE of -69 and KFC SuperCoach Stats projecting an $85,000 price rise after round three. But, as with all of these cheapies, a lot has changed. With John Bateman (initially months away with injury) a likely inclusion, pushing Horsburgh to the middle rotation exclusively, and Guler entrenched as likely the last middle forward off the bench and Hudson Young still to potentially return. In layman’s terms - the 45 and 50 minutes Guler saw in the first two rounds is likely to dip to the 30’s quick smart. So he will make money, just not as much as first thought.
Verdict: LOW END BUY. If you already own, great, but I wouldn’t be jumping on unless Bateman is ruled out for a few extra weeks in his recovery.
Blayke Brailey | HOK ($201,000 | Sharks) - 46 points
Surprisingly, lots of people are selling Damien Cook to purchase Api Koroisau. Is that a risky ploy with Brailey as your only backup in the event of injury? I would normally say yes, but given Brailey played the full 80 minutes in both of the first two matches this season for scores of 38 and 46 points respectively and Harry Grant will likely be there at $180k for us in two weeks time as a downgrade I’m all for it. Both matches saw favourable circumstances where injuries/HIA’s forced him into the full allotment of minutes, but thankfully, Brailey is one of the few players who is not affected by the hiatus. It’s his spot, without question. So, with a BE of -21 and no selection dramas, Brailey is a lock for the safest cash injection of the season.
Verdict: BUY. As expected, you can’t play Brailey in your best 17, but he should earn in the vicinity of $100k-$150k in a slow burn, or around $80k down to Grant in a few weeks.
Billy Walters | HFB/HOK ($201,000 | Tigers) - 47 points
What a disaster the hiatus is for one of the KFC SuperCoach good news stories from the start of the season. Billy had started with 51 and 47 points respectively playing the full 80 minutes both weeks, has very handy dual position, and with Luke Brooks out injured along with having won the starting hooker jersey was looking at some fantastic early season price rises. Fast forward three months and we have Brooks and Moses Mbye fully healthy (no opening in the halves), and the arrival of Harry Grant in the switch from the Storm now fully integrated and likely to play big minutes given his talent. Walters played, and particularly defended, so well that I think he’s a fixture in this side - it just may be much less exciting in terms of output.
Verdict: HOLD. Fingers crossed he fends off Grant and Josh Reynolds for the time being, if not, he’s an easy trade down to Grant in a few weeks.
Harry Grant | HOK ($184,900 | Storm)
Here’s the upside of the Walters discussion. The Cameron Smith comparisons grow louder by the day, and most predicted teams out there seem to have Grant leapfrogging Walters for a starting berth. Quite simply, if Grant finds his way into 65+ minutes at hooker he will likely not only be a buy, he will be a best 17 player most weeks given the attacking upside and solid defensive presence he possesses.
Verdict: WATCHLIST.
Jarome Luai | HFB|5/8 ($257,400 | Panthers) - 35 points
Lots of people doubted Luai, but for mine he is one of the best upside plays in the sub-$300k price bracket at any position this year, and importantly, the no.6 jersey is his, no question. I called him a best 17 player in the long run, and that running game he possesses is where the points will come at his dynamic best. Hopefully things land right for him, and we see Luai jet in price to the $450k-$500k range in no-time.
Verdict: BUY/HOLD. The Panthers started on fire, and we can expect Luai to get better with time.
Kurt Mann | CTW/FLB ($287,100 | Knights) - 58 points
Mann proved all the doubters wrong in the first two rounds, notching scores of 49 and 58 points respectively - including a try and a try assist, but also some very solid base stats around the 30-35 point range. His spot in the halves alongside Mitch Pearce seems to be locked in, just keep an eye out for young gun Phoenix Crossland who may well have won the no.6 jersey to start the season had it not been for an Osteitis Pubis injury.
Verdict: BUY/HOLD. Every single Kallum Watkins owner should be making this move, and those who already own sit tight you’ll be making at least $100k over the coming weeks.
Bradman Best | CTW ($240,700 | Knights)
OK, here’s a GOOD result on the back of the hiatus. Pre-season cheapie favourite (was in 45% of teams prior to injury) Bradman Best will be fully fit and raring to go for round three, and given how he finished last season - you’d expect him to feature over Enari Tuala at left centre straight away. One that we wouldn’t have had for multiple weeks had the hiatus not happened.
Verdict: WATCH. It will be essential to create as much cash as possible this season, so, even if one of your ‘lesser’ players will make around $20-$40k in the next two rounds whilst Best finds his feet (and doesn’t change in price) that will be better than buying Best straight away.
Toby Rudolf | FRF ($171,900 | Sharks) - 50 points
Rudolph’s first two games were very promising, particularly his second, where he kept Andrew Fifita and Jack Williams on the bench for large chunks of the game, scoring 50 points in base stats in 42 minutes. With the forward rotation unaffected by injuries or suspensions, the spot is Rudolph’s and hopefully the minutes (and role) continue to evolve.
Verdict: BUY/HOLD. Rudolph is exciting, I had him atop the cheapie FRF trio (JTB, Musgrove, Rudoplh) pecking order to start the season, and that is even stronger right now.
Brayden Wiliame | CTW ($201,000 | Dragons) - 43 points
Scores of 23 and 43 points don’t jump off the screen and yell PICK ME, but the old fashioned eyeball test told me Williame has this spot locked down, and also came very close to scoring a couple of extra tries had things broken right. The Dragons welcome back a host of injured players upon the resumption but thankfully for Williame, all of them are in the pack. A BE of -3 isn’t earth shattering, but all it takes is one try to accelerate things.
Verdict: BUY/HOLD.
Patrick Mago | FRF ($184,900 | Rabbitohs)
What a monster this guy is! One of the real beneficiaries of the COVID-19 break as he absolutely killed it in preseason as the Rabbitohs best forward according to Damien Cook and was likely in for a debut - until he went down with a ruptured pec. Now, though, he is hitting the track hard and at $184k with a dream KFC SuperCoach style game, with a real opening in the pack if he gets a game he’s a lock to make good cash and be one of our KFC SuperCoach cheapies of the year in the front row.
Verdict: BUY. Wait a few weeks on this one, but I’m predicting Braden Uele-style numbers from last year if he gets the chance.
Tyrell Fuimaono | CTW/2RF ($201,000 | Dragons) - 75 points
EYEBALL TEST. Wow. If you don’t remember the Dragons’ round two clash against the Panthers, let me remind you that Fuimaono looked like Jason Taumalolo at times, and I don’t say that lightly, as the 75 points came in 72 minutes with 31 tackles, 10 points in tackle busts, a line break and 22 points in H8’s. Now, like seemingly every cheapie that was flying prior to the hiatus, Fuimaono has to deal with the Sims brothers and Cam McInnes returning, but, he played that well in his first two matches as a Dragon I’d be shocked if he’s not on the bench at least.
Verdict: HOLD/BUY. Bench edge players are normally KFC SuperCoach poison but that 75 point score will stay in Fui’s rolling average for three weeks even if he is off the bench. I’m eyeing a Fuimaono to Bradman Best switch in a few rounds time.
Josh Kerr | FRF/2RF ($233,000 | Dragons) - 38 points
Amazingly, Kerr, who was talked up in preseason after a stellar All-Stars performance, could be one of the casualties of the hiatus with the Sims brothers and Cam McInnes returning. Playing around the 30-40 minute mark in his first two matches it will be between him, Tyrell Fuimaono, Jacob Host and Trent Merrin for the final two bench spots alongside Isaac Luke and Korbin Sims you would think.
Verdict: AVOID. You can’t jump on knowing he may not even make the final 17, and even if he did the minutes will likely be in the 20s. A shame, as the upside in PPM is there.
Tex Hoy | 5/8 ($171,900 | Knights)
This kid is exciting. The roommate of Kalyn Ponga is a chip off the ol’ roommate if the reports out of the Hunter are to be believed, and with Ponga out suspended for round three the kid with all the talent in the world gets his chance to debut at fullback - and importantly is likely to kick goals too! One to watch, and if anything (God forbid) serious were to happen to Ponga at any stage to give Hoy a prolonged period in the side, Hoy will be a stellar KFC SuperCoach cheapie.
Verdict: WATCHLIST.
Josh Curran | 2RF ($216,900 | Warriors)
There was strong preseason mail after a big AllStars match performance, that Curran would be at the forefront of the Warriors back row plans, then he got injured and missed the early rounds. Wacko now has Curran getting the starting edge gig that KFC SuperCoach cheapie favourite Elisea Katoa nabbed in round two and looked fantastic in. Who does start alongside Tohu Harris remains to be seen, but it certainly looks like Curran will get a shot.
Verdict: WATCHLIST. Very good value if he does indeed start. Hopefully not at the expense of Katoa!
Ben Hampton | CTW/FLB ($237,000 | Cowboys) - 61 points
Well, well, well. Just when you think Hampton wouldn’t have any upside, he finds his way into scores of 49 and 61 points in the first two rounds with a try in each game! That leaves Hampton with a BE of -36 and projected price rise of $60k after round three. Kallum Watkins owners should take a hard look here, but he is firmly below Kurt Mann in my opinion, as without a try he will put up a score of 25 or less and halt the price rises quick smart.
Verdict: LOW END BUY. Personally, I don’t think these scores will continue, but if they do it could be worthwhile jumping on. Crystal ball anyone?
Will Kennedy | CTW/FLB ($242,600 | Sharks) - 45 points
This one sucks, as Kennedy was your typical ‘pick him for a specific time frame to make money’ selection, knowing that Moylan and Josh Dugan were multiple weeks away with injury - and Kennedy has started brilliantly, scoring 44 and 45 points respectively. Now, though, the big dogs return (albeit with Josh Morris off to the Roosters) and Kennedy is likely out of the 17.
Verdict: AVOID. Not an urgent sell, as Kennedy is a best 17 player most weeks in the CTW any time Moylan is out, and we all know that has happened a lot in recent times. Will make $40k-$60k next time he plays a match.
Jamayne Taunua-Brown | FRF ($171,900 | Warriors) - 46 points
As I mentioned in the first round edition of the Cheapie Bible, this kid is exciting, with a high work rate and ball playing skills of a junior half back. What we saw in his first two games was the ‘getting the feet wet’ side of his capacity - with 36 and 46 points respectively at a tick over 1.0PPM, and impressively 39 minutes. The offloads, tackles busts and hopefully other attacking stats will come. That WAS of course before the returns of Paasi, Curran and Jazz Tevaga, so we have to cross our fingers that JTB keeps the last spot on the bench, or bide our time until he returns. Ugh, why can’t we have nice things.
Verdict: AVOID. Even if not selected I would still hold though, enough upside to know when he does play he will make really good money, possessing a BE of -28.
Zane Musgrove | FRF ($201,000 | Wests Tigers) - 29 points
23 and 29 points is extremely underwhelming for a guy with NRL experience, as opposed to some of the FRF rookies we’ve seen this season. There was a marked improvement in the eyeball test from week one to week two which can maybe be explained by the several year absence from the game - now we need to see significant minutes to make it worthwhile.
Verdict: SELL (next round). Not ideal with such low minutes, but you have to watch at least one more week - and with a BE of 11 you’re not going to ‘miss’ him even if he killed it.
Gehamat Shibasaki | CTW ($286,400 | Knights) - 37 points
Not a bad start for Gehamat in the opening rounds without any attacking stats. If 40-ish is his ‘floor’ then he will be a nice money maker for KFC SuperCoaches. There is the issue of which centre pairing the Knights come out of the hiatus with (Bradman Best and Tautau Moga both fully healthy), but all signs point to Tuala being the one to make way if anything.
Verdict: LOW END BUY. Seems a solid low-priority cheapie in the CTW.
Jacob Saifiti | FRF/2RF ($208,400 | Knights) - 33 points
44 points in 40 minutes in round one, followed by 33 points in 35 minutes all in base stats is encouraging signs for a player with historically a poor PPM. The expected role will be that 30-40 minute man off the bench for the Knights when fully healthy so while it isn’t exactly a ‘sexy’ pick, the dual position FRF|2RF is extremely handy and the money should come in a slow burn. Sione Mata’utia does return from injury which could squeeze Saifiti out of the 17, but Mitch Barnett’s injury could save the day.
Verdict: WATCHLIST. I’m not convinced this will continue, particularly when Mata’utia returns so we need to watch AT LEAST one more match.
Sam Lisone | FRF ($242,500 | Titans) - 36 points
A $240k starting front rower seems too good to be true… well, it likely is. Two scores in the 30’s were solid, but at full health you would expect Lisone to only get the 30 minutes of game time, and that would be the case for other options at $50k cheaper.
Verdict: AVOID. It could pan out, but at this stage it’s watch list for Lisone.
Brandon Wakeham | HFB ($277,600 | Bulldogs) - 31 points
I’ll keep this one brief. Kieran Foran (and the Bulldogs generally) was a big beneficiary of the hiatus, and if he’s cleared to return as we expect him to be, will replace Wakeham in the halves.
Verdict: SELL. If you don’t own Luai or George Williams I would be making that move.
Others to watch…
Billy Magoulias | 2RF ($221,700 | Sharks) & Xavier Coates | CTW ($203,500 | Broncos)
All players will immense KFC SuperCoach ability given the right scenario. Magoulias scored 64 points in his debut in just 47 minutes. Harry Grant is touted as one of the most talented hookers since Cameron Smith debuted, and Coates could benefit if Darius Boyd refuses to play for the Broncos should they be based in Sydney.
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui | 2RF ($217,500 | Storm) - 38 points
“Big Tino” was pretty impressive in his first two matches this season, with an electric PPM of 1.3, but the cavalry have returned for the Storm so he’s a watch list man for now.
Verdict: WATCHLIST. Despite the HUGE upside, NAS, Welch and Brandon Smith back and healthy means the minutes likely stay at mid-20s at best. Lets hope he can stick in the side.
Lindsay Collins | FRF ($201,000 | Roosters) - 34 points
As predicted in version one of the Cheapie Bible, Collins likely makes way in the Roosters’ best 17 with Josh Morris pushing Crichton to the edge rotation, and skipper Boyd Cordner fully healthy.
Verdict: WATCHLIST. If Collins gets another chance later in the season through injury he will make money immediately.
Sitili Tupouniua | 2RF ($267,000 | Roosters)
Tupouniua had a free run at 80 minutes on the left edge in the absence of Boyd Cordner but now with the Roosters fully healthy he won’t feature in the best 17.
Verdict: AVOID. Jump on in the event of a long term injury to an edge backrower.
WATCHLIST
All players here were fancied for spots and just missed out, or had great preseasons and could make an impact at some stage this season.
Sean Keppie | FRF ($201,000 | Sea Eagles)
Morgan Boyle | FRF ($201,000 | Sea Eagles)
Tom Eisenhuth | CTW/2RF ($184,900 | Storm)
Josh Curran | 2RF ($216,900 | Warriors)
Haumole Olakau’ata | 2RF ($171,900 | Sea Eagles)
Caleb Aekins | FLB ($258,100 | Panthers)
Jack Hetherington | FRF ($201,000 | Panthers)
Keaon Koloamatangi | FRF/2RF ($171,900 | Rabbitohs)
Stephen Crichton | CTW ($252,800 | Panthers)
Jake Averillo | CTW/HFB ($171,900 | Bulldogs)
Greg Leleisiuao | CTW ($171,900 | Titans)
Stefano Utoikamanu | FRF ($171,900 | Eels)
Jason Saab | CTW ($271,100 | Dragons)
Oregon Kaufusi | FRF ($255,600 | Eels)
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | CTW/FLB ($171,900 | Cowboys)
Tommy Talau | CTW ($208,220 | Wests Tigers)
Tristan Sailor | CTW ($247,200 | Dragons)
Cody Ramsey | CTW/FLB ($171,900 | Dragons)
Phoenix Crossland | 5/8 ($184,900 | Knights)
Matt Burton | HFB/5/8 ($211,900 | Panthers)
Tex Hoy | 5/8 ($171,900 | Knights)
Pasami Saulo | 2RF/FRF ($184,900 | Knights)
Tautau Moga | CTW ($245,400 | Knights)
Jaimin Joliffe | FRF ($171,900 | Titans)
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