KFC SuperCoach NRL 2021: Experts reveal Round 12 trades

The suspension of Angus Crichton has thrown KFC SuperCoach trades wide open this week. Here’s how our experts are reacting.

There’s some level of consistency among our SuperCoach experts (and Rob) when it comes to their round 12 trades, but there is also the rarest of rare events – restraint from Sutherland!

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Angus Crichton has copped two weeks – and yet none of our experts are trading him but it’s a great picture so we used it. Picture: Gregg Porteous – NRL Photos

WILSON SMITH

Sam Walker to Matt Burton

With my bye preparation in full swing one if the positions I urgently need filling is at halfback or five-eighth and Matt Burton is ticking all the boxes. While I don’t believe he is a keeper long-term, I need to claw back some lost ground for the bye rounds with a full 17. While he is playing centre in real life NRL right now, his dual halves eligibility makes him enticing for SuperCoach, especially with upcoming matches against the Bulldogs and the Tigers, I think there is some serious points and cash coming his way. After the Round 13 bye I plan on selling him to bank some cash and bringing in Round 17 halves coverage to see me through to the end of the year, so this seems like a no-brainer.

Christian Welch to James Fisher-Harris

While I have been somewhat disappointed with his output in 2021 due to inconsistent minutes, I have to admit that given uncertainty over which 2RF’s could end up playing State of Origin, JFH does look like a solid purchase. He is one of the few options around his price-range and point scoring pedigree that has dual eligibility, solid upside, covers the Round 13 bye and is no chance of playing Origin. His floor is lower than someone like Ryan Matterson, but he is a great stepping stone to someone like Tohu Harris for the Round 17 bye round, who will be a keeper for the end of the year.

TOM SANGSTER

Sam Walker to Matt Burton

I’ll keep this relatively short given Rob Sutherland has covered this topic extensively in his 3 million word manifesto that left us hanging to the very end. Put simply, Walker has to go for these reasons: Rumours of resting, no Round 13 coverage, three-round average of 36, BE 126, projected drop of $40,000 (on top of $91,000 last week) and $364,500 worth of hard-earned to cash in. And while Rob points out many viable alternatives, Burton is the best replacement for these reasons: Coming off a ton, Round 13 coverage, season average 63.3 (for reference that’s fifth at halfback when players with three games or less are removed) and predicted to rise by $70,000 over the next two weeks. He’s far from a season-long keeper but a great money-maker with starting potential over the next two rounds against the Bulldogs and Tigers.

Not only is Nathan Cleary the first $1 MILLION man in KFC SuperCoach history, he also wins our Play of the Week 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/scRO8N0PVb

— SuperCoach NRL (@SuperCoachNRL) May 26, 2021

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to Tevita Pangai Jnr

Big Tino has been on the sell list for about a month but Sangster’s Paradise are only getting around to it now due to other glaring squad issues. While he was good last week with 86, Origin selection is looming and that is accompanied by all the usual problems including backing up, reduced minutes, workload management etc. In terms of replacements, Tevita Pangai Jnr is the standout choice for now — obviously pending updates on his NSW chances now Angus Crichton and Victor Radley are out of Origin I. Of course with the current injury/suspension/crackdown situation, just about anyone standing upright could be named for the Blues on Sunday night — and plenty more could change over the weekend. Even so, Pangai’s big advantage over the pack is that he’s a potential full-season keeper (third best average of any FRF behind Isaiah Papali’i and Luke Thompson). Of course, any sniff of Origin selection for Pangai and it’s an easy switch to James Fisher-Harris.

ROB SUTHERLAND

Sam Walker (out) – Matt Burton (in)

I wrote a little over 2,000 words on the best Sam Walker replacement optionsHERE. I recommend the click (I would say that) as I go into far more than just Burton) and I’ll condense it here – and add a couple of fresh thoughts that have come to me since writing it. Burton, a playmaker playing out of position at centre, put on an absolute show for his hometown fans in Dubbo last week scoring three tries and assisting another as Penrith put 56 points past the Rabbitohs. For SuperCoach that bumper attacking effort netted 123 points and a BE of 22. The Panthers play the Bulldogs, at Panthers Stadium, this week then comes the Rd 13 bye and with Nathan Cleary an Origin certainty and Panthers five-eighth Jarome Luai closing in on NSW selection too, Burton will slot into the halves for Penrith against the Wests Tigers in a game where he is a strong chance to have a negative BE.

With dual HFB|5/8 eligibility, strong job security, Round 13 bye coverage and almost guaranteed to increase in price there is a lot to be said for buying into Burton this week.

Just don’t go expecting 123 points each week. The Panthers have many mouths to feed and many paths to the tryline. Burton has one other triple figure score this year but he’s also scored 34 SC points in a game where the Panthers scored five tries (against the Sea Eagles in round eight) and just 21 points in a game where they scored eight tries (Titans round 10) so we may not get a winner each week.

BUT I’ve also seen some criticism of Burton as having a poor base and I wanted to respond to that. Burton’s base (25PPG) ranks him fifth among players eligible at halfback (5 game minimum). In his nine games so far Burton has scored below 50 just three times, yes he’s scoring a lot of tries (eight) and it is those games in which he does not score that he fails to hit 50, but the Panthers are scoring a LOT of tries. So far he’s shown pretty solid reliability for mine.

None – that’s right NONE

I’m holding a trade. I’m very tempted by Stefano Utoikamanu to Tom Flegler. I think that's a good trade. I do however, think Flegler is at best a 55PPG player and trades are running low. I’ve taken the decision to leave off on solid trades and start pulling together the final team. Money will be tight and I may have to settle for a final 19, not final 21 as I usually target, but needs must and after missing many of the best cheapies like I have you must sacrifice somewhere.