Mastermind’s Round 1 SuperCoach review: Highs, lows, traps and ones to watch
A wet and wild first weekend of footy for SuperCoaches has delivered some massive scores. Whether you’re flying of failing, here’s what The Mastermind says you should do next.
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A wet and wild first weekend of footy for SuperCoaches has delivered some massive scores, epic failures and shocking injuries.
Cameron Munster mashed the Broncos for 105 SuperCoach points, Robbie Farah turned back the clock with 115 and Jason Taumalolo left a trail of devastation on his way to 99.
James Tedesco (23 points) could barely stay on his feet on the slippery SCG turf.
Nathan Brown is set for a long stint on the sideline injuring his pectoral 18 minutes into the season, Tyson Frizell had everybody wincing after rupturing a testicle, while James Roberts lasted 5 minutes and Tyrone Roberts 12 minutes.
The Mastermind’s team produced 983 to open the season.
A solid start putting me in the top 10% but captain choice has cost me the chance of truly bursting out of the blocks.
Tedesco had the C next to his name. The Rabbitohs’ kicking game gave him little to work with bringing the ball back and the Roosters could only manage a 64% completion rate. It just wasn’t his night.
In hindsight, maybe I should have opted for a forward given the wet conditions across the weekend. Jason Taumalolo as captain would have netted me an extra 76 points.
Here are my highs and lows from each game to open the season.
If you’re looking to rage trade already pay attention to this week’s traps and ones to watch.
E.G. Don’t expect James Tamou to crack a century again any time soon. It’s the first time he’s done it in 11 years.
Player values don’t change until they’ve played three games, so those Round 1 scores will only come into calculations once. Don’t go pulling everything apart based on this week.
BRONCOS V STORM
The Highs: Cameron Munster (105 points), three try assists, four linebreak assists. He was in everything for the Storm and looked very comfortable calling the shots.
Corey Oates (108 points) the hard-running Broncos winger had 30 points from hit-ups, 18 from tackle busts, that’s a solid base with two tries and two line breaks on top.
The Lows: A zero for James Roberts. Off early with a back injury. The Origin centre’s price will take a big cut after round 3. Thomas Flegler (13 points) looked good in his brief stint and should be in line for a few more minutes with Matt Lodge facing suspension.
It’s a trap: Jesse Bromwich (89 points), he won’t score tries like that every week, added 30+ points to his tally with one amazing run. He’s now scored as many tries this year as he has the past two years.
Add to your watchlist: Matt Gillett (62 points) tackled everything that moved but only had 10 points from hit-ups. He showed no signs of hesitation coming back from a neck injury in his 69 minutes. Brandon Smith (42 points) came off the bench for 39 minutes. Will be the best cheapie option at hooker if he continues at that scoring rate.
KNIGHTS V SHARKS
The Highs: David Klemmer (69 points) got through a mountain of work for the Knights, but it was his three offloads that caught my eye. Klemmer averaged below one offload a game in 2018. If he can find three a game consistently he’ll be close to 10PPG better than last year.
Briton Nikora (65 points) had base stats in the 50s and added three offloads for 12 points as well. Looks like he’ll be a contender for this year’s top money-earner.
The Lows: Shaun Johnson (26 points). A less than impressive start, had just 2 runs for the game.
It’s a trap: Tim Glasby (69 points) had a try and linebreak to boost his numbers this week. Without that he’s back in the middle of the pack and that’s where he’ll be all year.
Add to your watchlist: All the stats suggested 80 minutes on the edge for Kurt Capewell (48 points) would deliver 50 points and that’s what happened. Looks a very safe option at CTW.
ROOSTERS V RABBITOHS
The Highs: Jake Friend (95 points) did what we expected with 50-plus tackles and a few runs for a base of 60 points. The try and two linebreaks were a nice bonus on top.
Cameron Murray (70 points) was very busy in the middle during his 63 minutes scoring 50-plus base points. Jagged a try diving on a loose ball.
The Lows: Angus Crichton (12 points) played just 19 minutes. He’ll take a ridiculous price cut if Trent Robinson insists on easing him into the team like this. James Tedesco (23 points) looked like Bambi on ice skidding around the SCG turf and had -8 points from errors. Don’t worry too much. He started last year with a score of 35 and a round 3 score of 20, but was still a top three player by the end of the season.
It’s a trap: Mitchell Aubusson (79 points). It just wouldn’t be a SuperCoach season without Aubusson tricking people into trading him in. The Roosters Mr Fix-it will be back to the bench soon enough and back to 40PPG.
Add to your watchlist: Braidon Burns (70 points) could be this year’s Robert Jennings. The Rabbitohs left edge looked great in attack and Burns had a try assist and two line-break assists on top of a surprisingly high amount of work.
WARRIORS V BULLDOGS
The Highs: It was a good weekend to be a back at the Warriors. Solomone Kata (96 points), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (95 points), Adam Keighran (87 points), Peta Hiku (86 points) Ken Maumalo (66 points). Keighran looks like a real money maker and RTS continued the form that saw him win the 2018 Dally M Medal. But they won’t be playing the Bulldogs every week. Will Hopoate (79 points) had 37 points just from hit-ups. He has a workrate few can match in his position and delivers even when his team’s on the end of a flogging.
The Lows: Corey Harawira-Naera (32 points), Adam Elliott (33 points), Josh Jackson (41 points). These three guys are playing while Rhys Martin, with a 2018 average of 67.8PPG, is in reserve grade.
It’s a trap: Nathaniel Roache (56 points) just won’t get the game time once Isaac Luke returns from injury.
Add to your watchlist: Tohu Harris (62 points) somehow didn’t register any attacking points in the Warriors try feast and that makes his score all the more impressive. Aiden Tolman (58 points) much like Hopoate, just gets the job done every week. Will Lachlan Burr (53 points) see the same game time (52 minutes) with Isaiah Papali’i back this week?
TIGERS V MANLY
The Highs: Robbie Farah (110 points) turned back the clock with a two-try effort. He also added 18 points through forced drop-outs.
Tigers cheapie backrower Luke Garner (80 points) played 65 minutes and rewarded owners with a try. Looks like he’ll be a good money earner at about 45-50PPG without the attacking stats.
Addin Fonua-Blake (69 points) outperformed much-more fancied teammate Jake Trbojevic (58 points). Metre eater Fonua-Blake had 19 runs and 15 of them scored him two points for breaking the 8m mark in his 63 minutes.
The Lows: Daly Cherry-Evans (22 points) struggled to make anything happen for his team.
It’s a trap: Curtis Sironen (64 points) had 20 points from 5 offloads. He had a few games with four offloads in 2017 but for the majority of his injury plagued career you can expect one or two a game.
Add to your watchlist: Ryan Matterson (67 points) got through a stack of work on the right edge. Cheapie Thomas Mikaele (38 points) had a very promising 31 minutes on the field.
COWBOYS V DRAGONS
The Highs: Jason Taumalolo (99 points) was the player of the round. Playing on the left edge for the start of the game didn’t limit his impact. He had 37 points from hitups, 14 tackles, 12 points from tackle busts, two linebreaks, a try assist and a try contribution.
Michael Morgan (72 points) showed what he can do when he’s playing off the work of Taumalolo. He scored in almost every attacking category with a try, try assist, try contribution, three tackle busts, one linebreak and a 40/20 kick.
The Lows: Jordan Kahu (21 points) produced the sort of performance we were worried about. Went off for a HIA in the second half. Only kicked 2 from 4 goals.
Gareth Widdop (21 points) seemed to be floating out the back of the Dragons attacking play waiting to inject himself with Norman taking the left side and Hunt the right. It never happened.
It’s a trap: Cheapie Javid Bowen (48 points) will lose his place when Kyle Feldt returns from injury.
Add to your watchlist: Paul Vaughan (62 points) didn’t have an attacking point to his name in 54 minutes. He’s got a very nice scoring base to start from and we know he can find the tryline.
EELS V PANTHERS
The Highs: James Tamou (106 points) had some extra work to do as the Panthers had injury worries. In his 60 minutes on the field he made 53 tackles, 20 points from hit-ups and added a try and linebreak on top. I’d say he’s as shocked as we all are by that performance.
Shaun Lane (73 points) had about 50 points in base stats and pumped up his score with a try assist and two line break assists.
The Lows: Nathan Brown (20 points) looks like he’ll miss a long stint after a pectoral injury just 18 minutes in to the season. Nathan Cleary (25 points) is usually the safe halfback option with plenty of base stats. He started the season with just two goals, 15 tackles and 8 points from hit-ups.
It’s a trap: Michael Jennings (72 points) is set to be suspended for Round 2. Two tries and linebreaks make up 54 points of his tally this week. Not great base stats.
Add to your watchlist: Reed Mahoney (63) scored a try and linebreak with a base of about 30 points. Hooker options are scarce so if he’s in the attacking stats a few more times he’ll be a nice money earner for those that took a punt on him.
MORE SUPERCOACH:
Full SuperCoach News section / Cheapie Bible / Predicted round one teams / Sangster’s team / Champ’s team / Wilfred’s team / Tallis’s team / Copes’ team / Huge rule change / Top 10 rookies in NRL
T ITANS V RAIDERS
The Highs: John Bateman (65 points) had a very busy debut in the NRL. No doubt he felt right at home in the weather with 30 points from hit-ups and 34 tackles. Get him in your team this week if you started without him.
Jai Arrow (60 points) didn’t get as many minutes as SuperCoaches would have liked. He had just 55 minutes in the sloppy conditions on the Gold Coast but showed he’ll go at better than a point a minute.
The Lows: Tyrone Roberts (1 point). Losing Ashley Taylor pre-game was tough enough Roberts was injured just 12 minutes in, forcing Tyrone Peachey (25 points) into the halves.
It’s a trap: Iosia Soliola (65 points) scored a try diving on a grubber kick. Won’t top 50 points most weeks.
Add to your watchlist: Not too much of note in this game. Youngster Corey Hursburgh (20 points) looked lively in 24 minutes on the field.