NRL SuperCoach: 10 things we learned Round 21

Nathan Cleary is far better for SuperCoach without James Maloney in the team, while Brad Arthur is ruining Clint Gutherson.

There were plenty of dud captain choices this week and just a few standouts — did your orange armband land on the right player? It could have a big impact on your overall rank and/or your head-to-head match-up this week. Let’s look at what we learned from Round 21.

1. Kotoni Staggs owners have a decision to make this week

He’s been good for a number of weeks but with back-to-back lower scores of 51 and 31 he has likely already hit his peak price, with a break even of 103 this week. The temptation to swap him to the likes of Jake Trbojevic, Jai Arrow, Ryan Matterson or David Klemmer for less than $30,000 is enticing given the relative consistency of the second row forwards. He does have a three game stretch at Suncorp Stadium coming up, albeit against three top eight teams in the Panthers, Rabbitohs and Eels, before a final round match-up against the Bulldogs, who he dominated not long ago. He’s certainly not a must-sell, but the trade would have to be made this week before the prices start stretching apart again.

Kotoni Staggs has made a heap of cash.

2. Jake Trbojevic really needs attacking stats to be elite

The elder Trbojevic has struggled this season, SuperCoach-wise at least. There, I said it. I mean, he’s only averaged 64.1 points per game, well below the lofty heights we’re used to after consecutive 70+ average seasons. And it’s all down to one main thing – attacking stats. Jake has only scored one try and set up three others this season. No line breaks, just one line break assist. That’s not a bad effort from a lock, but it pales in comparison to his previous seasons; 2018 saw him score six tries, set up three others, break the line six times and assist five other linebreaks. 2017 saw him score nine tries, break the line eight times and assist six other line breaks. He’s been close on a number of occasions in 2019 but Jake is overdue for a piece of meat pie, and you can bet he’s putting some pressure on his brother to put him over soon!

3. Nathan Cleary is far better for SuperCoach when he is the dominant playmaker

Nathan Cleary loves running the show.

He’s also better on the field too. However, albeit from a small sample size, Cleary has scores of 74, 68 and now 139 in the past two seasons when he’s played without Maloney beside him. He gets to really steer that team around by himself and scores points for fun through his kicking and running games, while his general involvement is much higher. This is something to keep in mind for next year, with Maloney on his way out of the Panthers, leaving Cleary most likely partnered with Jarome Luai in the halves from next season on.

EARLY MAIL: Predicted team changes

CASUALTY WARD: All the weekend injuries

4. Wade Graham and Bronson Xerri form a lethal partnership on that Sharks’ left edge

They score more points, and look far more dangerous on their left edge as Graham and Xerri are really forming a combination there. Graham has consecutive scores of 98 and 93, and shapes as a legitimate POD option for the run home with a few juicy match-ups too. In the games Graham has played on that left edge, Xerri has scores of 103, 6 (knocked out early so doesn’t count), 26, 99 and this week’s 52 – a bit of a variance but still a very nice average across those games. Whether you decide to play Xerri on match-ups (if you own him) or roll the dice on bringing in Graham, both could continue to benefit off the attacking stats they can put together on that left edge.

5. Shaun Johnson has rewarded the faithful

He had underwhelmed for much of the season with an average of 52.5 points per game in his first eight games (ignoring his injury-affected score of 5). But is it any wonder? New country, new team, some injury concerns and an off year with the goalkicking – plenty of issues for Johnson to get over. Well, fresh off another 99, and with a three round average of 97.7 and a five round average of 88.6 points per game, it’s suffice to say that maybe SJ is fit, healthy and possibly settling much better into the Sharks’ attacking structures. He might be too pricy for non-owners now (sitting at $625,800 and with a break even of 34) so for those who grabbed him when he was around $420,000 to $440,000… well, you’re laughing now aren’t you!

6. Gareth Widdop was one of the riskiest moves you could have made this week

Fresh off a score of six points in a full 80 minute performance, you must have had rocks in your head, or something to that effect, to trade him in. Well, I called him as a ‘Hail Mary’ option last week and the 112 SuperCoaches who traded him in and played him this week were duly rewarded with a very nice 104 point haul, and price rises on the way (not that the money really matters at this stage of the season). Sure, you’re certainly not rolling him out this week against the Sharks, or next week against the Roosters, but not far away is one more game against the Titans, albeit on the Gold Coast. Still… his last two scores against the Titans are now 173 and 104… that’s some average!

Gareth Widdop came good as a “Hail Mary” trade.

7. Jai Arrow isn’t fully back… yet

Well, I mean he played, but only 47 points in 52 minutes of game time isn’t anything to write home about. We knew he was likely to get managed – the question is, will he play more minutes this week? Also, will the Titans be competitive enough to not let opponents score freely on them, leaving them spending a lot of time standing under the goalposts waiting for attempted conversions? Those are both legitimate concerns that might leave SuperCoaches thinking… I might just wait until next year. I certainly wouldn’t be trading him in this week unless information comes out indicating he will be playing big minutes.

8. David Klemmer is hitting new heights in base stats

Playing just 56 minutes, Klemmer’s work rate while on the field is undeniable. He certainly leaves nothing in the tank, and goes as hard as he can while out there. Scoring 68 points in pure base stats in just 56 minutes of game time is possibly better than workhorses like Gallen or Parker at their peak. Is it sustainable? Well, Klemmer has been going that hard all season, and he is a legitimate option to start 2020 if the Knights pack stays looking like it does right now.

David Klemmer is a base stat beast.

9. Brad Arthur is messing around with Clint Gutherson’s SuperCoach production

I mean, why else could he want to shift his fullback to play hooker in attack for 20 minutes a game to allow his hooker to have a breather? While Gutho isn’t a base stat beast at the best of times, when he is chasing after the play-the-ball and just shovelling the ball on to his forwards for 20 minutes, he doesn’t score any points as he doesn’t make any runs. And then in defence, he shifts back to fullback and one of the other forwards makes all the tackles a player would normally get at hooker. It’s essentially a 20 minute SuperCoach points vacuum, and makes Gutho a riskier prospect than usual for SuperCoach purposes. But this week… that match-up against the Titans… surely you HAVE to play him!

Clint Gutherson is suffering from playing hooker.

10. Angus Crichton is just teasing us now

Some SuperCoaches were so excited, SO excited to have Angus at the Roosters at the start of the year. And the last two weeks, we have seen exactly why that was the case – high work rate for an edge backrower, with potential for attacking upside given his ability to bust tackles, find an offload and generate attacking stats when given good opportunity. Scores of 80 and 74 are just the tip of the iceberg for Angus but his time is shortlived, as you would assume he would return to a bench forward role once Cordner is fit again. Maybe next year…

Bring on Round 22

The overall race is really heating up, with the lead dwindling and the chasers swapping positions off the back of some monster weeks. It will be a close finish again this year it seems! Looking forward to seeing how it all plays out, good luck to everybody in contention!