NRL SuperCoach 2017 ‘It’s a Trap’ Series: Brisbane Broncos

EVERY NRL side is filled with SuperCoach traps and this could spell a point scoring disaster! We take a look at the players from each club that come with a risk.

WELCOME to a new series of articles where I will be looking closely at the potential SuperCoach traps for each team.

That is, through analysing the draw, historical data and other relevant factors, I will be highlighting points for consideration as you look to build your SuperCoach teams.

Of course, where else would I start but with my Broncos!

The opening draw I have mentioned this previously in my SuperCoach Study Guide for the Broncos, but the Broncos have the worst starting draw of all teams in the NRL.

This is how they line up for the first four rounds:

1. Round 1: away trip to face the defending premiers at Shark Park;

2. Round 2: a blockbuster derby clash with the Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium;

3. Round 3: away trip to face the losing grand finalists in Melbourne; and

4. Round 4: hosting the Raiders, the equal-second 2017 premiership favourites, at Suncorp

Stadium.

It sounds daunting enough on paper; however, a close dig into the statistics does little to

make things any better!

In 2016, these four teams were the most miserly in terms of allowing SuperCoach points to be scored against them. That is, they allowed the least SuperCoach points to be scored by players in teams that opposed them. Much of this coincides with the fact that they were also some of the best defensive teams in the NRL last year (Storm 1st, Cowboys 2nd, Sharks 3rd, Raiders 7th).

Breaking it down by position, here are how the teams ranked in terms of SuperCoach points allowed in 2016 (the lower the ranking the lower the points allowed):

- The Sharks ranked 15th (HFBs), 16th (5/8s), 13th (CTWs) and 13th (FLBs);

- The Cowboys rank 13th (HFBs), 14th (5/8s), 16th (CTWs) and 15th (FLB)s;

— The Storm were the stingiest overall, ranking 12th (HFBs), 15th (5/8s), 14th (CTWs) and

14th (FLBs); and

— Finally, the light at the end of the tunnel being the Raiders with rankings of 10th (HFBs),

12th (5/8s), 16th (CTWs) and 15th (FLBs).

You can see all the 14th, 15th and 16th rankings there — scary stuff! What does that all mean?

It will be a risky proposition to start with Ben Hunt, Anthony Milford, Jordan Kahu, James

Roberts, David Mead, Corey Oates and Darius Boyd (and any other backline option named in the first month by the Broncos).

That is not to say that they are incapable of scoring well — after all, the Broncos are no slouches themselves in attack and defence.

Anthony Milford could be a risky pick in the opening round.

Here’s a breakdown of their scores against these teams in 2016 against these teams:

— Ben Hunt: 35 (Sharks), 33 and 60 (Cowboys), 33 and 58 (Storm), 40 (Raiders);

- Anthony Milford: 37 (Sharks), 90 and 19 (Cowboys), 34 and 68 (Storm), 77 (Raiders);

- Corey Oates: 27 (Sharks), 9 (Cowboys — injured), 5 (injured) and 27 (Storm), 40

(Raiders);

- Jordan Kahu: 48 (Sharks), 14 and 53 (Cowboys), 61 (Storm), 9 (Raiders — injured);

- James Roberts: 73 (Sharks), 97 and 28 (Cowboy), 72 and 35 (Storm), 31 (Raiders);

- David Mead (with Titans): 19 and 44 (Sharks), 27 (Cowboys — injured), 31 and 22

(Storm), 26 (Raiders)

— Darius Boyd: 80 (Sharks), 26 and 71 (Cowboys), 21 and 61 (Storm), 120 (Raiders —

scored a hat trick with accompanying linebreaks!)

You can make your own decision based on the above, as there are definitely some decent

scores in there. However, I will most likely be giving all Broncos’ backs a wide berth from

Round 1.