NRL SuperCoach 2019 team study guide: Sydney Roosters
The Roosters look to go back-to-back this season and they feature one of the best SuperCoach players from 2018 in their starting side again.
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Last season was a memorable one for the red, white and blue-sters taking home the chocolates and bidding farewell for the time being to Allianz Stadium. However, 2019 could be another special year for the Chookies who will return to the hallowed SCG as they attempt to win back-to-back premierships for the first time since 1975. So as the Chook Pen and every other Roosters supporter fires up for the season, let’s take a look at a few of the fellas who will come into SuperCoach consideration and also look at a few of the potential cash cows, PODS and a controversial trap to avoid at the start of the season.
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PREDICTED ROUND ONE TEAM
1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph Manu 4. Latrell Mitchell 5. Brett Morris 6. Luke Keary 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Jared Waerea- Hargreaves 9. Jake Friend 10. Sio Siua Taukeiaho 11. Boyd Cordner 12. Angus Crichton 13. Victor Radley 14. Isaac Liu 15. Lindsay Collins 16. Zane Tetevano 17. Mitch Aubusson
Who’s left: Brock Lamb, Nat Butcher, Ryan Hall, Egan Butcher, Josh Curran, Poasa Faamausili, Shaquai Mitchell, Bernard Lewis, Sitili Tupouniua
PLAYER MOVEMENTS
Ins: Angus Crichton (Rabbitohs), Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos), Brett Morris (Bulldogs) Brock Lamb (Knights), Egan Butcher
Outs: Blake Ferguson (Eels), Dylan Napa (Bulldogs), Ryan Matterson (Tigers), Kurt Baptiste (Cowboys), Mitch Cornish (Retired), Frank- Paul Nu’uausala (Retired), Eloni Vunakece (Retired)
BYE
Round 12
GUNS
James Tedesco (FLB- $689,000)
2018 average: 73.6
Teddy was the Roosters’ best SuperCoach player by a country mile last year and it is hard to see anyone else coming close to him again in 2019. He found his feet in the tri-colours as the 2018 season progressed and finished the season with an incredible final seven- game of 96 which included three tons and his round twenty-five belter of 180 points. Tedesco was the second highest scoring back last season just five points behind Tom Trbojevic. It is virtually guaranteed that he will play Origin again this year meaning a probable rest at some point during the representative period but he is just too good to pass up.
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PODS
Victor Radley (2RF/HOK- $400,700)
Radley has a handy dual-position combination and his relevancy as a POD depends entirely on an increase in minutes from the 43-minute average he played during his 22 games last year. He is exciting to watch and scored his SuperCoach points at nearly a point per minute, so if he could see a ten minute increase per game this season there is over $100,000 to be made for those who invest.
Angus Crichton (2RF- $646,900)
Crichton held together a superb season average of 69 in 2018 despite only scoring three tries throughout the year yet his ownership only exceeded 15 per cent in round nineteen. Many SuperCoaches will steer clear of the Roosters new recruit again at the start of the year as they wait to see the role he plays in this star-studded team. So there is plenty of potential as a POD for those who give him a start, especially if his combination with Cooper Cronk gels early.
LISTEN! Resident SuperCoach experts Tom Sangster and Tim Williams have the lowdown on the players to target and avoid in 2019.
CHEAPIES
Lindsay Collins (FRF- $238,600), Sitili Tupouniua (2RF- $181,100) & Poasa Faamausili (FRF- $235,800)
There is very little doing on the cheapie front for the Chookies with the team looking pretty set but the departure of Dylan Napa could open the door for one of these three players. Regardless, SuperCoaches should probably avoid these cheapies as interchange forwards as they are so often SuperCoach poison. Another one to keep in the memory bank is Brock Lamb (5/8/HFB) for $229,300 if there is an injury throughout the season to Cooper Cronk or Luke Keary.
NO GO ZONE
Latrell Mitchell (CTW- $595,000)
This is a controversial one considering he is a goal-kicking, freakishly talented option who notched four triple-figured scores during 2018 including a season-high score of 148. However, he has lost his dual-positioning and if we look at a few stats from the end of last year we’ll see why he posted seven scores under 40 last season. In the final five-games of last year, the top five CTW options were racking up the base stats, all except for Mitchell. Blake Ferguson made 69 runs over 8m, Will Hopoate made 50 runs over 8m, Valentine Holmes had 43 runs over 8m, Esan Masters had 39 runs exceeding the 8m mark while Latrell Mitchell made just 12 runs over 8m. Whilst Mitchell will start the season in the ‘No Go Zone’ he is an absolute game changer and very handy during head-to-head finals so if he starts the season slowly with a Grand Final hangover, he may be able to be picked up for a considerable discount from his starting price of nearly $600,000.
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