NRL SuperCoach Cheapie Bible — Round 1

OUR prayers have been answered and the SuperCoach gods have delivered a batch of cheapies. Find out which ones are up to snuff in the Round 1 edition of the Cheapie Bible.

‘Cheapie’ / tji:pi / adjective (informal) — Inexpensive and of inferior quality.

WELL, thanks to the dictionary you now all know what this article is about. Hopefully for our sake though, this ‘inferior quality’ rubbish is just plain wrong.

By way of qualification, any player priced below $200,000 falls into this bracket.

The way to all SuperCoaches’ hearts is earning us big cash, or scoring huge points. As such, the ultimate combination we look for come the first Team List Tuesday (TLT) is rookie priced players who can tick both boxes!

But just because a cheapie is named, doesn’t make them a good pick for your SuperCoach team. Traps like poor roles, minimal minutes, short term-injury fill-ins and just plain inadequacy are all concerns everyone should be wary of.

So, who’s the pick of the bunch you ask? Never fear, week in week out I will give you a run-down of all the best cheapies as they arise, starting with the all-important teams named for round one, starting Thursday night this week.

Strap yourselves in folks, this is a bumper edition, if you bookmark only one article this season this is one to keep coming back to. You get these youngsters right and you’re on your way.

Kalyn Ponga CTW | FLB (NQC | $122,600) — 54.5% Owned

Man, that escalated quickly! Brick killed a guy!

Don’t mind me quoting Anchorman over here. Ponga is not only a teenage millionaire, he’s also the real deal. Scores tries for fun every opportunity he gets. We saw what he is capable of in the finals last year, plus eight tries in four matches at the Auckland Nines. If we knew he was playing every game this season he would be the first picked in every team, but what we know at this stage is that he is on an extended bench while Antonio Winterstein has been named on the wing to give him every chance — so he must be close.

VERDICT: I’m still buying, but I don’t think he should be over 56% owned.

I think he will still play this round and will be a feature of the Cowboys’ season if anyone in the backline gets hurt.

Just too good not to play somewhere in this side.

Dean Whare CTW (PTH | $143,600) — 38.5% Owned

Whare is a former Kiwi international centre, but has been riddled with injury over recent seasons.

With Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (knee, round 3) and Josh Mansour (ACL, mid-season) out, Whare was named on the wing opposite Peta Hiku.

You would imagine the two are fighting for the one spot from round three until Josh Mansour returns midway through the season.

VERDICT: He’s in for me. Dangerous territory as he may play two games and then be stuck not making any money, but with the lack of locked-in cheapies it may be a risk worth taking.

Jayden Brailey HOK (SHA | $122,600) — 37.4% Owned

Brailey is the reigning Holden Cup Player of the Year, and has already impressed coach Shane Flanagan and anyone else who watched the World Club Challenge with his 50-minute performance in a well-beaten side.

Tackles, tackles and more tackles are what we can expect, along with a great bye schedule covering Cam Smith over the first two big bye rounds.

Nu Brown is on the bench to take some minutes off the youngster, but fingers crossed Brailey grows into an 80-minute man.

VERDICT: Lock him in. With minimal cheapies available, I think Brailey is the pick of the bunch.

Nick Cotric CTW (CBR | $122,600) — 36.3% Owned

Edrick Lee’s departure was bad news for Raiders fans, but possibly the best news SuperCoaches have had all pre-season because it unleashes one of the Raiders’ most tantalising prospects in recent memory on the left wing.

Cotric was named in the 2016 NYC Team of the Year, and played Australian Schoolboys and impressed all of us at the Auckland Nines. It could be a big year for the kid.

VERDICT: Named to make his debut against the Cowboys this week, you simply have to have him — just not in your playing 17.

Brian Kelly CTW (MNL | $122,600) — 26.9% Owned

Kelly was signed to a huge contract by Sea Eagles legend Bob Fulton before he had even played NRL.

We heard coach Trent Barrett say that Kelly was in the “kick off” for goal-kicking duties with DCE and Dylan Walker a little over two weeks ago, so it’s great to see him named to take over the centre spot vacated by Steve Matai.

VERDICT: The kid has speed to burn and could be one of the cheapies of the year in a much-improved Sea Eagles outfit. In, and in my 17.

LISTEN TO OUR ROUND 1 PODCAST!

Siosifa Talaki CTW | 2RF (STH | $160,400) — 25.7% Owned

Talaki was named in the centres for round one as expected after impressive trial and Charity Shield form. Big, physical and possessing a man bun, Talaki reminds me of Solomone Kata — let’s hope he’s just as good!

In a Rabbitohs side which plays the Tigers, Sea Eagles, Knights and Roosters in the first four rounds you can expect solid scores and would not look out of place in one of your four starting CTW slots.

VERDICT: With dual 2RF | CTW eligibility, Taliki is a rare commodity this season so don’t think twice, just get him in!

Luke Yates FRF | 2RF (NEW | $122,600) — 24% Owned

Yates had raps from coach Nathan Brown, Nathan Ross and Trent Hodkinson this pre-season, and despite being named on the bench, we know from last season that the Knights youngsters get a good run under Brown (Think Saifiti bros and Mataora).

Hopefully more of the same, and it can be a nice slow burn until the byes for us.

VERDICT: IN. Yates could see time at prop and lock (if Jamie Buhrer fills in at hooker), has strong trial form and at base price with dual position FRF | 2RF. I think he’s a lock.

MORE SUPERCOACH:

Round one NRL teams analysis

How we covered the teams live

Jai Field HFB | 5/8 (STG | $122,600) — 21% Owned

Named as 17th man on the bench for the Dragons, if I was a betting man (I’m not) I would be backing Jake Marketo to take that bench utility spot.

But, either way the simple fact is that the diminutive Field, who had a stellar Auckland Nines, didn’t beat out Josh McCrone for the starting halfback spot, ruling him out of contention for the time being.

VERDICT: No go unfortunately, could prove to be a great mid-season downgrade target once Mary realises McCrone isn’t the man to remarkably turn around the Dragons’ pointscoring woes.

Dylan Phythian HOK | FLB (NEW | $156,400) — 20.8% Owned

A cheapie starting at fullback for the Knights, feels like deja vú … Oh the Jaelen Feeney nightmares live long with us!

But, Phythian presents as a much brighter prospect and with a strong performance (scored a try) last week in the Knights’ huge 44-0 trial win over a depleted Raiders, along with the rare HOK | FLB dual position eligibility, he is a strong cheapie with good job security.

VERDICT: A good option. I have him behind Brailey in the HOK position, but he presents a strong case to go with a Hayne/RTS as a second FLB.

Akuila Uate CTW (MNL | $172,500) — 20.1% Owned

A former NSW and Australian winger who has averaged 50+PPG in a SuperCoach season previously for under $180k? Surely it’s too good to be true.

Well, for many Uate will be a nice stepping stone to a fallen gun around the byes. One main positive is the job security should be stronger than any other cheapie CTW.

VERDICT: Personally, I am going to try to stick to $143k and below with my CTW cheapies, but Uate is a solid choice. I wouldn’t play him on field though!

Can Uate get back to his best?

Brock Lamb HFB | 5/8 (NEW | $176,500) — 16.9% Owned

The only ‘cheapie’ worth considering in the halves, albeit with minimal scoring potential in one of the weaker teams in the competition, who averaged under 10 points per game last season.

A strong kicking game and a solid organiser next to him in Hodkinson makes him a decent option.

VERDICT: If you’re trying to save cash he is worth a shot. Not for me.

Frank Winterstein 2RF (MNL | $172,900) — 16.6% Owned

‘Frankenstein’ as he is affectionately known in SuperCoach circles has earned the starting edge back row spot at the Sea Eagles for round one, and at $172k we really can’t be knocking that back, can we?

A pretty ordinary PPM of 0.58 in 3 matches last season isn’t a great sign, and it smells a little like Nathan Green to start last season, but hopefully the opportunity sparks success.

VERDICT: One of the better options in the top end of the ‘cheapie’ price bracket. He’s in for the Crusaders!

Patrick Kaufusi 2RF | FRF (NQC | $152,100) — 13% Owned

We were all wondering who was going to take up the minutes vacated by the loss of James Tamou and Ben Hannant, but the answer is unfortunately not Kaufusi. Named in jumper 17, he may well make the final squad but minimal minutes exposure in the trials and the signing of Shaun Fensom clouds things up north of the border.

VERDICT: Nahhhhhh. Next.

Felise Kaufusi FRF (MEL | $192,600) — 12.6% Owned

Now this is a Kaufusi I can get behind. Surprisingly, one is named on an extended bench and yet the lesser-owned of the two is named to start on an edge for one of the best teams in the comp. I know which one I’ll be taking thanks! Kaufusi is looking at big minutes with the departure of Kevin Proctor and the injury to Tohu Harris.

VERDICT: Lock him in Eddie. Has until at least round 8 (approx.) in the starting side when Tohu returns, by then he will have made his money for us anyway!

Kaufusi will start the season at second row.

Tautau Moga CTW (BRO | $167,100) — 11.8% Owned

The seriously solidly built youngster from the Broncos via Cowboys and Roosters has always had huge raps on his footwork and agility for a big lad.

Well, he’s obviously impressed Wayne Bennett as he has been named to start at left centre (pushing David Mead out altogether) alongside Corey Oates in one of the biggest wing/centre combos in the league.

VERDICT: Plenty will be sceptical of Bennett that this is a trap, but with Milford running the show on his side and one of the best try-scoring wingers in Corey Oates on the wing, Moga has serious scoring upside. At $167k, can you really pass that up?

Sam Stone FRF | 2RF (NEW | $122,600) — 8.9% Owned

Stone has been named to make his debut on the bench for the Knights and we have heard he could play as little as 15 minutes with big-minute backrowers in Barnett, Buhrer and Mata’utia. But, before you write him off, Stone is one of very few base price 2RF | FRF duals and Brown played the Saifiti bros big minutes last season as rookies. Hmm.

VERDICT: Low on the ranks of “must-have cheapies”. It will be a seriously slow burn, but if you have the patience it could be worth it.

Ma’afoaeata Hingano (NZL | $165,400) — 7.3% Owned

Hingano has had big raps all off-season and played very well in the Auckland Nines and trials, but there is one thing to remember here … Kieran Foran. With the NRL clearing Foran for a return in round three, Hingano will only get two games and be stuck at his starting price and not playing from then on (barring an unforeseen injury).

VERDICT: Don’t do it. He could be a perfect downgrade after an injury later in the year but there are much better halves options in Lamb or even Elgey.

Clay Priest FRF | 2RF (CBR | $156,800) — 6.9% Owned

It’s a trap! Yes he’s been named to start this weekend, but savvy SuperCoaches will know that Junior Paulo is serving a one-game suspension this week. We can expect that Paulo reclaims his starting place from round two onwards, relegating Priest to a bench role.

VERDICT: Still not the worst option if you think he will see 40+ bench minutes in the long run, but for me he’s a no-go.

Don’t be lured in by Clay Priest.

Suaia Matagi FRF (PAR | $192,600) — 5.3% Owned

Matagi has flown under the radar a little due to his awkward $192k price tag and unknown role for the Eels. But, he’s named to start this weekend and we have seen in the past guys like Danny Wicks and Manu Ma’u come in and succeed in big roles straight away. The talent is there with a career PPM of over 1.0, but he has never been given more than about 30 minutes per game in his four-year career. Is this the year?

VERDICT: IN for me at this stage. Covering all three big bye rounds and a good PPM, that’s hard to find for under $200k. If Cameron King makes the bench then Matagi is a must.

Kaysa Pritchard HOK (PAR | $153,300) — 3.8% Owned

Named to start for the Eels at hooker, with constant whispers that the Eels are wanting to play whoever they picked as an 80-minute man and carry four big men on the bench — all positive signs. However, Cameron King is in the 18 jersey and looms as a late inclusion, and Isaac DeGois could come back in after his concussion issues are cleared.

VERDICT: I can see why people are jumping on, but for me he’s a trap. No thank you.

Lloyd Perrett FRF (MNL | $150,400) — 3.7% Owned

Perrett has made the bench for the Sea Eagles this weekend, but with a pack consisting of Taupau, Myles, Lawrence, JTurbo etc I can’t see big minutes going his way.

VERDICT: A last-ditch option if you don’t have the cash for a Kaufusi/Matagi.

Luke Kelly HOK | HFB (STH | $160,400) — 3.7% Owned

Adam Reynolds is out (unfortunately a far too regular occurrence for Rabbitohs fans) with Kelly to play halfback alongside Cody Walker in the opening rounds. A good opportunity for him, but he won’t kick goals or be a dominant half.

VERDICT: AVOID. A perennial 30PPG average player, even for four weeks I don’t think there’s ANY value here.

Charlie Gubb could be a good option.

Charlie Gubb FRF (NZL | $172,600) — 2.8% Owned

Gubb is named to start in the front row for the Warriors in Ben Matulino’s absence, and the youngster has had good raps for quite some time now. Hovering around the 0.9-1.0PPM range, if he can see minutes in the 40 range he will be a decent slow burner.

VERDICT: He’s a wait and see for me. Not a bad low-end option if you’re running the Guns ‘N’ Rookies theory.

Herman Ese’ese FRF (BRO| $143,600) — 1% Owned

Ese’ese fills a bench role for the Broncos in Wayne Bennett’s round one team, much like Gubb and Lloyd Perrett the issue here is minutes as bench big men always struggle to see enough of the field to make a difference in points or cash making.

VERDICT: Pass.

WATCHLIST

All of these players were in contention, but we can cross these guys off our starting team lists, as they have either not been named/on extended bench, are injured or have a diminished role …

Curtis Scott CTW (MEL | $143,600) — 23.5% Owned

Joe Stimson 2RF (MEL | $122,600) — 14.7% Owned

Shaun Lane 2RF (MNL | $122,600) — 14% Owned

Moses Suli CTW (WST | $122,600) — 11.8% Owned

Matt Ballin HOK (WST | $143,600) — 11.5% Owned

Braiden Burns (STH | $122,600) — 11.3% Owned

Cameron King HOK (PAR | $132,000) — 6.6% Owned

Matt Dufty FLB (STG | $122,600) — 7.7% Owned

Rob Jennings CTW (STH | $143,600) — 7.6% Owned

Gideon Gela-Mosby CTW (NQL | $122,600) — 7.3% Owned

Dylan Edwards CTW | FLB (PTH | $122,600) — 3.1% Owned

Vincent Leuluai FRF | 2RF (MEL | $143,600) — 2% Owned

Matt McIlwrick HOK (WST | $143,600) — 1.3% Owned

David Tyrell FRF (STH | $178,300) — 1.3% Owned

Moses Leota FRF (PTH | $143,600) — 1.3% Owned

Adam Elliot 2RF (BUL | $143,600) — 1% Owned

Isaiah Papalii FRF (NZL | $122,600) — 0.1% Owned

Erin Clark HFB (NZL | $122,600) — 0.1% Owned

* If players aren’t anywhere on the above lists it is because we deem them irrelevant at least for the time being.

Fingers crossed that this huge cheapie edition helps you find your way into round one with all the guns you so desire, and watch the cash come rolling in. Good luck!