NRL SuperCoach Cheapie Bible Round 13

Origin presents uncertainty over which players back up — and the SuperCoach winners are generally cheapies.

Is that a sigh of relief I hear? The big-bye round, Origin absentee and injury carnage of Round 12 is in the rear view mirror.

Before you let that breath all the way out, let me just chime in with some bad news and say … This round could be WORSE! Origin time presents the uncertainty for every player backing up, as soon as two days later for players like Cook, Murray, Gagai etc. That brings with it late changes over the coming weekend, and the replacements (most of the time cheapies!) are a little up in the air. Watch late mail people!

Cheapies are the keys to SuperCoach success, and each week I will have your verdict on the most popular and relevant names under the $280k bracket. Once a player eclipses that price we shall say bon voyage with a final verdict.

We’re looking at minutes played, relevant injuries, torrential rain affected scores and an outlook of the prospects moving forward.

Settle in for a HUGE edition of the Cheapie Bible. Here we go…

NRL SuperCoach Cheapie Bible Round 13.

Kotoni Staggs CTW | 2RF (BRO | $232,200) - 0 points

Ok, this is the moment! Just in case you haven’t read previous versions of the Cheapie Bible (What the hell have you been waiting for!), Staggs is an option now that he is the starting left centre in Jack Bird’s season long absence and James Roberts is officially a Rabbitohs player - yep, his spot for the long haul. The dual CTW/2RF is mighty handy for Bateman or Nikora owners, and coverage of the round 16 bye week is an added bonus. BE of just 19 and already increased price means he will likely only be a buy this week.

VERDICT: BUY. I love the move from Corey Allan (or similar round 12 coverage cheapie) to Staggs.

Euan Aitken CTW (STG | $286,700) - 0 points

Right, here is my Cheapie Bible smoky of the week… Euan Aitken! Formerly known as a SuperCoach borderline gun with averages of 51.4PPG, 53PPG and 55.1PPG the past three seasons. Priced at just $286k (down a massive $195k from his starting price of $481,300), if you weren’t aware, Aitken regained his place in the centres in round 11 against the Sharks scoring 47 points in base stats, that perked my interest given the coverage of the round 16 bye. With a BE of 48, you could most definitely sit tight for a week and watch in this juicy Bulldogs matchup, and to make sure Mary McGregor doesn’t drop him again!

VERDICT: BUY. I love this as a left field play for overall players.

Brian To’o CTW (PTH | $221,500) - 56 points

I tell you what, To’o is putting up Fergo or Mansour hay-day numbers right now without scoring tries surpassing the 50-point mark each week. Scores of 54 and 56 points respectively the past two weeks have seen MASSIVE totals of 20 points in tackle busts, and 70, yes 70 points in hit ups! An initial price rise of $53,400 was nice, as were the points in a bye round, but hopefully he can find the tryline in the coming weeks to take those 50’s up to the 80+ point threshold.

VERDICT: BUY. Despite missing To’o’s first price rise, there’s still plenty of money to be made here and he should peak at around $350k-$400k in time for round 16.

Siliva Havili HOK | 2RF (CBR | $300,800) - 64 points

The Hodgson injury has opened up around 60 minutes as the starting hooker for the Raiders, and last week the Cheapie Bible dubbed the new number nine the best buy of the week outside of To’o at base price. 64 points in 62 minutes and $22,300 of cash injection was nice, and it came via a try assist, 35 tackles and a line break. Without the attacking stats Havili will be looking at around the 45-50 mark in base most weeks, which should see him reach $360k-$400k come round 16 when he becomes a sell.

VERDICT: HOLD. Perfect dual flexibility for the upgrade to Cameron Smith or (heaven forbid!) Damien Cook if you don’t own them.

Cade Cust HFB (MNL | $251,300) - 75 points

Those SuperCoaches who jumped on last weekend for round 12 coverage and were willing to cop the likely situation of DCE returning and taking his place were rewarded with one of the largest price rises of any cheapie this season - $83,200 to be exact! Add to that the priceless 75 points in a bye week, complied with a try, try assist, 18 tackles and a massive 10 points in tackle busts as well as 17 points in hitups. Down to business though, despite being named again this weekend, with DCE lurking on the extended bench just watch late mail. With a BE of -55 there’s another $80k coming your way if he takes the field again.

VERDICT: HOLD/AVOID. Love this kid, aggressive, takes on the line and looks every bit a dominant half of the future. Fingers crossed he can displace Elgey/Croker for the five eighth jersey long term.

Thomas Dearden HFB (BRO | $226,500) - 0 points

Dearden is the real deal, and coming off the Broncos’ bye don’t be surprised to see him go up a gear both in actual NRL and SuperCoach scoring. Had Matt Gillett held on to a beautiful short ball that put him through a hole against the Roosters, Dearden could’ve earned a lot more cash already! Nevertheless, matchups against the Titans, Eels, and Knights are on the horizon prior to his fantastic coverage of round 16 - that keeps Dearden firmly in the BUY/HOLD category.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. You could argue that Dearden is the ‘cheapie of the week’ for the 75% of teams who don’t already own him.

Bailey Simonsson FLB | CTW (CBR | $230,900) - 44 points

Hasn’t Simonsson just kicked at exactly the right time for his 27,920 owners out there! Very handy 44 points in the big bye week to follow his season best 51 points the week prior, earned him a $31,300 price rise. In even better news, Jordan Rapana returns this week and it is Michael Oldfield who makes way on the wing, with Cotric remaining at centre and Simonsson on the wing. Yep, that’s right, ‘Simmo’ is now a member of the Raiders’ best backline (with BJ Leilua out for the season).

VERDICT: HOLD. Simmo has a BE of -12 and will likely peak at around the $300k mark just in time for round 16. You beauty.

Kurt Mann CTW | HOK (STG | $240,900) - 0 points

Are we back here, again? But seriously, Mann has earned the starting five eighth jersey alongside Mitchell Pearce in a VERY hot Knights outfit, with scores of 69 and 29 points respectively the two rounds prior to the bye. Now, Mann hits round 13 with a BE of -11 and with Connor Watson filling in at dummy half for Danny Levi who is out with an ankle injury, his spot is seemingly safe for now. AE-nightmare is DEFINITELY in the scope of possibilities…

VERDICT: BUY. Not for the feint hearted, but I would only advise this trade in the centres - it’s Cook and Smith ONLY at hooker at this point of the season.

Newcastle's Kurt Mann is a cheapie option. Picture: Brett Costello

Jesse Arthars CTW | FLB (GCT | $213,900) - 43 points

Arthars’ career has started somewhat slowly, but the 43 points in a super-important round 12 for SuperCoaches is a nice reward for those that took the plunge following Arthars’ promotion to the starting centre role. All of Arthars’ 43 points came in base stats, and with a BE of just 8 this weekend against the Broncos, he is a hold for at least two weeks.

VERDICT: HOLD. Too late to jump on now given the Titans don’t play in round 16.

Jonus Pearson CTW (STG | $255,500) - 0 points

Pearson has kept his place in the Dragons’ side amongst numerous changes from Mary McGregor, after his 29-point first up effort against the Sharks prior to the bye. The eyeball test says he’s better than that score, and matchups against the Bulldogs, Sea Eagles and Cowboys prior to the Dragons’ coverage of the round 16 bye week means Pearson could be a stellar purchase next week - albeit at above base price. Oh, and if you weren’t aware, Mary changes his winger lottery numbers weekly (as he has this week dropping Jordan Pereira), so job security is hardly a sure thing.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST.

Brent Naden CTW (PTH | $168,100) - 34 points

Injuries to Whare and Waqa Blake mean that Naden and Isaiah Yeo are the starting centre pairing for the Panthers for the foreseeable future. Naden played well on debut without setting the world on fire. 34 points came from 18 tackles (and three missed), to go with 19 points in hit ups.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST. On the horizon as a downgrade option next week, but keep in mind he (Panthers players in general) doesn’t play in round 16.

Maweni Hiroti CTW (STH | $219,400) - 30 points

Look, the reality is we’ve got far bigger fish to fry at this point of the season than urgently needing to sell a guy like Hiroti - particularly when the likes of Sivo, Garrick, Okunbor and Xerri have all had huge second-wind price rises. But, the BE has reached 25 and with scores of 24 and 30 points respectively the past two weeks, things are coming to a halt. The impending returns of Alex Johnston and Braidon Burns will likely spell the end of Hiroti’s run in the side also.

VERDICT: AVOID/LOW PRIORITY SELL. You can hold until a locked in cheapie comes along, but it’s certainly not panned out as we had planned.

Jai Field 5/8 | FLB (STG | $224,700) - 0 points

Corey Norman returns to the Dragons lineup, as does Matt Dufty at fullback, but Ben Hunt being named on the extended bench could hand Field ONE more week in the Dragons side if Hunt does in fact miss with the short turnaround.

VERDICT: AVOID. It looks like there will be one more game at best for Field, unfortunately.

Jai Field of the Dragons.

Connor Tracey HFB (STH | $168,100) - 84 points

What. A. Game. 84 points in a losing side, without a try or try assist! Wait until you hear some of these numbers… 13 tackles, a HUGE 26 points in tackle busts, an offload, two line breaks and 26 points in hit ups. Wowee. We all know the injury history with Adam Reynolds and others at the Rabbitohs, so should Tracey get to play more games in that instance he would immediately be a priority purchase.

VERDICT: AVOID. Despite the amazing debut, you simply can’t go there as Tracey wont be a permanent starter in the Rabbitohs’ best 17.

Billy Brittain HOK (STH | $168,100) - 73 points

As I flagged last week in the Cheapie Bible, Brittain has been captaining Queensland Cup side Norths for the past few seasons with aplomb, playing numerous different roles and was capable of playing big minutes. Well, 73 points in 73 minutes with a try assist, a massive FIFTY tackles, and a line break assist was the perfect result for those with the Cook / Brittain combo. Two options here, you either stick with Cook/Brittain the whole way as this was a nice window into what’s possible should Cook ever miss with injury. The other (and probably more advisable) option is to sell another player down to a cheapie and Brittain up to Cameron Smith prior to round 16 for the run home.

VERDICT: SELL. No rush, though.

BON VOYAGE

Players who eclipse the $280k cheapie cut-off, or plateau in price will be given a final verdict for owners moving forward.

Patrick Herbert CTW (NZL | $311,800) - 0 points

Herbert comes out of the bye with a -9 BE, and the 16% of teams who own the young Warriors centre with the goal kicking duties in tow will be looking at an interesting decision come next week. Yes, Herbie will make money this week, but with a score of 40 points against the Storm this weekend, SuperCoach Stats has his round 14 BE at 59 three games shy of the bye coverage. To hold or to fold… Ah, the age-old SuperCoach conundrum.

VERDICT: HOLD. Until round 16 regardless of his price, if you haven’t looked at how dire that weekend is then I suggest you do so quickly.

Abbas Miski FLB | CTW (MNL | $193,100) - 45 points

Dropped by the Sea Eagles this weekend upon the return of Tom Trbojevic and Moses Suli, so that spells the end barring injury of Miski’s run in the side. Given Brendan Elliot has also been relegated to the bench despite his stellar form in Turbo’s absence, you would think Miski would be behind him for a place in the backline too.

VERDICT: AVOID/SELL. Miski may well have played his last game for the season unfortunately.

If a player is not on this list, they are deemed not relevant either because of role or price. Let us know if you think we’ve missed anyone @SuperCoachNRL or @Copes9.

Let the cash roll in!