NRL SuperCoach hipages Trade Comparison: Two best trades of round 14

LOOKING for some SuperCoach NRL — presented by hipages — trade advice? Our stable of experts nominate their two best acquisitions of the round.

LOOKING for some SuperCoach NRL — presented by hipages — trade advice? Our stable of experts nominate their two best acquisitions of the round.

DAVID CAMPBELL

Nathan Cleary

The Panthers playmaker is $120k less than Shaun Johnson and a good option for SuperCoaches looking to shed players who did their job in round 13 but now need to go. I’m looking at you Daly Cherry-Evans and Johnathan Thurston. You can pick Cleary up for about $100k less than his starting price and we know Origin players traditionally lift in club football through this period so now might be a good time to jump on the young gun before he goes on a run.

Nathan Cleary is a popular purchase this week. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Enari Tuala

The Cowboys cheapie has had one price rise but is still a better option than Bulldog John Olive who has played just one game. Tuala has his spot on merit, has a negative breakeven and buying him gives you another look at Olive before his price will change if named in round 15. And a word of warning to prospective Olive owners - yes, he scored 52 points with a base of 28 in his opening match for 2018 but that contrasts starkly with his 2017 and 2016 averages of 12 and 33 respectively. We definitely want to see his second match to ensure that half century wasn’t purely a one-off.

TIM WILLIAMS

Shaun Johnson

SJ is finally back, and he’s ripe for the picking with an average of 73.3PPG, a whopping 13PPG more than the next best halfback. In his six games thus far, Johnson has scored under 74 just once in a 35 point effort against Canberra. Many are weighing up whether to go with the Kiwi playmaker or Penrith half Nathan Cleary. The average difference and all important round 17 coverage is surely enough to swing those facing the conundrum in the direction of Johnson, despite his likely absence from the less difficult round 16 (Denver Test backup). The enticement of facing Manly in New Zealand this week doesn’t hurt SJ’s case either. With so few genuine guns playing round 17, why wait?

Gareth Widdop

The English playmaker was pencilled in a month ago as a round 14 target, but many seemed to have gone cold for a number of reasons, namely a breakeven of 97. Widdop is likely to leak some more cash, but sometimes you have to look past the prospect of saving a little coin. Widdop is well priced at $550k and has upcoming games against the Bulldogs (A), Sea Eagles (H), Eels (H - likely rested) and the depleted Storm (A) in the bye week. Yes Widdop is likely to miss round 16 due to the Denver Test, but there could be some big points on offer either side of that clash. With a season average of 68.2PPG and two tons to his name, it could be worth beating the pack and going a few weeks early.

Gareth Widdop has a soft run of upcoming games.

ROB SUTHERLAND

Shaun Johnson

To SJ or to Cleary that is the question that has been rolling around inside my head all week and I think I’ll go SJ. Both will miss at least one match in the next four - SJ will miss round 16 due to the Denver Test and Cleary will miss round 17 due to Origin. While 16 looms as a tough round to cover, 17 is a nightmare so in the end that is the thing that tipped me into camp SJ. I’ll still get Cleary but that now looks like a move I’ll put off until round 18, or 19 if he is rested after Origin III.

Will Hopoate

Not the most exciting CTW option, Hopoate nonetheless has scored the sixth most points at his position and has the eighth best average. Averaging 36 PPG in hitups and tackles alone, Hopoate has scored 50 points or more in seven of 12 games this season. While the Bulldogs are nobody’s idea of an attacking juggernaut they have a pretty friendly run of matches up to and including the round 17 bye (Dragons, Titans, Knights and Raiders) and Hopoate should jag some attacking stats in a couple of those games. Currently owned in just two per cent of teams and a fair chance to increase in price over the next few weeks Hoppa is a POD at a tricky position.

Honourable-mention CTW PODs go to Nick Cotric and Corey Oates both of whom are on my watchlist.

LISTEN!!! Tom Sangster, Rob Sutherland and Tim Williams have the big news and views heading into round 14.

TOM SANGSTER

Sione Katoa and Enari Tuala

Both are better options than the most purchased cheapie this week - John Olive - who has only played one match and is therefore a risky proposition (although he’ll be by far the most purchased player next week if things go to plan). Tuala’s workrate is Fonua-esque, notching 50 points in base stats on his starting debut last week, with the try an added bonus. Job security is also strong given he has won the spot on merit. Katoa also has a SuperCoach-friendly game, notching 38 in base last week including five tackle busts, which was about par for him in the lower grades. His job security is strong, having leapfrogged Sosaia Feki in the pecking order and he theoretically has a spot locked in at least until round 16 when Josh Dugan (stress fractures) is “hopeful” of returning.

Cameron Smith

The Queensland great’s representative retirement means he’s available for all upcoming rounds and those who don’t run with the Cook/Smith combo will fall behind. That said, Smith will hardly set you apart from the pack - he is the most purchased player this week and is currently owned by almost half of SuperCoaches. But for PODs to work, they need to outscore the popular players. And it would take a brave person to punt on the likes of Cameron McInnes, Andrew McCullough or Apisai Koroisau finishing ahead of Smith by the end of the year.

MARK GATELY

AJ Brimson

If you can’t ignore the downsides in upgrading immediately to a Johnson, Cleary or Widdop then the young Titans playmaker is the trade for you. Brimson will net you as much as $280k (depending on who you are moving on), has a BE of -18 so he’ll make you another $90k over the next four rounds if he merely maintains his PPG average of 39 and he will play the devilishly difficult round 17. Then come round 18 you’ll be able to select the gun of your choice with a little extra in your sky rocket.

Nick Cotric

By far the best option among round 17-eligible CTWs, Cotric has been on a tear lately. His three and five-round averages rank him third - well ahead of teammates Jarrod Croker (33rd/39th) and Jordan Rapana (25th/16th) or fellow top 20 alternatives in those categories like Corey Oates, Jamayne Isaako and Peta Hiku. As a bonus, his negative BE projects him to make almost $100k over the two rounds and the Raiders’ next four games pit him against an Origin-affected Panthers (at home), Wests Tigers, the struggling Broncos and the punchless Bulldogs. Plus, the Blues’ stirring Origin I win has hopefully reduced the risk that the Canberra flyer will get a call-up.