NRL SuperCoach hipages Trade Comparison: Two best trades of round 15

LOOKING for some SuperCoach NRL 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.

TIM WILLIAMS

Kurt Mann

Paul McGregor threw SuperCoaches an unexpected gift on Sunday afternoon when making the shock call to axe stalwart Jason Nightingale for Kurt Mann. The trade isn’t without risk, and I’d certainly be holding off until the final team is named an hour before kick off.

Mann averaged 60PPG last year as an 80 minute player, including scores of 112 and 137 in rounds 22 and 23.

The gun utility is playing on the end of a red hot Dragons backline coming up against the Sea Eagles (H), Eels (H) and depleted Storm (A) in the round 17 bye week. Mann also likely plays in the halves with Gareth Widdop set to miss round 16 after the Denver Test and Ben Hunt out in round 17 on Origin duties. Assuming Mann starts as named this week, the only risk would be a Nightingale recall next week, then Jai Field replaces the absent halves the following two weeks. It’s very much an outside chance.

Tohu Harris

Tohu Harris is a must-have before round 17.

With a breakeven of 49 and next week off following the Denver Test this trade can be made in a fortnight, but why wait on a cheap gun? Tohu is one of the very few premium options playing round 17 who can be locked into teams for the run home.

At $520k he’s an absolute steal, while his impressive 61.1PPG average is slightly reduced due to a 14 point injury affected game in round seven. Tohu looks lethal with his partner in crime Shaun Johnson back in the side, while he’s also forming a nice combination with Blake Green. Get on.

ROB SUTHERLAND

Raymond Faitala-Mariner

Looking for a reliable base stat forward who plays the round 17 bye I was originally set to bring in Joseph Tapine, seduced by his last four game run of 64 (56 base), 89 (44 base), 67 (48 base) and 56 (46 base). And then I took a look at RFM’s numbers.

Taking out his one injury affected game RFM is averaging 62.18 PPG across 11 games, good enough to rank eighth at position. He has posted two ‘bad’ scores under 50 points, and both of those were over 40 points. Compare this to Tapine, who has scored under 50 three times (and two of those under 40) in the eight full 80 minute games he has played so far. In addition, thanks to that injury affected game RFM is available for $476,100, a $60K discount on Tapine.

Will Hopoate

Every man and his dog is hopping aboard the Euan Aitken train this week with the St George Illawarra centre second only to John Olive on the most in list. And that’s a reasonable, if unexciting move. Which segues nicely into my CTW selection tip of Will Hopoate a reasonable guy who is perhaps a little unexciting in SuperCoach circles — though I’m told he’s a hoot to go to karaoke with.

With just three tries to his name and a season high score of 81, Hopoate is never going to wow you. But importantly he won’t let you down either. Boasting a fantastic 42 PPG base in runs and tackles alone, Hoppa has scored below 40 points just twice all season. Two juicy match-ups ahead against the Titans and Knights and an ownership of just 2 per cent mean this is the POD who could help you make some serious ground in the next fortnight.

PODCAST! Tom Sangster and Tim Williams discuss the two cheapies to emerge in the round 15 teams.

TOM SANGSTER

Euan Aitken

The Dragons livewire is the only player in the CTW top five available for the round 17 bye and he is therefore the best gun replacement for Jordan Rapana and Ryan Matterson — by a long way. Aitken is one of the most consistent centres in the business with season, three-game and five-game averages of 58.9, 49.7 and 59.6.

He is currently at his cheapest price since round three and in a positive sign for SuperCoach (but not the man himself), Aitken appears at least two injuries off a NSW backline spot, with Nick Cotric first in line.

Tohu Harris

A must-have for the round 17 bye, the only question is whether you move this week (taking into account he will miss next round due to the Denver Test) or wait until round 17. Harris has formed a lethal right side combination with Shaun Johnson, averaging 71 with the star playmaker in the side and 47 without.

Harris has dipped to a juicy $520,900, while his season average of 61.1 is misleading due to injury-affected rounds and stints without Johnson in the side.