KFC SuperCoach NRL: Wilson Smith reveals final Classic team
Our resident KFC SuperCoach NRL Draft expert has locked in his 2020 Classic team, and is looking to improve on his injury-plagued 2019 season.
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The NRL season is here and with the first Team List Tuesday done and dusted, I have made just 10 changes to my side in anticipation of the first lockout.
2019 was not a great year for my Backseat Bandits, who suffered a worse run of injuries than I thought possible, with at least one major injury to my side EVERY week for the first seven weeks before I stopped counting. SuperCoach can be a cruel mistress.
But who cares about last year, the future is now! Without further ado, here is my second attempt at a team for 2020.
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HOOKER
OUT: Damien Cook
IN: Apisai Koroisau
APISAI KOROISAU, HOK PANTHERS ($338,800)
Ditching Damien Cook is a seriously big call given his SuperCoach pedigree, but going with Api just frees up so much cash that I felt like my hand was forced. Koroisau has only been somewhat KFC SuperCoach relevant in the past but he has been extremely impressive this pre-season, and looks set to play big minutes at the start of the season at least. When playing big minutes in the past he has been able to average just under 60 points, and he comes at a bargain price this year after a poor 2019 season. I am hoping Damien Cook has a slow start to the season so I can upgrade to him for cheap.
BLAYKE BRAILEY, HOK SHARKS ($201,000) RESERVE
While it is still early days for the youngster I think there is a very good chance he ends up as the cheapie of the year in 2020. Assuming he starts and the Sharks use their hookers similarly to last year we can hopefully expect at least 60 minutes per game, which at his low price is very juicy. Brailey had a PPM of 0.73 with an average of just 30 minutes, but with more time spent on the field I think we can expect to see a boost to his base stats, while he’ll also have more creative opportunities. The injury to Cameron King gives Brailey a huge security blanket, and he is pretty much a must own.
FRONT ROW FORWARD
OUT: Francis Molo & Stefano Utoikamanu
IN: Zane Musgrove, Jamayne Taunoa-Brown
PAYNE HAAS, FRF BRONCOS ($728,200) CAPTAIN
Haas was an absolute revelation for SuperCoaches in 2019, increasing in value by $505,100 if you had him the entire season! Unfortunately he was so good that he comes at a premium this year, but if he can reproduce this form he is by far the best FRF option and worth every cent.
AIDEN TOLMAN, FRF BULLDOGS ($557,200)
Aiden Tolman has been a mainstay in my SuperCoach teams for years now and I’ll be sticking with the champion POD again in 2020. He is the absolute model of consistency, with his average of 60 minutes a game at one PPM giving him an average score of 60. He might not have the attacking upside you’d like, but he will very rarely disappoint you.
ZANE MUSGROVE, FRF TIGERS ($201,000)
The SuperCoach gods have been kind enough to give us a number of solid FRF cheapie options this year, and Musgrove is probably the best option. Looked very impressive in the pre-season and looked like he may even nab a starting spot at the Tigers. While he missed out on that, he does still look likely to play solid minutes off the bench and should be very involved when on the field.
JAMAYNE TAUNOA-BROWN, FRF WARRIORS ($171,900)
Hardly a household name before the 2020 pre-season, Taunoa-Brown came onto our radar after a very impressive outing for the Indigenous All-Stars notching 88 metres in 12 runs (only David Fifita made more metres), a tackle bust, offload and 28 tackles – all in just 40 minutes. If he can get even close to these numbers at the Warriors he will be a great KFC SuperCoach cheapie in 2020.
SECOND ROW FORWARD
OUT: Zane Tetevano, Billy Magoulias, Pasami Saulo
IN: Liam Knight, Coen Hess, Patrick Carrigan
JASON TAUMALOLO, 2RF COWBOYS ($723,400)
Arguably the best forward in SuperCoach, Lolo averaged an incredible 78 points a game in 2019 and, with the exception of an injury affected game, never scored less than 52 points. He is also the best players that covers the round 12 bye.
DAVID FIFITA, 2RF BRONCOS ($501,900)
A breakout star of last year, I’m a big believer that Fifita can keep it going and could be a bargain at just over $500k. While he only averaged 54 points for 2019, this includes games off the bench before he locked down an 80 minute edge role. As Rob Sutherland points out in his ‘ 5 players set to shine in 2020 ’, Fifita actually averaged an incredible 79 points in his last five games of 2019, which would make him a great buy if he could keep up that momentum.
LIAM KNIGHT, 2RF/FRF RABBITOHS ($437,300)
After finding out Knight was going to play at lock in 2020, I had to get him straight into my side. I already knew he had KFC SuperCoach friendly game, and his positional switch meant he’d get a bump in minutes which I though made him underpriced. Should make some decent cash in 2020 and could even end up as a keeper.
JAYDN SU’A, 2RF RABBITOHS ($303,600)
He may not have the most KFC SuperCoach friendly game, but I think Jaydn Su’a has a lot of upside at the bunnies, potentially playing close to 80 minutes on an edge. He played for 80 minutes seven times in 2018, at an average of 57.3, so could be in for a decent price rise if he can repeat that effort. He does have some risk, but the potential of an 80 minute backrower with a lot of upside at just over $300k is pretty nice.
COEN HESS, 2RF COWBOYS ($354,000)
Coen Hess had a bad 2019 season, that saw him drop from a premium to a mid-range option, but he has won back the Cowboys starting edge spot and has looked very impressive this pre-season. One of my riskier picks, but I have a good feeling about Hess this year. If he misses out on Origin selection he will also cover the Round 12 bye.
PATRICK CARRIGAN, 2RF/FRF BRONCOS ($326,300) RESERVE
Patrick Carrigan has won the starting lock spot at the Broncos and has even been named co-captain of the side for round one, which I think gives him a bit of security in a stacked Broncos forward pack. With the Broncos also naming a pretty small bench, I think we can expect Carrigan to play upwards of 55 minutes, making him one of the best mid-range players in KFC SuperCoach.
HALFBACK
No Changes
MITCHELL MOSES, HFB EELS ($579,300) VICE CAPTAIN
I have been going back and forth on this pick all pre-season and will probably change a few more times before season kick off. I think that Nathan Cleary was the best halfback choice in SuperCoach 2019, but I really think Mitch Moses is in for a big 2020 and has a lot of upside. The main splitting point for me is Cleary has a really tough start to the season, while Eels have a smooth run which could see Moses starting the year off with a bang.
GEORGE WILLIAMS, HFB | 5/8 RAIDERS ($333,800) RESERVE
I don’t know much about George Williams other than what I’ve seen in video, but he passes the eye test and his 2019 Super League stats definitely lend themselves to being very SuperCoach friendly. He should be the starting half for one of the best attacking teams in the NRL and I think he is absolutely worth it at his low price point. Plus he should be a pretty safe reserve option to start the season off with against the Titans.
FIVE-EIGHTH
No Changes
CODY WALKER, 5/8 RABBITOHS ($602,800)
I was lucky enough to have Cody Walker in one of my Draft leagues last year and he was an absolute gun for me, so I plan on sticking with him.
Walker scored more tries than any other 5/8 in 2019 with 16 and in games where he scored a try he averaged 78 points, but where he did not cross the stripe he averaged just 51. Walker is unlikely to play State of Origin again in 2020, so he will cover the all-important Round 12 bye!
JAROME LUAI HFB|5/8 PANTHERS ($257,400)
Jarome Luai is locked in to be the Panthers’ starting at five-eighth with the departure of James Maloney, with no bench half named for Round 1. He mostly played off the bench in 2019, so his average of 26 is deceptively low, and I think he does have a lot of room to grow and make some money.
CENTRE/WING
OUT: Adam Doueihi, Tristan Sailor, Greg Leleisiuao, Xavier Coates
IN: James Roberts, William Kennedy, Kallum Watkins, Brayden Wiliame
ISAAH YEO, CTW/2RF PANTHERS ($404,800)
I’m an absolute sucker for stuffing a backrower into my CTW position and there are so few options this year, so Yeo it is! Most centres and wingers done rack up too many points in base stats, so having a 2RF/CTW can help improve this, which I think is important at the start of the year. Yeo started off last season pretty poorly in terms of SuperCoach output, before bouncing back after spending some time at 13. Hopefully he can get back to playing 80 minutes, and if he ends up playing at lock, even better.
ZAC LOMAX, CTW | FLB DRAGONS ($324,600)
Zac Lomax was one of the most hyped cheapie options in 2019, and somewhat failed to live up to the expectation, averaging just 32 points. But he looks to have more upside in 2020 with a move to fullback likely, while the departure of Gareth Widdop also puts him in line to be the sides first-choice goal kicker.
JAMES ROBERTS, CTW RABBITOHS ($392,700)
I have been a massive fan of James Roberts for a while now, but he has let me down in recent years as he played through injuries. But he has been very SuperCoach relevant in the past, and has looked very impressive this pre-season, so I have a good feeling we can see him back to his best in 2020. If he can get back to his 2017 average of 60 then he is extremely underpriced.
WILLIAM KENNEDY, CTW/FLB SHARKS ($242,600)
With Matt Moylan looking to miss some time to start the season, I really like the look of Will Kennedy at the Sharks. With Moylan’s dodgy hamstrings, I think there is a good chance we see a lot of Kennedy in 2020, and there really aren’t too many cheap CTW’s so I’m willing to take a risk.
BRADMAN BEST, CTW/FLB KNIGHTS ($240,700)
Best will miss the start of the season as he comes back from a foot fracture, but I think he will get a starting spot when he is fit and am just saving a trade here.
KALLUM WATKINS, CTW TITANS ($271,800)
While getting an outside back from the Titans is hardly exciting, the CTW cheapie landscape is very bare and I feel like I don’t have much choice. Hopefully the former English international can get back to his best in 2020 and make some decent cash.
BRAYDEN WILLIAME, CTW DRAGONS ($201,000)
As a former Manly player I have a bit of a soft sport for Williame, so it’s good to see him get back into first grade after his time in the English Super League. Looked impressive this pre-season, and is an absolute gift from the KFC SuperCoach gods at his low price.
FULLBACK
No changes
VALENTINE HOLMES, FLB COWBOYS ($563,700)
I don’t really care that Holmes has been out of the game for a year, his low price of $563,700 is an absolute bargain if he can get anywhere near his 2018 form, which saw him averaging 78.7 when playing at fullback. The Cowboys have lacked strike power in last two seasons, so Valentine Holmes should be a central part of the Cowboys attack in 2020, while he also has guys like Esan Marsters and Kyle Feldt outside him. Not to mention he should be the Cowboys goal kicker in 2020, which is an added bonus. Sure he might be a bit rusty initially, but I think it’s worth the risk.
RYAN PAPENHUYZEN, FLB STORM ($508,200) RESERVE
Our sample size of Ryan Papenhuyzen in 2019 was pretty small but was still enough to know just how talented this kid is, with an average of 95.3 when starting in the number one jersey. Now it would be extremely difficult to maintain this kind of average over an entire season, so let’s assume he regresses significantly and that average drops from 95 to 70. This would still have him averaging about the same as Roger-Tuivasa-Sheck did in 2019, and make you some decent cash if you did want to sell him at some point, yet he is more than $150k cheaper than RTS in 2020. Paps looked very impressive last year and I think he has the potential to be even better in 2020 if he spends the full season at fullback. Did I mention he also covers the Round 16 bye?
Bring on the #YEAROFTHEMIDRANGER!
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