SuperCoach POD Watch: Mitch Rein and Jake Granville shape as top options for Origin period

WITH Origin set to tear the heart out of SuperCoach find out the PODs you need to keep your advantage over the crucial bye period, particularly the upcoming round 12.

LADIES and gentlemen the Origin bye period officially begins this weekend and over the next eight weeks the Wayne Bennetts of the SuperCoach world will show their class and set themselves up for the home stretch whereas those whose plans of attack fail will be put on the back burner and be forced to focus on winning their head-to-head leagues.

The following 10 players may have a huge say in which direction your team heads over the next two months and choosing the right ones will be essential for success in your mission to be top dog for the 2016 season.

1) Mitch Rein ($279,000/1.6 per cent ownership)

Signalled his intentions to push his way into teams for the first two big bye rounds by averaging 65 in his past two games for the ‘Red V’.

Rein bottomed out last week and will increase in value by over $15,000 this week but may still do the job until round sixteen with further price rises expected in the oncoming weeks.

Siliva Havili stealing his minutes does cause some concern and needs to be considered.

2) Jake Granville ($286,100/8.2 per cent ownership)

Played the full 80 and set up a try with a line break against the Broncos to show his potential. Granville also scored 56 and 74 in the same games last year when Johnathan Thurston was on representative duties.

Granville should increase in price over the next month but he does have the ability to have a quiet, low-scoring game.

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3) Elijah Taylor (281,200/0.3 per cent ownership)

Taylor has scored 40 and 70 in his first two games for the Tigers and has averaged 70 minutes a game over the past fortnight which is promising.

Potential owners need to take into account the fact that one of their opponents were the Knights but nevertheless he did have his hands on the ball frequently and had a hand in two of the Tigers’ tries.

Elijah Taylor has settled in well at lock with the Tigers.

4) Aiden Tolman ($329,900/2.5 per cent ownership)

With both David Klemmer and Josh Jackson scoring Blues jerseys, potential owners will be banking on Tolman playing a few extra minutes because if he maintains his current four-game average of 56, he may not be worth the trade.

5) Josh Reynolds ($351,200/1.8 per cent ownership)

Reynolds has been on fire recently and will sit with a four-game average of 82 heading into next round.

At less than two per cent, SuperCoaches could make up some crucial ground in the overall race but at around $385,000 this week, he could be a little too expensive especially when Shaun Johnson will be able to be picked up prior to round thirteen for an extra $20,000.

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6) Kenny Edwards ($269,700/ 1.2 per cent ownership)

Edwards was pencilled in as my POD of the Origin period had Beau Scott not missed selection for the Blues. During the two games in which Beau Scott has missed due to injury this season, Edwards has played the full 80 and averaged 61.

Edwards still may be one to consider as his price will only increase by just over $2000 and also due to the fact that he scored with a PPM of 1.32 on Monday night without grabbing a try or a try assist.

Kenny Edwards has a strong PPM but his lack of minutes could be a concern.

7) Manu Ma’u ($334,000/5.2 per cent ownership)

Ma’u gets another start on POD watch this week after another big game on the left edge for the Eels. Ma’u may be a popular trade for Corey Parker this week after playing himself into many teams by averaging 79 in his past two games and 64 in his past five.

If there are no further adjustments to the scoring, he will be available for a tick over $350,000 this week.

8) Mitchell Pearce ($332,300/1 per cent ownership)

Pearce set up two tries to score 89 last weekend and has averaged 65 in his first three games since returning for the Roosters this year. If the Blues win game one of the Origin series then Pearce could be an option to cover rounds 15, 18 and 19.

Pearce has scored well since returning.

9) Simon Mannering ($350,700/15.8 per cent ownership)

Mannering sits right on the brink of being a POD but with a $14,000 price drop expected to come his way due to an injury-affected round eight, the Warriors captain will come into a plethora of teams prior to round 13.

Mannering has become SuperCoach relevant again after returning to his role playing in the middle as opposed to the edge which has led to a few below-par performances in the first half of the season

10) Sio Siua Taukeiaho ($322,900/1.1 per cent ownership)

SST was named on the bench last week but was brought into the starting team when final teams were released an hour before kick-off on Sunday.

He ended up playing the entire game on the right edge, kicked goals for an added bonus and will be pretty hard to pass up considering he will be available when the Roosters play next for under $310,000.