SuperCoach Stat Attack: 10 stats to decide Round 12

ORIGIN has thrown in a spanner in the works so there’s not better time to find out the stats that will make the difference in SuperCoach this weekend.

Three of the most popular players in all of SuperCoach are on the chopping block this week, a former Dally-M winner is edging into keeper territory and there is an unexpected highest projected scorer for this week who has missed out on a NSW Origin jersey — his stats will really surprise you! All that and plenty more in this week’s Stat Attack.

Remember, if there are any stats you would love to know about or can’t find the answer to — hit us up on twitter @Copes9 or @SuperCoachNRL and I’ll do my best to get it in next week’s edition or cover it on the SuperCoach LIVE Countdown Show.

Here we go stats nerds …

* Michael Gordon | -3

We all know Michael Gordon was a tackle busting, try scoring machine when at his best at the Panthers, but this season he has struggled in those categories. Only the one try, one try assist and numerous games without any tackle busts lend itself to the average of 49.7 (disregarding his injury affected 11 in round 9).

Those that started with the Eels custodian will no doubt hold through the byes, but for those looking for CTW options who play the key bye rounds — Gordon may be the man. The last two weeks have seen scores of 77 and 58 without a try and notably 10 and 8 points respectively in tackle busts. The relevant stat here being a BE of -3, with 4 of his next 5 games against the Knights, Titans, Rabbitohs and Roosters.

Particularly this weekend against the Knights — Gordon could go LARGE!

* Ben Barba | 8

So everyone expected after round 11 that the Sharks would be on top of the table, right? Pffft. No way! Well that’s exactly where they are and this man has a lot to do with it. The stat of 8 is referring to two things through 11 rounds for Barba ... tries and assists! Eight of each and having a career best SuperCoach year as a result at 62.4 PPG, yes even better than his amazing 2012 season where he averaged 60.4 PPG.

That puts Barba 3rd overall among FLB eligible players, in front of the likes of Inglis, Tedesco, Michael Morgan and Josh Dugan — A great result for those who started with Barba at $184k, a whopping $196k increase thus far. Season long keeper???

LISTEN TO OUR ROUND 12 PODCAST

* BIG GUNS | 100+

I couldn’t fit all of the names in the header, so went with a teaser instead! This stat is all about some of the big guns of our game who now have Origin, byes, lost kicking duties, potential resting and many more issues in front of them … Sitting with BE’s over the 100 mark! Decision time people.

Corey Parker — BE 123

Jake Friend — BE 116

Cameron Munster — BE 111

James Tedesco — BE 106

Johnathan Thurston — BE 106

Jesse Bromwich — BE 102

Cameron Smith BE 99 (close enough)

Can you afford to hold all of these guys through the Origin/Bye period?

Cash will plummet, minutes will fluctuate, OR they play the house down and are crucial in the in-between Origin weeks. So, making the right decision now can be the key to having the best team come season’s end. Its bloody hard hitting the ‘T’ button on any of them!

Greg Inglis has run into form the last few weeks.

* Greg Inglis | 18

Inglis is obviously on Origin duty and the Rabbitohs have the bye this weekend, but have you seen GI’s form?! Since the Anzac Test, GI has gone berserk … Averaging a HUGE 79.4 PPG the last 4 rounds with scores of 68, 91, 78 and 81.

Amazingly, GI has only scored one try in that period and the switch to the halves has increased his base stats big time — 18 points in tackles in both games at the position, as opposed to an average of four points when he plays at fullback.

Add to that the tackle bust points of 14,14,12 and four over those four weeks and you can see that GI is heating up, taking on the line and proving the doubters wrong that he’s ‘playing injured’. A POD fullback for the run home?

GET READY: Mini warns Moylan to be prepared

DALLY M: Fifita takes a share of the lead

* Josh Reynolds | 97

In a week where the big guns of SuperCoach are all either on Origin duty or many sipping on margaritas on their bye week, Josh Reynolds is the SuperCoach GOLD highest projected player this week with 97 points.

Reynolds has some numbers that may surprise even the most well read of SuperCoaches. He has increased $104k this season to $385k, has a 3-round average of 80.3 on the back of scores of 112 and 94 the last two weeks, and has a BE of -13. Trade in target?

* Tyrone Peachey | 84.7

Tyrone Peachey was touted as a potential Origin bolter in recent weeks, ultimately he missed out, but those whispers have come about due to his amazing run of form. Peachey has a three round average of 84.7 and there’s no surprise that the last three matches Peachey has seen the full quota of 80 minutes.

Remarkably, Peachey has played 80 minutes in just five matches out of his 10 this season, averaging a huge 77.4 points. If Anthony Griffin continues to play Peachey 80 minutes, we may have a serious 2RF | 5/8 keeper on our hands.

Tyrone Peachey has scored four tries in his last two matches.

* Corey Parker, Corey Oates & Jackson Hastings | 38.7%, 37.6% & 40%

Three big names in our wonderful game of SuperCoach, three of the top 7 most owned players, and the three most traded out players this week! Corey Parker (38.7% owned) is known as GOD, with good reason as one of the best players of all time, but has lost the kicking duties and will miss at least four weeks over the Origin period plus no doubt rest minutes wise in the games in between.

Corey Oates (37.6% owned) is on the most dominant left edge attack in the NRL with Anthony Milford, showing his 100-point upside many times this season, but has been picked for Origin. Jackson Hastings (40% owned) was the most selected player to begin the season owned by well over 50% of SuperCoaches, but after starting the season well — earning us $210.6k — he has been dropped by the Roosters in favour of Ryan Matterson. Will you sell these three? With four trades available to everyone this week, it may well be the time.

* Dylan Walker | $202,600

NSW’s newest Origin squad member, who is likely to take his place in Origin I on the bench as a utility, has also perked up my interest in SuperCoach terms now being priced at cheapie rates, $202,600. Walker has been a SuperCoach stud in the past — averaging 64.3 and 52.3 the past two seasons and notably played last round in the centres with Jamie Lyon in the five eighth role. Put it this way, you could make almost $100k trading him in for Suliasi Vunivalu in round 14! What a crazy game this SuperCoach caper is.

* James Roberts | 95

James Roberts was another on many people’s NSW Origin bolter list, that didn’t eventuate thankfully for the 13.9% of SuperCoach owners out there. Roberts has the best career record against this week’s opposition of any player taking the field this weekend, averaging 95 PPG against the Tigers.

Playing at Suncorp Stadium against a Tigers team without Farah, Woods and Tedesco (albeit without a host of stars in Parker, McGuire, Boyd, Gillett, Oates etc.) the Broncos could put on a scoring show with Hunt, Milford and Roberts likely at the forefront. Roberts for VC on Friday night? Good option in my opinion.

Should you take a look at James Roberts?

* James Graham & Jarrod Croker | 3.0% & 1.9%

This weekend we only have four fixtures to pick a captain from, and as it stands Anthony Milford is the most popular captain at 15% — with good reason as the highest averaging player in the comp at 82 PPG. Two names who stick out on the list with currently low %, therefore POD captain choices are James Graham (3%) and Jarrod Croker (1.9%).

Graham is the definition of safety with his last six scores reading: 74, 63, 61, 70, 71 and 67. Croker has the highest 3-round average of any player in SuperCoach at 94.3 with scores of 97, 108 and 78. Keep an eye out for the Captains article later in the week but these guys will definitely feature!

That’s it for this week from your resident Stats man. Here’s hoping the stats point us all in the right direction this weekend.