Tom Sangster’s NRL SuperCoach team 2025: Six more changes and a David Fifita POD play

So after a number of shocks in the round one teams, I've decided on six more changes and taken a punt on a bunch of massive PODs. 

Almost four months since I picked my first SuperCoach side of the season, I've settled on a final 26 players. 

The team is barely recognisable compared to the original, with only nine players remaining. 

I'm usually not a massive POD hunter at the start of the year but a few players are criminally underowned including David Fifita (1.8 per cent), Jacob Preston (12 per cent) and Campbell Graham (4.1 per cent). 

HOOKER

Peter Mamouzelos HOK $302,900

Becomes the top hooker at South Sydney following the exit of Damien Cook (Dragons) and set for a significant rise in output after averaging just 31 minutes last year. As Mastermind points out, on the occasions he’s played 60 minutes or more since 2021 he’s averaged 54.3PPG. Notched 76 points in the final trial including 36 tackles. Mamouzelous’s main competition for game time, Jamie Humphreys, is unlikely to be a factor for round one because he will play halfback in place of the suspended Lewis Dodd.   

Sandon Smith HFB/HOK $237,600

While he didn't trial particularly well and the Roosters appear set for a serious regression in 2025, Smith remains a must-have on job security alone. Hooker is the best spot to buy him given the emergence of cheapie Tom Duffy at halfback. Smith is priced on an average of 24 points in 33 minutes after playing 10 of 15 games off bench. But in the five games he started last season, Smith averaged 54.8. That equates to a price rise of over $300,000 if he repeats the effort. That average is very serviceable until Harry Grant becomes a genuine option in round five or so (Grant has a tough early draw including a bye and Panthers match-up).

FRONT ROW FORWARD

Terrell May FRF $597,500

Buy of the year. The former Rooster is one of the best points per minute players in SuperCoach history. He notched an incredible PPM of 1.35 last year and it was no fluke after 1.27 the year before. Now a key recruit for the Tigers, his game time should improve considerably from his average of 45 minutes last year. Strong in the final trial with 15 hit-ups, 111 metres, 18 tackles and one offload for 55 SuperCoach points.

Corey Horsburgh FRF/2RF $355,500

Great showing in Vegas with 61 points in 59 minutes. Genuine 2RF2 if that continues. 

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui FRF/2RF $531,300

I've been sceptical all pre-season due to the round two bye and the fact he is coming back from an ACL injury. But even in limited minutes in the final trial, Tino smashed the eye test and showed enough to prove he will be a beast yet again. Priced at a $260,000 discount on his 2024 starting price due to last year's ACL injury.    

Naufahu Whyte 2RF/FRF $367,100

Will start for the Roosters with Terrell May, Sitili Tupouniua and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves having left and Spencer Leniu suspended. Will almost certainly improve on his 33 minutes from last year. Strong in the final trial with 47 points off the bench, including 13 runs for 11 metres. The best bargain prop in SuperCoach after all cheapie props bar Royce Hunt failed to make round one teams. 

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is coming back from an ACL injury. Picture: NRL Photos

SECOND ROW FORWARDS

IN David Fifita 2RF $749,400, OUT Haumole Olakau'atu 2RF $665,700 

Huge POD play here. Whatever your view of Fifita, there's no doubt he's a SuperCoach great. Only at 1.8 per cent ownership because of the round one bye. 

Connor Watson HOK/2RF $583,800

Watson has a big-minute hooker role – maybe even 80 minutes – at the Roosters following the ACL injury to Brandon Smith. He can also be plugged straight into hooker if my dual cheapie strategy falls over. The Roosters were horrid in the trials but I'm sticking to the "makes sense on paper" rule.   

IN Jacob Preston 2RF $609,200, OUT Keaon Koloamatangi 2RF $619,200 

Preston only averaged 67 minutes last year due to injury but should be back to 80 this season. The extra 13 minutes per game should take him from a borderline keeper to a genuine keeper. I loved the look of Koloamatangi in the final trial, where he scored 79 points. But I was hoping he'd play more lock, which doesn't seem to be the plan with Hubner and Tallis Duncan to share the role. 

Kobe Hetherington 2RF $338,800

Hetherington has become an instant favourite of new Broncos coach Michael Maguire and will start at lock, with Pat Carrigan switching to prop.    

Demitric Vaimauga 2RF $232,600

“Ask any of the Warriors’ coaching staff to nominate their most promising rookie and they all simply answer: ‘Demitric.”’ That was enough to get him in my initial side and he stays after being named on the bench for Vegas. Only 16 points in Vegas was a worry though. 

IN Lachlan Hubner 2RF $232,600, OUT Ben Te Kura FRF $232,600 (via Naufahu Whyte)

Pretty simple switch. Hubner has been named at lock for the Rabbitohs and is a favourite of Wayne Bennett, while Te Kura missed the 17 for the Broncos. 

HALFBACK

Nathan Cleary HFB $811,500 

As our analysis of the NRL schedule shows, Cleary is set for the fastest start of any SuperCoach player this season. Scored 68 points in Vegas. 

Tom Duffy HFB $198,800

Duffy has won the halfback spot at the Cowboys and will kick goals. If that eventuates, he's cheapie of the year material. 

FIVE-EIGHTH

IN Adam Doueihi 5-8/CTW $431,700, OUT Dylan Brown HFB/5-8 $651,800

The injury to Mitchell Moses means Dylan Brown will likely be required to run the Parramatta side, which isn't good news for his SuperCoach scores. Meanwhile, Adam Doueihi was great in the final trial. He has won a centre spot at the Tigers and will kick goals. 

Luke Metcalf 5/8 $443,000

Shaun Johnson’s retirement at the Warriors creates a huge SuperCoach opportunity for Luke Metcalf. The former Shark starts around $130,000 underpriced due to an injury-affected game where he copped a serious leg injury and kicks goals. Had a shocker in Vegas with only 12 points. 

Luke Metcalf is impossible to leave out. Picture: NRL Imagery

CENTRE/WING

Dylan Lucas CTW 2RF $616,700

I've gone old school with Dylan Lucas, who is available at CTW but should play 80 minutes in the back row. Base, base, baby.     

Ali Leiataua CTW $513,900 

Leiataua forced his way into my side on trial form alone. Looked dangerous at stages for the well-beaten Warriors in Vegas but could only notch 33 points. 

Greg Marzhew CTW $513,700

An old SuperCoach favourite due to a crazy workrate and I'm backing him to score far more than his seven tries from last year.

Robert Toia CTW $198,800

Has locked in the right centre spot at the Roosters in place of the departed Joey Manu. Impressive in the first trial with 49 points in 59 minutes without a single big attacking stat. A bit more subdued in the final trial as the Roosters copped a battering but still notched 24 with no attacking stats.

IN Campbell Graham CTW $505,600, OUT Isaiah Tass CTW $327,900

Graham was one of the most popular players in SuperCoach when the game opened but he has slipped to serious POD levels (4.1 per cent) following an off-season hand injury. 

Jaxon Purdue CTW $257,000

Backline spots are open at the Cowboys following the exits of Valentine Holmes and Kyle Feldt, with Purdue locked in for a centre role. Scored 91 SuperCoach points in the final trial.   

IN Gehamat Shibasaki CTW $232,600, OUT Sione Finau CTW $279,000

Finau scored 104 SuperCoach points in just 30 minutes in the Charity Shield but missed the round one squad for the Dragons. Meanwhile, in somewhat of a bolt from the blue, NRL journeyman Shibasaki will play centre for the Broncos. Job security is also good given he’d seemingly locked in the spot even before the injury to Kotoni Staggs.

FULLBACK

Tom Trbojevic FLB $875,600

Turbo has a dream draw to start the year against the Cowboys, Warriors, Raiders and Eels – with three of those four games at his favourite Brookvale Oval. Captain. 

Kalyn Ponga FLB $790,300

Ponga has a very soft draw to start the year against the Tigers, Dolphins and Titans. Although he’ll likely need to be sold for the round 4 bye.

FLEX

Isaiah Iongi FLB $232,600

I avoided Iongi for most of the pre-season for a rotation of three gun fullbacks, but the Parramatta young gun was simply too good in the final trial with 77 points. Iongi wins the fullback spot of Clint Gutherson at the Eels.