NRL SuperCoach 2017: Trent Copeland reveals team

SUPERCOACH is back, and so are the Copes’ Crusaders for 2017. A new regime, starting with a much earlier pre-season and more relaxed attitude.

SUPERCOACH is back, and so are the Copes’ Crusaders for 2017. A new regime, starting with a much earlier pre-season, more relaxed attitude over pedigree and personal relationships (aka SuperCoach hatred) thrown out the window, giving the franchise a bright outlook on overall glory.

Starting last year with numerous cheapies in the halves and fullback slots, I found myself scrambling all year to afford the likes of Tedesco, Milford and Shaun Johnson - not this time around! Guns everywhere in the highest scoring positions, mixed with rookies in the CTW and 2RF where the money is to be made.

With many contract meetings still to be had, plus the inevitable pre-season hype trains we’ll all be aboard, here’s an early look into Crusaders HQ at how the boys are shaping up just over a month from season proper.

Trent Copeland is back as a SuperCoach expert. Picture: Jonathan Ng

HOOKER

Cameron Smith (MEL | $523,700) - 2016 avg: 78.35

Smith is the most expensive player in the game, but when you average 15PPG more than the next best player in your position (Jake Friend with 63PPG) you get what you pay for. This one is a no brainer for me, last year I got “cute” and started with Seggy, one round into the season a forced trade and Smith was in for a career year. I won’t be making the same mistake again, lock him in.

Cameron King (PAR | $132,000) - 2016 avg: N/A

This one is a tricky one. Matt Ballin is the obvious choice, and given he gets through a full pre-season I’ll be every chance of starting with him. However, the Eels have a dream bye schedule, covering Cam Smith perfectly and a very real chance of playing Cameron King or Kaysa Pritchard in the number 9 jersey this season over Isaac De Gois. I have no doubt this spot will change a lot between now and season get-go.

PROP

Andrew Fifita (CRO | $481,900) - 2016 avg: 72.09

Fifita is close to my first picked every season, but somehow manages to polarize SuperCoaches despite his undeniable consistency and sky-high upside. Gallen has always been the worry as to how he directly affects Fifita’s scores, but over the past four seasons Fifita has averaged a crazy 1.32PPM for season long numbers of 80.3, 77.3, 73.4 and 72.1. I’ve lost the key for the FRF1 slot and I’m not even going to look for it…

Jarrod Wallace (GCT | $251,800) - 2016 avg: 37.67

Here’s where I’ve started to take a couple of mid-priced punts. Jarrod Wallace only played more than 45 minutes on six occasions last season amongst a stacked Broncos outfit, but in those contests Wallace boasted a PPM of 1.04 and scores of 49, 60, 44, 43, 42 and 69. With the short trip to the Titans completed this off-season, I am backing Wallace to step into a much bigger role sans Greg Bird, Luke Douglas etc. He could be this season’s Kane Evans or he could be the 2017 Ryan James, who knows, but the trials will show us if he’s the real deal.

George Burgess is looking to bounce back in 2017. Picture: John Appleyard

George Burgess (STH | $241,800) - 2016 avg: 36.18

What a stinker ‘Gurgess’ had last year. Yes, there were injuries to his groin/hip, but at times the Rabbitohs pack looked disinterested outside of superstar Sam Burgess. 2013-2015 averages of 64.9, 59.9 and 56 tell the story that $241k is a bargain with the added stellar bye coverage - IF he aims up in pre-season. I think every serious SuperCoach hopes he does.

Patrick Kaufusi (NQC | $152,100) - 2016 avg: 22.75

Tamou? Gone. Hannant? Gone. There are serious minutes up for grabs in the Cowboys pack, and Kaufusi (along with Coen Hess) seems to have been groomed for this exact scenario. With a career PPM of 1.02 and SuperCoach friendly game, if Kaufusi is named for round one, I think the dual position FRF|2RF is far too tantalising to leave out.

BACK ROW

Sam Burgess (STH | $499,300) - 2016 avg: 74.7

You get what you pay for here. Gone are the days of Fensom, Gallen, SBW and Parker being the 80-minute guns we all just lock in to start the season. The new ‘gun’ has to score 65 on a bad day, and 140 on a good one and that is exactly what you get with Surgess. The number one ranked overall player in 2014, and fifth overall in 2016. SuperCoach royalty.

Bryce Cartwright (PTH | $497,200) - 2016 avg: 74.4

Does he play in the back row? Or in the halves? Who cares. The #CartyParty is alongside Surgess being the two ‘must-haves’ in the 2RF in my opinion. Last season the freakish Panther finished second only to Cameron Smith for overall points with SEVEN 100+ scores, more than any other player. How can you watch a H2H matchup not owning this guy? It would be a painful experience. I just can’t pick a starting side without Carty in it.

Paul Vaughan (STG | $341,300) - 2016 avg: 51.06

What’s that? A PPM monster with a potential increase in minutes at a new club? Yes please. Vaughan has been a SuperCoach enigma for one reason, and one reason only - Ricky Stuart. Averaging 51.06PPG is solid, but it’s all the more impressive when you consider the 40.2 average minutes played for a HUGE 1.27PPM. That’s Fifita like. Joining the Dragons this season on big cash, we obviously need to watch the pre-season but Mike Cooper (54 mins per game in 2016) is gone and Vaughan is hopefully there to capitalise!

Kenny Bromwich (MEL | $265,400) 2016 avg: 39.71

The brother of Kiwi skipper Jesse, Kenny Bromwich is about to become a SuperCoach household name in 2017, mark my words! The exit of Kevin Proctor from the dangerous Storm right edge opens a huge SuperCoach star sized hole. Bromwich is the front-runner, with Asofa-Solomona and young gun Joe Stimson in the mix. Should Kenny win the job, we should see his average jump over the 50 mark and therefore great value in our best 17.

Kenny Bromwich is set to score a starting spot. Picture: Sarah Matray

Tim Browne (PEN | $186,300) - 2016 avg: 27.86

It’s your typical new club, new outlook for Browne who just simply couldn’t find minutes amongst the monster Bulldogs’ pack, averaging a paltry 27.6 per contest. In 2015, Browne averaged 30 minutes on the dot, yet was able to muster an impressive 1.27PPM to average 38.2 over his 22 games. Not huge numbers I know, but the PPM is there. We don’t know whether he will see big minutes with the likes of Tamou, Merrin, Campbell-Gillard etc but if he is named and plays in the region of 40 minutes per game he should make some steady cash.

Joe Stimson ($122,600)

I have Kenny Bromwich, but I’m also hedging my bets here as Stimson is one of the most promising back row prospects in the entire NRL. Even if he doesn’t win the starting gig, I think he may be one of the very few bottom dollar 2RFs on offer and it would be hard to start without him. Nat Butcher ($160k) of the Roosters is also very much in the mix for this spot.

HALFBACK

Johnathan Thurston (NQC | $467,000) - 2016 avg: 69.86

Every year people say… “He’s too expensive”, yet he is but one thing - the best playmaker in SuperCoach history. He’s just always at the top of the halves scoring charts no matter how many games he misses through Origin, having averaged 76, 82, 77 and 69.9 the past four seasons. If you pay up for Cam Smith because he’s just genuinely the best, then do the same for JT and forget about the price.

* I really want to include DCE this year, as I think he regains the goalkicking duties and has a much better season than that of 2016, but at this stage there is no room.

Shaun Nona (STG | $122,600) - 2016 avg: N/A

Ma’afoaeata Hingano could also be in this spot if he partners Shaun Johnson in the halves for the Warriors come round one, however Shaun Nona is an interesting prospect also. A partner for Gareth Widdop in the halves at the Dragons is desperately needed after Drew Hutchison’s season-ending ACL injury. Both Nona and Jai Field have been named in the Dragons’ Auckland Nines squad with a chance to impress coach Paul McGregor, with the only other contender - Josh McCrone left out. $122k and potential starting halfback, interesting…

FIVE-EIGHTH

Shaun Johnson (NZL | $464,300) - 2016 avg: 69.46

SJ has always been the SuperCoach ‘rollercoaster’ - unimaginable upside, huge 100+ scores, followed up by single digit duds. Well, he turned that all on its head last year to average 69.46PPG despite having a lingering groin injury which kept him from his goalkicking duties. That followed averages of 61.8, 68.7 and 70.5 the previous three seasons. The guy is a stud. Now fully healthy, expect Johnson to do the goalkicking again, add to that the fact the Warriors play the Knights in round one, don’t have a bye until round 15 (playing the first big bye round) and you have yourselves a lock. Cha-Ching. Sold.

Jarryd Hayne (GCT | $244,700) - 2016 avg: 36.6

If you don’t currently have Hayne in your team, honestly, give yourself an uppercut and go fix that. The season average of 36.6PPG is a result of joining the Titans in round 22 for a five-game stretch where he played every position under the sun. 2017 will see Hayne return to a full-time fullback role, where he was once arguably the best player in the game. I shouldn’t need to convince you but just in case the 49ers running back and Fijian Sevens duties distracted you, from 2009-2014 Hayne averaged… 72, 63.7, 54.4, 71.2, 60.6 and 84.9. Yep, EIGHTY-FOUR! Next.

CENTRE/WING

Manu Ma’u (PAR | $386,800) - 2016 avg: 57.86

The Eels have the best bye coverage of any team in this year’s competition, and with Ma’u picking up dual position CTW|2RF - I see the CTW as the best place to get some coverage. I like having one ‘banker’ in the CTW as it is such a volatile position. Think guys like Tohu Harris, Gavin Cooper and Simon Mannering in recent years. This year, Ma’u is my man.

Manu Ma'u is dual position this year.

Akuila Uate (MNL | $172,500) - 2016 avg: 25.8

Uate is a former NSW and Australian winger with speed to burn. Last season was an absolute write-off with the Knights but with a fresh start on the fresh waters of the northern beaches, Aku could well be our ticket to glory having averaged 50+PPG for most of his career. With the absence of Jamie Lyon on top of the potential departures of Steve Matai (neck) and Brett Stewart (knee), Uate should be locked in on the wing outside Dylan Walker.

Dean Whare (PEN | $143,600) - 2016 avg: 20

An ACL injury in the first match of the 2016 season meant Whare finished with an average of 20 and having played less than seven games he is priced at a hugely discounted $143,600. Seriously, the guy isn’t a rookie, he’s a Kiwi International centre.

Curtis Scott (MEL | 143,600) - 2016 avg: 20.5

A wing spot is open at the Storm following the exit of Marika Koroibete, and Scott could take that spot, or even jump Cheyse Blair as he did to begin last season. Bellamy loves this kid and if he has a good pre-season I think we will see a lot of him.

Brian Kelly (MNL | $122,600) - 2016 avg: N/A

As Sangster mentioned in his team reveal, Sea Eagles Head of Football Bob Fulton personally signed Kelly to a $320,000 two-year deal - considerable money for a player yet to debut in the NRL. That tells me they see an immediate role for the kid sans Lyon, Stewart and Matai potentially. If named, he’s in for sure!

Nick Cotric (CBR | $122,600) - 2016 avg: N/A

I can hear the Cotric hype train from the capital city all the way from my lounge room… Holden Cup Team of the Year 2016, NYC top tackle buster 2016, Junior Kangaroos and NSW under-18s. That’s some pedigree for one of Ricky Stuart’s favourite young guns. If he gets a game, remember the name. Rhyming was never my intention.

Kalyn Ponga (NQC | $122,600) - 2016 avg: N/A

Ponga is touted to be the most talented rookie in the game, and obviously the Knights buy into that also. SuperCoaches will remember the name after two stellar performances in the finals last year, but thankfully they don’t count towards his average and thus Ponga is available at base price. If he plays he’s a must have.

FULLBACK

James Tedesco (WST | $466,300) - 2016 avg: 69.76

Last year I started with Ben Barba (great decision) and Jaelen Feeney (it hurts) in the fullback position and never recovered as Teddy pumped out scores of 82, 157, 65, 33, 103 and 85 in the first six weeks of the season. 14 tries and 13 try assists in 17 matches is astonishingly good. Not again, my friends. Teddy is a tackle-busting beast and the best FLB in the game as shown by his amazing averages of 68.4, 74.3 and 69.8 over the past three seasons.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (NZL | $324,000) - 2016 avg: 53.86

Teddy and RTS - What a combo! RTS is such good value at $324k after an ACL injury ruined his 2016, considering the starting price of $500k the previous year. RTS was the number one overall player in 2015 averaging a whopping 77.4PPG. I just can’t start without him.

There you have it, a little insight into my painfully overworked SuperCoach mind (because I’m a nuffy!) still a month out from the season. Draft one of one thousand!