KFC SuperCoach NRL 2021: Cheapie Bible Round 18

KFC SuperCoaches face a potential season-defining decision this week as we head into the final portion of the year.

The KFC SuperCoach bye round carnage is over (thank goodness for that!), and we now wait to watch what unfolds from Origin — hopefully we don’t get another Nathan Cleary-like casualty.

An important distinction to make this week from a Cheapie Bible sense, and just generally for your team, is how many trades you have remaining. Do you have enough to complete your team as well as some left over for the inevitable injuries/suspensions to come?

It may shock you, but there are EIGHT rounds to go. Yes, a lot more than many like to acknowledge and a reason why we always preach to hold trades at different stages throughout the year. Two categories apply for considering cheapies as a result.

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If you only have 2-6 trades, you’re not even thinking about money-making cheapies — it’s ‘nuffs’ only and ensuring your top 20(ish) players are the best you can buy. I’ll include my best nuff options below.

If you have 7+ trades you’ve probably got the luxury to make one more cheapie downgrade, to then sell at a later date once they’ve peaked. Plus, you deserve a pat on the back for your discipline amongst the carnage.

By definition a ‘cheapie’ will be referenced when under $300,000 and actually relevant for KFC SuperCoach purposes. Key word being relevant. Once players eclipse the $300k mark they will be given a final verdict in the ‘Bon Voyage’ section.

Buckle up, here we go!

Taane Milne scores one of three tries. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Taane Milne 2RF | CTW (Rabbitohs) $379,400 - 131 points

WOWEE. If you were one of the 12,597 KFC SuperCoaches that jumped on Taane Milne the past few weeks, my word, were you rewarded!! Backing in the elite offence he’s a part of and the matchup against the Cowboys, 131 points with a hat trick in a bye round is a ridiculous result! I’ll bet all of you were swanning around the water cooler (in lockdown, socially distanced of course) on Monday. Milne increased by a humungous $111,900 last week, now sits with a -58 BE and projected rises of another $140,000 over the next two weeks with the next matchup against, wait for it… The Bulldogs! What a dream.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. If you’re in the 7+ trade brigade you could definitely still jump on and ride the price rises for three weeks and sell to a gun. Don’t be trading in if you’re already flush for cash.

Dominic Young CTW (Knights) $271,200 - 0 points

Prior to the bye Young was flagged as one of the best Cheapie Bible prospects upon the return of Kalyn Ponga (a-la Jason Saab’s value increase when Turbo returned), and he delivered 88 points including a double, and a try assist against the Cowboys to increase $64,000. The matchup against the Storm this week is less than ideal, but if it’s a genuine cheapie to make money that you’re after, on the back of a -13 BE this week and projected -22 BE next week and matchups against the Raiders, Broncos twice, Sharks, Titans and Bulldogs all to come… Young is your guy.

VERDICT: BUY/HOLD. May well be a decent play in case of injury in some matchups also. Just make sure you’ve got enough trades to get him back out again.

Xavier Savage CTW (Raiders) $173,700 - 25 points

The BE looks daunting at 38 for his third game which we normally attribute big cash rises incoming, but remember Savage played the ‘did he/didn’t he’ take the field game for one point back in round 15. On the positive side of things, last week’s 25 points was much greater to the eyeball test than it was the final score statistically. Work rate was good, he was stifled a few times where attacking stats may have come his way, but ultimately he is the fullback for a struggling side offensively. So, do you jump this week? My answer is no. If you’re going down to a bottom dollar player, I’d advise going to a nuff — given the risk Savage plays the remainder of the season at fullback with scores between 20-40 each week. I hope I’m wrong, but that risk is real.

VERDICT: AVOID. Big call, but unless you’re flush with trades (as this will likely cost you two), there’s better ways to use them in my opinion.

TC Robati 2RF (Broncos) $296,100 - 0 points

Another pre-bye purchase, big TC Robati has been excellent since taking over TPJ’s starting edge role — scoring 51 points in 74 minutes the first week, then 59 points in 59 minutes against the Sharks. Impact with all of his runs (majority H8s) and a great workmate in defence gives a nice base to his scoring. The concerns are around the minutes, not playing 80 already, then TPJ’s return in two weeks. With a BE of -1 there’s absolutely room to hold for a few weeks to see how it plays out, but if you don’t already own he is NOT a purchase.

VERDICT: HOLD. Happy to admit the early AVOID call has turned out to be wrong with suspensions and injuries around him, but still not for me.

Play of the Week: Jason Taumalolo has had a quiet season in 2021... until Round 17 👏 pic.twitter.com/zmuk3ULabw

— SuperCoach NRL (@SuperCoachNRL) July 14, 2021

Tyrone May CTW | 5/8 (Panthers) $309,600 - 0 points

I called May a POD-BUY in round 16 as an extremely cheap avenue into the best attacking team in the competition whilst being eligible in the CTW for KFC SuperCoaches. 61 points against the Eels brought about a $50k price rise, and now May gets the start at halfback in the absence of Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai. Matchups against the Warriors and Broncos the next two weeks gives May an opportunity to excel and jump up over $400k to be sold on to a gun in the CTW.

VERDICT: POD-BUY/HOLD. Playable in your 17 the next two weeks.

Joseph Suaalii CTW | FLB (Roosters) $246,000 - 0 points

Quick one here, if you weren’t aware Suaalii has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a Lisfranc (foot) injury, which needs to be surgically stabilised, with an approximate timeline in rehab of 5 months. Not good news for the kid who showed flashed of brilliance in his first few NRL games, but in a sense, very good news for KFC SuperCoaches worried about the AE-nightmare down the stretch. Suaalii will also be great value now for 2022! You beauty.

VERDICT: HOLD. No need to trade out now as he becomes a ‘nuff’ and won’t be an AE nightmare.

Braydon Trindall HFB (Sharks) $259,400 - 84 points

From the bleachers! Trindall has shown flashes in the past of his talent, and undoubtedly is part of the future halves plans alongside Nicho Hynes, Matt Moylan, and potentially Connor Tracey — given the Sharks let Townsend and Johnson walk. But, he just busted out an 84-point game with a try, try assist and the goal kicking duties and has Matt Moylan (calf, indefinite) on the sidelines — and we all know the history there. Interesting upside play, but were the kicking duties his only for one week with SJ a tad under the weather? We shall see.

VERDICT: AVOID. Only due to the position (ideally two guns always playing at HFB), and uncertainty around Moylan’s return date.

Kobe Hetherington 5/8 | HOK (Broncos) $174,500 - 0 points

This one is a speculator on talent alone. Base price, starting at lock (which could change when Flegler isn’t backing up from Origin and TPJ returns in round 20) where in his six games in the 2021 ISC Hetherington DOMINATED — averaging 140m, 53 post-contact metres, 31 tackles with 21 tackle busts and five tries. Given Hetherington was just awarded a new two-year contract by Kev Walters and the ‘new’ regime in charge of list management it all points towards getting some really good run to close out the year. 50+ minutes at lock and we’re looking at a 50PPG average in my opinion.

VERDICT: WATCHLIST/BUY. If you’re not fussed about the risk of an AE nightmare/VC-loop killer then it may be worth the risk to jump in, but the smart play is to wait until the big dogs resurface.

BON VOYAGE

Kieran Foran 5/8 | HOK (Sea Eagles) $407,600 - 54 points

Foran has been a real success story for those willing to take the plunge on his health for a three-to-four week stretch covering the bye round last week, There have been scores of 60, 96, 35 and the most important 54 points in round 17 including $130,000 in price rises. If it were me, I would be saying thank you very much and moving Foran on this week to a gun like Cameron Munster or Ben Hunt (backing-up from Origin risk of course).

VERDICT: SELL. It worked, well done, but don’t hold on for too long.

NUFFS

Nuffs are players we do NOT want to play again. Ideally base price, dual position and play a lot of late-in-the-round matches in the run home (for VC-loophole purposes). Be CAREFUL not to pick players that are on the cusp of playing, potential 18th man or sub-20 minute bench role low scores will burn you! My pick of the litter below.

Jarred Anderson CTW | 2RF (Bulldogs) $173,700

Kaleb Milne 2RF | FRF (Sharks) $173,700

Selesitino Ravutaumada FLB | CTW (Warriors) $173,700

Jock Madden 5/8 | HFB (Tigers) $173,700

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL 2021: Cheapie Bible Round 18