Former champion ‘Banyo Boy’ has a serious dose of SuperCoach NRL FOMO

Sam ‘BanyoBoy’ Rohlf reveals his updated SuperCoach NRL team with injuries - and a major case of FOMO - forcing changes galore.

• Big Boppers set for breakout seasons

• Champion’s Choice: Three cheapie PODs

The chopping and changing of all the different combinations that we can have, taking multiple screen shots of sides that we could deploy with different strategies all without the cost of burning a trade has always been a highlight of the pre-season for me.

Then we come to this pre-season, which has been the most explosive pre-season since the Super League era, and on top of that, the injuries to guys that a lot of us had as hopefully, set and forgets for the year. Honestly, with my health issues, this pre-season has me reaching for the rosary beads as it’s been a struggle to try and get players that tick all the boxes of what I hope to have for the BanyoBoys this year.

There are changes galore in BanyoBoys Version 2.0.

Admittedly, I haven’t been all over the pre-season trials like in previous seasons, but I have added the guys that have made an impression on me from what I have seen. Two new acquisitions have been drafted in, quite simply because of my FOMO anxiety and I’m sure TLT will pitch up a few more curveballs.

This is how my team sits right now after completely blowing up the first version. I’ve had to rob Peter in some positions to pay Paul in others after some of my original choices won’t be ready to play from round one.

HOOKER

OUT: Josh Hodgson ($592,100)

IN: Damien Cook ($726,600)

With my original squad I had picked Hodgson because I liked the draw the Raiders have over the opening few rounds of the season. I had set against Damien Cook, mainly because the trio of reasons I listed in my earlier version, but the main one was that huge starting price. Yes, he is coming off his best season, which was another mark against him in my original team post. Then week two of trials knocked out two other guns I had included (Tom Trbojevic & Viliame Kikau) and it had me reassessing my whole squad. This is the first of my two FOMO acquisitions and only a disastrous TLT will see Cook leave my side.

OUT: Wayde Egan ($232,200)

IN: Blayke Brailey ($168,100)

This is a quick and easy one to explain. Egan was my first choice back up hooker as the chat in the forums had been beating loudly over the off-season that he had his nose in front of incumbent Sione Katoa. As we all know now from the trials, Katoa is Cleary’s pick to start the season. Brailey is recovering from a thumb injury from the trials and is no certainty to be in the 17 even if fit in the early rounds. Lots of good judges say he is the pick of the Brailey brothers and the $64,100 saved from the Egan downgrade, has helped me bring in Cook. I will address Brailey position again after TLT to see if it’s worth running the risk of having him as an NPR.

Martin Taupau of the Sea Eagles didn’t make the cut. Picture: AAP Image/Craig Golding

FRONT ROW

OUT: Martin Taupau ($605,100)

IN: Andrew Fifita (634,300)

My whole front row has changed due to Fifita’s form and the fact that my three other selections either picked up an injury in the trials or have been stood down. As I mentioned at the start, I haven’t seen all the trial games this season. I did manage to catch Fifita in the All Stars game and also the Sharks recent trial against the Knights and he was outstanding in both. There was only seven points separating Fifita and Taupau at the end of last season and I would love nothing more than to start with both this year. Unfortunately, beggars can’t be choosers and when it boils down to it, I liked what I saw from the Sharks big man. Taupau and Manly have been sight unseen for me through the pre-season trials. I’m quite content having Fifita as he has finished in the top 10 overall point scorers for 2 of the last 3 years.

OUT: Tevita Pangai Jr ($495,000)

IN: Junior Paulo ($407,300)

The risk taker in me still wants to start with Pangai, but The Daily Telegraph’s own NRL Physio put out a tweet detailing Tevita’s history of hamstring injuries and it’s enough to keep me away. Without the funds to grab Taupau, I have looked at Junior Paulo who I think can get back to the 50-55 minutes per game that he averaged between 2015-2017. If he can get those extra 10 minutes per game it will hopefully have him at a nice price around the first bye for an upgrade just after that. Paulo for mine was the best on ground in the Eels trial loss to Canberra but he was a late scratching against Penrith on the weekend.

OUT: Payne Hass ($181,100)

IN: Blake Lawrie ($216,200)

Hass isn’t available until round 5 as we are all aware. Broncos coach Anthony Siebold has already come out and said that Payne will have to earn his way back into the team. Lawrie was only involved in seven premiership games last season for the Dragons with only one game where he was listed as a starter in the lock position. In that game he played 29 minutes and finished with a score of 35 points. Props are notorious for being slow burning cows and Lawrie could be replaced on TLT with a cheaper option if one appears.

OUT: Taniela Paseka ($196,900)

IN: Isaiah Papalii ($462,400) at 2RF via DPP

Paseka was another one of my original selections who picked up an injury through the trials. To fit Papalii into my team, I moved Jacob Host up to the front row to replace Paseka. Papalii has been outstanding since he came into grade at such a young age. Playing on an edge or in the middle, as he has done through the trials, Papalii is another mid price selection that will help me bridge my way to hopefully another keeper for the run home. He seems to have the confidence of the coaching staff to be the guy that could replace the great Simon Mannering.

He did play big minutes in the latest trial, while the Warriors were without Adam Blair but I’m happy to lock him into my back row.

Nathan Brown’s tremendous workrate makes him a SuperCoach gun. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

SECOND ROWERS

OUT: Viliame Kikau ($570,400)

IN: Nathan Brown ($582,00)

Kikau is another who I’ve let go with the injury he sustained in his first touch of the season. Brown has had a disrupted pre-season and was a late inclusion to the starting team for Parra after originally being named on an extended bench for what was his first hitout of the pre-season. I know exactly what I’m going to get from Nathan, the guy has a huge motor and plays with heart. Has had his share of niggles since his breakout year in 2017, but I’m confident that he will do a job for me right up until the first bye.

OUT: Joe Stimson ($352,900)

Stimson has been moved on, he hasn’t been replaced by a particular player in the back row, more like the spare funds from his downgrade to an extra cheapie in the backs, were absorbed into a couple of higher priced replacements (Cook, Papalii).

HALFBACK

OUT: Michael Morgan ($409,200)

IN: Nathan Cleary ($577,000)

Cleary is an upgrade on Morgan, well on paper anyway. I just can’t bring myself to start with a mid price half again after the issues I had trying to get rid of Mitchell Moses last year, when I had no money in the kitty in the early rounds. I think Morgan will make money and improve his average, I’m just not going to risk my season on it. Going cheap in the centres has allowed me to upgrade here and unless any more drama comes out at Penrith, Cleary will be locked in for round one. Never hurts to add a half that goal kicks as well.

FIVE-EIGHTHS

OUT: Cameron Munster ($548,500)

IN: Kalyn Ponga ($614,300)

My other FOMO selection. With Tom Trbojevic going down, and a cheaper option becoming available in the back up five eighth position, it allowed me to bring in Ponga. I never owned Ponga at any stage last year and he is a tough one to death ride when watching a Knights game. I would prefer him to be playing fullback, but with his talent and hopefully the goal kicking, I think the change from Munster to Ponga will be worth it at seasons end.

OUT: Kurt Mann ($258,900)

IN: Adam Keighran ($168,100)

Won’t waste much time here. Mann was originally available at five-eighth when I did my first run through. A few days later, the final dual positions were locked in and he had changed to a dual hooker instead of five-eighth. Even if he hadn’t, he would have been replaced by the winner of the halfback shootout from the Warriors, who at this stage looks to be Keighran. The $90,000 saved there has been much appreciated.

Kalyn Ponga inspires FOMO in many SuperCoaches. Picture: Tony Feder/Getty Images

CENTRE/WINGS

OUT: Elliot Whitehead ($457,700)

IN: John Bateman ($400,000)

Not a lot of explaining to do here. In my first instalment, Bateman hadn’t yet been given the centre dual. Now we know that if Bateman is fit for round one, he will be playing lock. That’s exactly what we were hoping for during the pre-season and it’s another save of $57,000 that can be put to good use somewhere else. Bateman is the dearest player I will start with in my centre/wing.

Out: Waqa Blake ($550,100)

IN: Charzne Nicoll-Klockstad ($265,500)

This is the biggest downgrade from the first version. I said I would tempt the SuperCoach gods by taking Blake after his breakout year last season. Kikau missing the first couple of rounds of the year put an end to that real quick. CNK, as he is known as in the SuperCoach circles looks to have the fullback gig under lock and key at the Raiders. CNK has 20 per cent ownership at the time of writing so I don’t think I have to go too much more into him.

OUT: Kurt Capewell ($340,200)

IN: Paul Momirovski ($238,600)

At the moment, Momirovski is no certain starter for round one with the Tigers recently acquiring Robert Jennings. Momirovski missed the last trial for the Tigers with a minor quad injury but should be fit for the start of the season if selected. The former Rooster is currently sitting in my squad, but if a cheaper player makes it on TLT, I’m sure I’ll find a way to spend the $70,000 saving somewhere.

OUT: Aaron Gray ($216,900)

IN: Reuben Garrick ($168,100)

Another easy one. Gray is behind Sosaia Feki, Sione Katoa and the rising star Bronson Xerri so he has been moved on for Ruben Garrick. Garrick looks like he might have a wing spot sewn up for the start of the season at Manly and at bottom dollar he’s a must have for me too.

FULLBACK

OUT: Tom Trbojevic ($691,200)

IN: Matt Moylan ($483,500)

Wow, what a blow to start the season not having Turbo in the team. When Moylan was playing fullback for the Panthers he averaged 61PPG in 2015 and 63PPG in 2016. This year he starts priced at a 51 average and as I mentioned in the Sharks study guide, there will be money to be made. Moylan was good in the Sharks last trial and his combination with Shaun Johnson will be a work in progress throughout the season, but it did show some promising signs. With his dual positioning, he will be a great foil for those starting with Ponga.

BANYOBOYS VERSION 2.0

Those are the multiple changes I have come up with since my team was released at the end of January. A complete overhaul after 3 of my 7 core players picked up injuries during the trials and a few others won’t be available for round one either.

This is how the BanyoBoys look as we approach TLT.

HOOKERS

Damien Cook ($726,000)

Please see above.

Blayke Brailey ($168,100)

Please see above.

FRONT ROWERS

Andrew Fifita ($634,300)

Please see above.

Junior Paulo ($407,300)

Please see above

Jacob Host ($196,600)

Host was initially in my team to give cover as a dual FRF/2RF and I expected to swap him out on TLT if a better option came along. Then as we are all aware, some things have gone on during the off-season and Host looks to be one of the beneficiaries. Host played a little over 50 minutes in the Charity Shield, but one would assume he picked up more minutes with Paul Vaughan leaving the field early. Happy for him to stay if TLT works out.

Blake Lawrie ($216,600)

Please see above.

SECOND ROWERS

Jake Trbojevic ($667,600)

Is this the year where we see Jake ascend to the number one spot in SuperCoach, after finishing with the second most points two years in a row? Love everything about Trbojveic except two minor things, that he plays for Manly and the Blues. He’s one of my first picked every year and an absolute star of the game.

Jai Arrow ($598,000)

Arrow is the one guy who I think could push Jake Trbojevic all season to be the leading point scorer for the props and second rowers. All he needs is some luck on the injury front and I reckon he will nudge right up close to a 70 PPG average. I’ll make a bold call and say he will finish in the top four overall after finishing in 25th spot last year.

Nathan Brown (582,000)

Please see above.

Isaiah Papalii ($462,400)

Please see above.

Cameron Murray ($458,900)

Well our off-season hope was that Souths coach Wayne Bennett would do all of us SuperCoachers a solid and play Big Sam on the edge and give Murray the lock position. Murray showed in the Charity Shield that he is in for a breakout season and he’s one of the few players not to leave my team since the game opened. Will smash his 49 point per game average from last season.

Briton Nikora ($168,100)

I thought Nikora was going to be nothing more than a placeholder most of the off -season. What an absolute bonus that the rookie with the dual status looks like he will be a starter. Looked only fair in the last trial but not bad enough to scare you away. Will give me great flexibility with Bateman in the centres.

HALFBACK

Nathan Cleary ($557,000)

Please see above.

Dylan Brown ($168,100)

Nothing has changed here except that we now know for sure that Brown will be starting in the halves. 51% ownership at the time of writing says it all really.

FIVE-EIGHTHS

Kalyn Ponga ($614,300)

Please see above.

Adam Keighran ($168,100)

Please see above.

CENTRE/WING

John Bateman ($400,000)

Please see above.

Charnzne Nicoll-Klokstad ($265,500)

Please see above.

Paul Momirovski ($238,600)

Please see above.

Zac Lomax ($196,900)

The kid with the big reputation and the big ownership of 52 per cent at the time of writing. Had a rough night in the Charity Shield but Lomax is a blue chip prospect and will bounce back.

Reuben Garrick $ (168,100)

Please see above.

CHEAPIES

My last spots in the centre/wing will be filled with cheapies. At the moment it’s Bronson Xerri ($168,100) and Corey Allan ($168,100) leading the contenders. Both kids have big raps on them and both made the best of their opportunities in the trials.

FULLBACK

James Tedesco ($689,000)

The 4th highest scorer from last season was in the first 3 players I picked. It’s scary to think how good Teddy could be at his second season for the Roosters. Wouldn’t mind taking the overs on him bettering his four 100+ scores from last year. A set and forget every year and a captaincy option every week. Star!

Matt Moylan ($483,500)

Please see above.

Originally published as Former champion ‘Banyo Boy’ has a serious dose of SuperCoach NRL FOMO