KFC SuperCoach NRL: Trent Copeland picks top tier talent
Trent Copeland is always willing to think outside the box when it comes to KFC SuperCoach and his team for 2022 continues the trend.
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There hasn’t been much change at Copes’ Crusaders headquarters since you last got the binoculars out at preseason training…
LIES.
There’s been a gazillion changes, as I’m sure there will be between now and season kick-off.
A simple message remains, though, when picking each position: Is any one player (or several for that matter) on a tier at the top all by themselves? If the answer is yes, you should forget about value and just pay up for the points, if not, seek out the opportunity that lies deep within that player pool!
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So, my focus is squarely on the expectation of good health, current information and OBVIOUS opportunity awaiting certain players (more on that below). As a result, there are numerous ‘placeholder’ cheapies — if they don’t come to fruition, the guns and rookies strategy can go out the window.
Here we go!
HOOKER - NO CHANGES
Harry Grant (MEL | $644,700)
Chris Randall (NEW | $245,500)
Yes, I’m starting with a player who is suspended and not playing round one. Why? A theme throughout my team, he’s a player that is the best at the position by some margin. Many will know the 73.5PPG average along with the attacking flair for the Storm and Queensland, but I don’t think many people realise that Grant averaged just 59 minutes of game time! There’s just far too much upside there to miss out, I mean imagine if he played the full 80 minutes every week. Damien Cook would be the only other one I would consider if he does in fact get back to his run-first best.
Randall should be in everyone’s team, as the perfect early season cheapie who will make 40-50 tackles most weeks even if Phoenix Crossland splits time with him.
FRONT ROW FORWARD - TWO CHANGES
OUT: Jai Arrow (STH | $457,700) & Stefano Utoikamanu (WST | $457,200)
IN: Payne Haas (BRO | $595,800) & Ethan Bullemor (MNL | $280,000)
Tepai Moeroa (MEL | $205,100)
Max King (BUL | $188,700)
Value is what I’m hunting here. Haas speaks for himself and is at least 10-points underpriced as the best player at the position alongside IPap. But, every team on the planet owns him, so I’ll focus on the FRF2 slot. Typically a spot I LOVE to chop down to a cheapie if I can jag someone under $350k with a solidified role early in the season. Well, I’m calling Ethan Bullemor just that. Injuries to Schuster, Olakau’atu and Taupau (amongst others) along with Andrew Davey still working his way back from injury mean Bullemor starts and plays big minutes on an edge, then shifts to a middle role off the bench once all of the aforementioned injury concerns are fit. If I can jag a 50PPG average over the first 4-6 rounds this is an absolute steal.
Jai Arrow, Big Stefano Utoikamanu and also a Cheapie Bible favourite of mine Jamayne Taunoa-Brown are very much in the mix.
Moeroa and King are placeholders.
SECOND ROW FORWARD - ONE CHANGE
OUT: Euan Aitken (NZW | $486,000) IN: Kelma Tuilagi (WST | $253,900)
David Fifita (GCT | $745,200)
Angus Crichton (SYD | $653,200)
Izack Tago (PTH | $287,900)
Jirah Momoisea (NEW | $205,100)
Jack Howarth (MEL | $175,400)
BIG GUNS, out to play! David Fifita and Angus Crichton are in my opinion the two most essential players not named Cleary or Trbojevic. Minimum 55 points, but the ability to at the drop of a hat go 130+ from the 2RF position. That’s worth paying up for, and hopefully we get David Fifita playing the full 80 minutes, motivated and backed in by the Titans, as the $1,000,000 mark may well be cracked!
This is undoubtedly the biggest risk in my team changes, but if TLT falls the way I think it will, and we get Izack Tago starting at left centre for the Panthers, along with Kelma Tuilagi beating out Luke Garner to start on the edge for the Tigers, then I’m comfortable rolling with the tackle-busting freak that is Tuilagi on field in my 17.
Euan Aitken makes way, despite the intention of him being a lock-in as a reliable CTW with upside all around him come season end. When Aitken moved to starting back row last season, playing the full 80 minutes, he had scores of 128, 89, 74, 69 and 44 for an average of 80.8PPG. Now I’m not expecting that to last, but at $486k and available in the CTW, if he can average 55-60PPG he’ll be the Isaah Yeo of 2022.
Izack Tago is an absolute beast! You’ve heard me ramble on in previous years about the likes of Greg Marzhew, Sione Katoa, Daine Laurie, Stefano Utoikamanu and the like about their tackle busting and offloading ability… Well, Tago has ALL the traits to be a CTW keeper. Yes, I said keeper, not just a cheapie. Best offensive team in the competition, starting (hopefully) centre spot his own for good, and a game style made for KFC SuperCoach.
Momoisea and Howarth are placeholders, mind you, Howarth I’m VERY excited about if he were to get the opportunity at the Storm.
HALFBACK - TWO CHANGES
OUT: Shaun Johnson (NZL | $462,000) & Ezra Mam (BRO | $175,900)
IN: Mitch Moses (PAR | $511,100) & Brad Schneider (CBR | $188,700)
Lachlan Ilias (STH | $205,200) - shifted to five eighth.
Shaun Johnson is very much still in the mix for either this spot or the five-eighth slot, but Moses and the Eels looked irresistible in the thumping trial win over the Panthers. The NSW Origin halfback with the goal kicking in tow gets the Titans, Sharks, Storm, Dragons, Titans, Tigers, Knights, and Cowboys in the first eight weeks. Bar the Storm matchup, that’s literally all of the leakiest defences in the NRL.
The reality of the situation though? Is Cleary healthy after that significant off-season surgery? If yes, he’ll be in my team for round one as the PAY UP and absolutely worth every cent as the best at the position. If not, it’ll be Moses as the stepping stone to Cleary ASAP.
With the tragic knee injury to the Raiders’ big offseason signing Jamal Fogarty ruling him out for four months, up steps 21-year-old Brad Schneider to take the reigns, having made his debut off the bench late last season. This is exciting, and he should be in everyone’s team!
FIVE-EIGHTH - NO CHANGES
Jackson Hastings (WST | $350,700)
Ezra Mam (BRO | $175,400)
I flirted with the idea of spending the Nathan Cleary cash on Cody Walker or Cam Munster at this position, but ultimately I think along with Talatau Amone at the Dragons, this is a position (along with the CTW) where cheapies can score like ‘keepers’ and shoot up in price the quickest. For the sake of the story, I’m including Hastings in that equation after a long stint in the UK. With Douehi out until mid-season he should not only be solidified in the starting gig, but surely he gets the kicking duties ahead of Luke Brooks (despite Brooks kicking in the trial) — landing him undoubtedly as a $450k+ player with a 50PPG average in sight.
Ilias is an interesting one, as the clear favourite to take Adam Reynolds’ vacant No.7 jersey come round one. But with Latrell Mitchell suspended, Blake Taaffe (who had a very impressive finish to the 2021 season) will start at fullback for the opening round — the obvious concern is if we all start with Ilias and in round two Taaffe is in fact the one that shifts to halfback with Ilias making way. Hopefully not!
CTW - FOUR CHANGES
OUT: Kotoni Staggs (BRO | $433,100), Zac Lomax (STG | $496,800), Joseph Suaalii (SYD | $259,500) & Isaiah Tass (STH | $175,400)
IN: Brian To’o (PTH | $736,500), Xavier Coates (MEL | $358,400), Jordan Pereira (BRO | $266,500) & Tolutau Koula (MNL | $175,400)
Talatau Amone (STG | $284,500)
Will Penisini (PAR | $255,700)
Paul Alamoti (BUL | $175,400)
I said very clearly in version one of my team reveal that if the cheapies emerge, the first move I’ll be making is to upgrade one of these slots to Brian To’o who is THE number one at this position and worth paying up for. Reuben Garrick is right there with him, but I simply can’t pass up the chance to have the base of a stud in the 2RF, with the upside of the best attacking team in the competition. If Nathan Cleary isn’t named for round one I will likely shift back down to Zac Lomax who I also LOVE the value of.
Xavier Coates also comes in to the Crusaders’ lineup, after the ease with which he scored in the trial last weekend, and the ceiling that ‘The Foxx’ showed on that left wing for the Storm I think we will see the young Queenslander around the $450k-$500k mark very quickly.
Amone, Penisini and Pereira are all seemingly favourites for their respective roles, and should allow me to rotate two to start each week based off matchups. Sean Russell, Billy Smith, Viliami Vailea and Joseph Suaalii are also in the mix depending how TLT falls. Alamoti and Koula are placeholders for now. Both are incredible talents if given an opportunity they should be straight into our teams.
FLB - ONE CHANGE
OUT: Ryan Papenhuyzen (MEL | $694,700)
IN: James Tedesco (SYD | $760,100)
Tom Trbojevic (MNL | $1,256,100)
The DREAM DUO back together. It’s only cost me a fat $2,000,000.
I asked myself a question towards the end of last season when Turbo was looking at a 100+PPG average (ridiculous behaviour!), and that was, is there EVER a time where Turbo is fit, and playing in the NRL where you can afford to not own him in KFC SuperCoach — irrelevant of price? My answer was no, I don’t think you can. Injuries may happen, and of course the tough start with the Panthers and Roosters in the opening two rounds is something to consider, but one thing is for sure. If you don’t start with Turbo you will NOT own him at any point before the Origin period. You simply won’t have enough cash to manoeuvre even getting from Tedesco to Turbo even hypothetically after three or four bad games.
Ryan Papenhuyzen presents far too much value for money to look past if named for round one (but at this point that is looking extremely unlikely!). Health permitting, Pap should absolutely be an $800k+ and 80PPG+ averaging player. James Tedesco is the other standout option, so until TLT I’ve found the money to lock in the dream duo.
I do want to highlight two other players, who are very much in my sights. Had it not been for suspension I would 100% be starting with Latrell Mitchell in my side. He’s also my safety net for a Turbo/Pap/Teddy injury inside the first three rounds, as I think with the goal kicking for the Rabbitohs and motivation on missing the finals series last year he could join the elite crop and is very much underpriced. The other one is Nicho Hynes, who killed it in the NRL All-Stars match. He’s a watch for me to see if he gets the goal kicking duties for the Sharks (Trindall kicked ahead of him in the All-Stars which rang the alarm bells!).
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Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL: Trent Copeland picks top tier talent
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