NRL SuperCoach: 10 things we learned from 2018 season
CARTY Party gate crashed, Valentine Holmes proves the difference, bargain buys emerge for 2019.
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NRL SUPERCOACH 2018 has been run and won. Tom Sangster looks at the 10 things we learned.
1 Valentine Holmes proves the difference
If you didn’t finish with Holmes, did you even SuperCoach? The Cronulla fullback was the most crucial purchase of the year. He averaged 87 from round 10 onwards, including a final five-round average of exactly 100.
However, Holmes’ ownership only rose above 20 per cent in the final two weeks, meaning he was a POD for most of his crazy run. Every top 10 SuperCoach, who collected $63,000 between them, finished with Holmes and he no doubt decided plenty of cash leagues.
2 Damien Cook buy of year
Once upon a time, not that long ago, Cook was the understudy to Robbie Farah at South Sydney. Fast forward six months and Cook has not only overtaken Farah, but also ousted Cameron Smith from his decade-long reign as the best hooker in SuperCoach.
Breakout seasons don’t come any better. Cook already has an Origin title (and was unlucky not to be named player of the series) and may end the year with a Dally M Medal, premiership ring and Smith’s Kangaroos jumper. All this from a player who started the SuperCoach season at just $378,100, owned by only 32,000. He doubled both figures over the year and finished with the most points of any player.
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3 Viliame Kikau cheapie of year
Billy Kicks shaded a crack field to emerge as the best bargain buy of 2018. Coming into the season just above bottom dollar at $192,800, Kikau peaked at almost $600,000. He is one of just two players this season to make the elusive leap from cheapie to keeper, ending with the fourth most points of any FRF and 18th most points of any player.
Hot on Kikau’s heels was Canterbury’s mature-age rookie Rhyse Martin, who produced the seventh highest average of any player and was a must for 17s since his debut in round nine. However, although Martin averaged more than Kikau, he missed “cheapie of the year” honours because he played only 14 games to Kikau’s 23.
An honourable mention goes to Jamayne Isaako, who scored the ninth most points of any CTW and rose by almost $330,000.
4 Esan Marsters comes from nowhere to dominate CTW
The Wests Tigers centre started the year as an unknown, selected by less than one per cent of teams. He finished as the second most popular CTW at 32 per cent ownership, achieving by far the biggest ownership rise of any player.
Coupling barely-believable base stats with the goalkicking, Marsters proved himself the safest SuperCoach centre in the game as others yo-yoed around him. While rivals relied on hard-to-come-by attacking stats, Marsters scored just three tries for the season. It is likely the best base stat season ever produced by a CTW.
5 Bryce Cartwright disappointment of season
The Titans recruit started the year as the most popular player, owned by half of SuperCoaches. However, from the outset it became apparent his allergy to tackling had — somehow — worsened with the move to the Gold Coast. He went on to produce an average of just 24.7 and actually LOST money, despite starting as a cheapie.
A dishonourable mention also goes to Tim Lafai, who finished ninth of all players last year with an average of 64.8, but finished 88th this year with an average of 44.8.
6 Turbo wins battle of fullbacks
It was one of the biggest questions of the pre-season — with only two slots at fullback, which pair do you choose between Kalyn Ponga, Tom Trbojevic and James Tedesco? Ponga and Tedesco were by far the most popular purchases, meaning Tommy Turbo slipped under the radar as a POD for a player of his pedigree, starting in just 18 per cent of teams.
Despite a sickening concussion in the final round, Turbo went on to win the battle of the fullbacks, scoring the third most points of any player ahead of Tedesco (fourth) and Ponga (30th). Of course, the result could have been a whole lot different but for Ponga missing four rounds through injury.
7 Sea Eagles dominate SuperCoach despite finishing second last
Struggling teams are often the best teams for SuperCoach because they rely on a core group of players. For example, Newcastle were a SuperCoach gold mine over their three wooden spoons.
However, the Sea Eagles have taken the Knights’ mantle in 2018 with Jake Trbojevic (second), Tom Trbojevic (third), Martin Taupau (eighth) and Daly Cherry-Evans (11th) all finishing high on the overall points tally. The Sea Eagles also produced an under-the-radar cheapie in Manase Fainu, who made a massive $320,000 in just nine games, while Shaun Lane finished with the 12th best five-game average of any player.
8 Dragon wagon grinds to halt
St George Illawarra were the form team for more than half the season, winning 12 of 15 to start the year. However, they went on to win just three more games and slump to seventh. The severe dip in form transferred directly to SuperCoach.
Centre Euan Aitken averaged 61.4 over the first 15 games and was at one point considered an Origin bolter. He finished with a five-game average of 34. Likewise, Gareth Widdop averaged 65 over the opening 15 rounds, but finished with a five-game average of 43.6. The Dragons simply ran out of puff.
9 Old warhorses ride into the sunset
Paul Gallen, Simon Mannering and Johnathan Thurston — all SuperCoach Immortals. Gallen is arguably the greatest SuperCoach player of all time, having topped the overall twice (including last year) and finishing top 10 a massive six times.
Mannering finished sixth last year and has four top 10s. Thurston is, put simply, the best playmaker in SuperCoach history. Sadly, all three descended into SuperCoach irrelevance this year.
Gallen finished 59th overall, with his aging body only able to manage 59 minutes per game compared to an average of 70 in the last three years. Mannering slumped to 113th, with his average game time dropping from 75 minutes to 63. Thurston had a late-season surge, but by then the damage was done, sold by 34,000 SuperCoaches over the season.
10 Talent emerges for next year
* Cronulla young gun Kyle Flanagan will start near bottom dollar after scoring just 38 in his one and only game. However, he emphatically passed the eye test and had a hand in a few tries without getting an assist. Kicks goals.
* Dragons back Zac Lomax had a strong debut in the final round, but should stay relatively cheap due to two disallowed tries. A path to first grade is open with Jason Nightingale to retire.
* Melbourne youngster Jahrome Hughes is set to take over from Billy Slater at fullback next year, but will start dual position after playing six games at halfback.
* Kalyn Ponga had a brilliant first full season in the NRL and may also be dual position next year, with talk he may move to five-eighth.
* Warriors utility Nathaniel Roache missed the season due to a back injury but could start at hooker next year if Issac Luke leaves.
* Kurt Capewell played mostly off the bench this year and will therefore start cheap, but could walk into the Cronulla starting side next year either in the forwards or backs, with Luke Lewis, Ricky Leutele, Jesse Ramien and Edrick Lee leaving.
* Rabbitohs young gun Cameron Murray could play big minutes at lock with Angus Crichton moving to the Roosters and Sam Burgess set to play edge.
Originally published as NRL SuperCoach: 10 things we learned from 2018 season
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