NRL SuperCoach Champion’s Choice: Addin Fonua-Blake

Reigning SuperCoach champion Guy Feeney is back with a final left field player to consider for your squad before Team List Tuesday.

• Cheapie Bible: Bargains who will make or break your season

• NRL Physio: Casualty ward list from final NRL trials

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m back to give you a final left field player to consider before Team List Tuesday.

This article is focussed on a player who has been inconsistent but with a new coach and depth lacking on the bench he may be in for a breakout year or even just fill your pockets with some extra cash when you trade him.

Addin Fonua-Blake ($447,200)

Sea Eagles

FRF

Guy Feeney has his eye on Addin Fonua-Blake.

The fact he is an awkward price would put people off.

But the front row is a bit of a wasteland after Andrew Fifita and Martin Taupau.

You are essentially forced to take a punt on any mid-ranger and the rookies are generally a slow burn.

AFB has the potential to make some coin with the eye to turning him into his FRF partner Taupau a bit further down the track.

AFB has slowly seen an increase in minutes each of the last three years.

In 2016 he averaged 28 minutes a game with a point per minute (PPM) rate of 1.23.

He backed this up in 2017 with 35 minutes a game and a 0.98 PPM.

Last year he finished with 48 minutes a game and 0.99 PPM.

Looking at Des Hasler’s last two years at the Bulldogs, the 2016 and 2017 seasons, his starting front rowers got the following minutes:

Aiden Tolman

2016 – 60min

2017 – 62min

James Graham

2016 – 62min

2017 – 52min

MORE SUPERCOACH:

Full SuperCoach News section / Cheapie Bible / Predicted round one teams / Sangster’s team / Champ’s team / Wilfred’s team / Tallis’s team / Copes’ team / Huge rule change / Top 10 rookies in NRL

Considering Graham seemed intent on getting his head in the wrong areas in 2017, that may have factored into why his minutes dropped.

The latest predicted team for Manly has a bench of: Manase Fainu, Jack Gosiewski, Lloyd Perrett and Corey Waddell.

There is a solid argument that Des would like to see more minutes out of Fonua-Blake with a lot of inexperience set to replace him.

I think now at 23 with a few off-seasons under the belt he is ready to step up to the plate.

Big Marty is a tad up and down early in the season with his first five scores last year going 80, 62, 52, 56 and 47.

His score of 80, which is an outlier for those five games, saved him, giving him an average of 59.

This however, would see his price drop.

If Fonua-Blake rises and you cull a FRF cow to Payne Hass when he returns from his suspension, it’s feasible to then use that cash to turn Fonua-Blake into Marty.

If you started with Fifita you would then have your FRF set for the remainder of the season.

Originally published as NRL SuperCoach Champion’s Choice: Addin Fonua-Blake