NRL SuperCoach hipages Trade Comparison: Two best trades of round 20

LOOKING for some SuperCoach NRL trade advice? Our stable of experts nominate their two best acquisitions ahead of round 20.

LOOKING for some SuperCoach NRL — presented by hipages — trade advice? Our stable of experts nominate their two best acquisitions of the round.

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TRENT COPELAND

Cameron Munster ($556,300) AVG: 59.2PPG

I’m all about the halves this week, if you’ve held onto TMM, AJ Brimson or even guys like JT and Adam Reynolds then now is the time to pounce on the best in the business for the run home with Nathan Cleary or this man, Cameron Munster. The price tag is irrelevant when it comes to getting the ‘best’ but in this case $550k is a bargain for the Queensland Origin star leading the attack in the best team in the NRL. The 60PPG average doesn’t jump off the page, but scores of 78, 80, 80, 45, 69, 75, 98 and 14 (we’ll let him off just this once) before the bye illustrate a consistency coupled with upside that few halves can offer. Juicy match-ups with the Raiders, Eels and Titans over the next five weeks are very, very exciting.

James Tedesco ($562,400) AVG: 66.19PPG

OR

Tom Trbojevic ($545,100) AVG: 70.1PPG

Yep, I’m calling out all of you Ponga-holders (even if he in fact plays this week hammy’s are not fun), RTS experimenters or heaven forbid those 22,273 people who are still stuck with Peta Hiku in the reserve FLB slot. Kalyn Ponga has had a phenomenal year and I’m not taking anything away from what he’s done — but these two are the absolute cream of the crop and you HAVE to buy whichever one you don’t currently own.

In case you don’t believe me, Teddy has averaged 67.6PPG, 69.8PPG and 74.3PPG the past three seasons and is coming off the back of a 113-point bomb against the Sea Eagles. Turbo had been a touch ‘down on form’ for his standards, but he was the highest averaging player in ALL of SuperCoach last season, just pumped out 115 in a losing effort against the Roosters and is averaging 70.1PPG this year — the 5th highest in the game. Oh, did I mention the Sea Eagles play the Bulldogs and the Titans the first two weeks of the SuperCoach H2H finals … You won’t regret it.

Cody Walker of the Rabbitohs has been delivering for SuperCoach owners over the past five rounds. Picture: AAP Image

DAVE VON KOTZE

Cody Walker ($564,500)

Walker’s attacking flair makes him arguably one of the most entertaining players to watch and I would be lying if I said I haven’t regretted trading him out prior to round seventeen. He has a five game average of 75 which is the highest five-game average of any five-eighth in SuperCoach and could go massive against the Eels this weekend as he did in round fifteen when he posted 90 points. From a head-to-head finals perspective I also like his proven track record against his final four opponents of the SuperCoach season coming up against the Roosters (64), Broncos (71), Raiders (60) and the Tigers (64) who he has already put up solid scores against throughout the year.

Valentine Holmes ($620,300)

Lack of consistency has always led me to take a wide berth of Holmes but watching his recent stint at fullback has forced a change of opinion. He is super expensive, too expensive for me this week but he is more than passing the all-important eye test racking up attacking stats with ease despite being involved in the representative period with a recent five-game average of 77 at fullback. Once again looking towards head-to-head finals he will play his last three games of the year against the Cowboys (h), Knights (h) and Bulldogs (a) and Eleven per cent ownership also adds appeal to the trade.

Valentine Holmes of the Sharks is the hottest player at the CTW position right now. Picture: Getty Images

TIM WILLIAMS

Valentine Holmes ($620,300)

At $620,300 you’ll be paying overs for the Sharks’ winger turned fullback, but I do think it’s worth the cash. In his seven games since shifting to the number one jumper Holmes has averaged 76PPG, with just one score under 64 in that time. Holmes is coming into his own in the role and is developing a ball playing ability that enormously benefits his SuperCoach output. After this week’s clash with Brisbane the Sharks play: Manly (H), Melbourne (A), Cowboys (H), Knights (H), Bulldogs (A).

Esan Marsters ($517,000)

The Tigers centre seems an obvious choice, but despite this he hasn’t been poached by 71 per cent of coaches. Little needs to be said that we don’t already know, but here’s a quick recap. Marsters is the highest averaging CTW with 62.7PPG and hasn’t scored below 35 all season. Between his tackle breaking, offloading and goal kicking ability, Marsters has the best base stats in the position outside of an 80 minute Ryan Matterson (watch this space next week). Simply a must.

Nathan Cleary of the Panthers provides valuable cover in the halves. Picture: AAP Image

ROB SUTHERLAND

Nathan Cleary ($446,400) AVG: 53.9

Penrith’s young star bounced back to his best last week scoring 80 points in a losing effort against the Broncos. The foot injury to teammate James Maloney saw Cleary resume goalkicking duties and that was the stat plenty of SuperCoaches were waiting on before they hit the trade button. A bargain at the price, Cleary provides valuable cover for a misfiring Shaun Johnson and is currently owned in less than 10% of teams. You could wait a week on this one as Cleary has a highish BE and the Sea Eagles have been defending halves well. This would give you another week to be certain the goalkicking duties have been retained.

Cody Walker ($564,500) — AVG: 60.1PPG

South Sydney five-eighth Cody Walker is in some red hot form right now with a 5RA of 75.8 and he tore apart the Eels in with three linebreak assists, two try assists, a linebreak and more in a superb game that netted him 90 points. Still owned by less than 15% of teams, Walker costs about the same as Melbourne’s Cameron Munster and is in far better form — despite what my learned colleague Trent Copeland says above!

Originally published as NRL SuperCoach hipages Trade Comparison: Two best trades of round 20