NRL SuperCoach: How to navigate the CTW desert

In the real world of the NRL, Queensland is overflowing with talented backline players. But in the definitely more important realm of SuperCoach, the dam is running dry.

Each week, Alex Strachan looks at the Queenslanders who can help you towards SuperCoach glory — all with a guilt-free conscious. This week he looks at the troublesome CTW position.

IN the real world of the NRL, Queensland is overflowing with talented backline players.

But in the definitely more important realm of SuperCoach, the dam is running dry.

It’s not that there aren’t any players that can help you out, it’s that there aren’t very many that you want in your team at the start of the season — when you should be targeting the odd gun or mid-ranger and plenty of cheapies.

And that’s where the problem lays — cheapies. There’s just not a lot of ‘em who are from Queensland.

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Greg Inglis’s preseason knee injury is worrying news. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

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Still, the CTW position in general is a crapshoot (anyone who says they predicted one half of the Vodka Cruiser Crew aka Blake Ferguson to be at the top the CTW rankings last year is a straight-out liar) and there are a few tasty morsels out there that can satiate your hunger for SuperCoach success.

Guns

Corey Oates (Broncos) — $504,000

With Valentine Holmes (R.I.P.) now running around a field in Florida, Corey Oates is the highest ranked Queensland eligible player in the CTW position. But what really intrigues me here is if Anthony Seibold can get the Broncos left side attack firing like he did with the Rabbitohs. A perfectly average Robert Jennings scored 56.8PPG last year, so what can the big Maroons winger do?

Corey Oates getting primed for a big season (of SuperCoach). Picture: Peter Wallis

Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs) CTW |FLB — $469,000

A week can be a long time in SuperCoach, even in preseason. With talk of a move back to fullback (where he has regularly averaged 60PPG), I was looking at the Maroons captain as a sneaky early season POD. Reports he will miss the opening two rounds with a knee injury and weight issues changes that. I’m still adding him to my watch list, but there has to be concerns over whether he can stay on the pitch for his final two seasons.

Mid-rangers

Kurt Capewell (Sharks) CTW|2RF — $340,200

The Sharks utility will be like manna from heaven for SuperCoaches this season. With Ramien, Leutele, and Lee at different clubs, Luke Lewis retired and Wade Graham injured, the Sharks utility could go from sub to an 80-minute role at second row or in the centres, and will be dual position to boot. Get him in.

More opportunities for Kurt Capewell mean more SuperCoach points. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Dane Gagai (Rabbitohs) — $475,900

When you watch Gagai in Origin, you wonder how’s he not a SuperCoach great. On his day he has everything you want — offloads, tackle busts and tries. But delve deeper into the numbers and he only scored three tries last season and only once has averaged more than 55PPG in a season: in his second year in the NRL. Unless Wayne Bennett can coax something extra out of his game, he’s a no-go.

Cheapies

Corey Allan (Rabbitohs) CTW| FLB — $168,100

The potential loss of Inglis in the opening rounds could be just the opportunity the highly rated youngster needs to crack into the Souths team.

Kurt Mann (Knights) CTW|HOK — $258,900

More often used as a sub in his final season at the Dragons (bad), Mann has been earmarked as starting hooker after signing with the Knights (good). If he gets handed the No. 9 jersey, get him in your team.

Kurt Mann has moved from the Dragons’ bench to a starting spot with the Knights. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Gehamat Shibasaki (Broncos) — $196,900, Bernard Lewis (Roosters) — 168,100; Dan Russell (Cowboys) — 168,100; Javid Bowen (Cowboys) — $196,900; Tom Opacic (Cowboys) — $245,200; Marion Seve (Storm) — $168,100; Tristan Sailor (Dragons) — $168,000; Lachlan Maranta (Dragons) — $181,100; Jonus Pearson (Dragons) — $255,500; Brendan Elliot (Sea Eagles) — $233,100

You never know what preseason can bring but right now this mix of promising youngsters and cast-offs will be watching from the stands when Round 1 kicks off. Here’s hoping some of them can crack a 17 before then.

Avoid

Dale Copley (Titans) — $403,800

Every season the Copley mirage appears, luring thirsty SuperCoaches searching for that breakthrough mid-ranger in the CTW desert. Sure, you might wander into the occasional 63-point performance along the way, but that score of 18 is always coming over the horizon.

Will Chambers (Storm) — $378,100

The Maroons and Kangaroos centre was once a very handy SuperCoach CTW, regularly averaging in the mid-50s. But his scores in 2018 (40.4PPG) fell off like he did whenever he tried to tackle Latrell Mitchell last year.

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Dale Copley scores for the Titans but nor for your SuperCoach team. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

The Rest

Kyle Feldt — $457,700; Gideon Gela-Mosby $381,800; Ben Hampton — $360,300; Nene MacDonald $451,800; Justin O’Neill $336,000; Enari Tuala — $338,700

The Cowboys have re-upped their backline, but everyone seems overpriced. With Opacic and Bowen also in contention, it could take a while before Paul Green figures out what to do with this lot. Stay away, for now.

Brenko Lee — $491,900; Phillip Sami — $445,500

Lee has averaged a deceptively good 55PPG over the last two seasons but will struggle to make the 17 after the Titans’ recruiting drive picked up Tyrone Peachey and Brian Kelly. Sami showed he could knock out some big scores last year but at that price I want him nowhere near my team to start the season.

Hymel Hunt (Knights) — $320,200; Edrick Lee (Knights) — $462,000; Corey Thompson (Tigers) CTW|FLB — $413,600

Hunt in theory could be worth a flyer, but he struggled to break the 40-point barrier when he was getting chances with the Rabbitohs in 2017. There are better options out there.

Originally published as NRL SuperCoach: How to navigate the CTW desert