NRL SuperCoach teams analysis round 17

THE cheapie of the week has emerged and the news, strangely, is mostly good on the teams front.

THE cheapie of the week has emerged and the news, strangely, is mostly good on the teams front.

WINNERS

* Viliame Kikau - Named for the Panthers despite a bad cork to the knee last week.

* Tevita Pangai Jnr - Returns from a rib cartilage injury, but relegated to the Brisbane bench.

* Joseph Tapine - Named for the Raiders despite a heavy head knock last week.

* Reimis Smith - Cheapie of the week and by far the most purchased player following a brilliant 84.

* Lachlan Lewis - Another decent downgrade option after scoring 35 on debut, including 29 tackles — almost unheard of for a half.

* Ryan James - Named 18th man for the Blues but will be released for the Titans unless there is an injury in NSW camp.

* Anthony Milford - Free to play for the Broncos after missing the Origin bench spot vacated by Kalyn Ponga (hamstring).

Reimis Smith is the cheapie of the week. Picture: Richard Dobson

LOSERS

* Kalyn Ponga - Out for 3-4 weeks with a hamstring issue and therefore the most sold player this week.

* Tohu Harris - Ruled out for up to six weeks with a knee injury and therefore the third most sold player.

* Corey Oates - The much-talked-about POD was named for the Maroons as a replacement for Greg Inglis (broken thumb) and is therefore unavailable for the Broncos.

* Enari Tuala and Te Marie Martin - The popular North Queensland cheapies have made their cash and miss this week due to the bye. Time to cash in.

* Damien Cook, Jai Arrow, James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic, Jake Trbojevic, Martin Taupau, Andrew Fifita, Blake Ferguson, Esan Marsters - Among a long list of SuperCoach superstars unavailable this week due to Origin or the bye.

Damien Cook is one of a host of SuperCoach guns on Origin duty.

STORM V DRAGONS

Thursday 5 July, AAMI Park, 7.50pm

Storm: 1 Young Tonumaipea, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Cheyse Blair, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Justin Olam, 6 Ryley Jacks, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 8 Christian Welch, 9 Cameron Smith, 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11 Joe Stimson, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 13 Kenny Bromwich

Interchange: 14 Brandon Smith, 15 Tui Kamikamica, 16 Patrick Kaufusi, 17 Brodie Croft

Reserves: 18 Scott Drinkwater, 19 Lachlan Lam, 20 Albert Vete, 21 Sandor Earl

Team news: Billy Slater, Josh Addo-Carr, Will Chambers, Cameron Munster, Felise Kaufusi and Tim Glasby are on Origin duty. Young Tonumaipea will play fullback for Slater. Justin Olam scores the wing spot of Addo-Carr. Cheyse Blair replaces Chambers at centre. Ryley Jacks comes into the halves for Munster with Brodie Croft added to the bench. Christian Welch starts at prop for Glasby.

SuperCoach analysis: Lock in Cameron Smith as VC in one of the only weeks this year where the loophole gives two genuine bites at the captaincy cherry. Joe Stimson is set to play 80 minutes on the edge once again and he’s therefore a decent downgrade option, albeit significantly above bottom dollar at $274,000. That said, he probably won’t “nuff out” in later rounds and therefore looms as an auto emergency nightmare heading forward.

Dragons: 1 Matt Dufty, 2 Nene Macdonald, 3 Euan Aitken, 4 Tim Lafai, 5 Kurt Mann, 6 Gareth Widdop (c), 7 Darren Nicholls, 8 James Graham, 9 Cameron McInnes, 10 Leeson Ah Mau, 11 Jacob Host, 12 Luciano Leilua, 13 Blake Lawrie

Interchange: 14 Jeremy Latimore, 15 Jason Nightingale, 16 Hame Sele, 17 Reece Robson

Reserves: 18 Patrick Herbert, 19 Jai Field, 20 Jordan Pereira, 21 Mitchell Allgood

Team news: Ben Hunt, Paul Vaughan, Jack De Belin, Tyson Frizell and Tariq Sims are on Origin duty. Hunt is replaced in the halves by Darren Nicholls. Leeson Ah Mau (rested following Denver Test) returns at starting prop for Vaughan. Blake Lawrie starts at lock for De Belin. Jacob Host retains his spot on the edge in place of Frizell. Sims is replaced in the starting pack by Luciano Leilua. Hame Sele and Reece Robson join the bench.

SuperCoach analysis: Matt Dufty is the fourth most purchased player as SuperCoaches rush to sell Ponga. I’m not a Ponga owner, but personally I’d prefer to play a number short this week and wait for Tom Trbojevic or James Tedesco next week. Euan Aitken is the third most purchased player following 85 last week, with SuperCoaches looking to offload the likes of Sione Katoa and Enari Tuala, who have peaked in price and should be cashed in. Gareth Widdop is the sixth most purchased player as SuperCoaches move on Te Marie Martin and Johnathan Thurston. Widdop has scored the most points of any five-eighth in SuperCoach, but the six-round average under 50 hardly screams “buy me”.

Kurt Mann (21) flopped last week as the most purchased player and he remains on the wing this week after the Dragons handed a debut to mature-age halfback Darren Nicholls. Jacob Host and Blake Lawrie have again scored spots in the 17 and are therefore strong downgrade options with potential to “nuff out” when Origin players return. Lawrie scored at a very commendable 1.2 PPM last week, all in base, and has been named to start at lock this week, making him the round’s best nuff option. Host played 54 minutes last week and starts again this week for Frizell on the right edge.

PANTHERS V WARRIORS

Friday 6 July, Panthers Stadium, 7.55pm

Panthers: 1 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 2 Christian Crichton, 3 Waqa Blake, 4 Dean Whare, 5 Tyrone Phillips, 6 Tyrone May, 7 Jarome Luai, 8 Trent Merrin, 9 Sione Katoa, 10 James Tamou, 11 Viliame Kikau, 12 Isaah Yeo (c), 13 James Fisher-Harris

Interchange: 14 Wayde Egan, 15 Corey Harawira-Naera, 16 Jack Hetherington, 17 Moses Leota

Reserves: 18 Caleb Aekins, 19 Kaide Ellis, 20 Liam Martin, 21 Corey Waddell

Team news: Nathan Cleary, James Maloney and Tyrone Peachey are on Origin duty. Jarome Luai and Tyrone May form a new-look halves combination in place of Cleary and Maloney. Peachey is replaced at centre by the returning Waqa Blake (ankle). Corey Harawira-Naera (groin) returns on the bench for Kaide Ellis. Viliame Kikau (knee) has been cleared of serious injury and named to start.

SuperCoach analysis: 42,500 SuperCoach eyeballs will be focussed on whether Viliame Kikau (knee) makes the final side on game day. Kaide Ellis has bowed out of nuff contention after missing the 17.

Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2 David Fusitu’a, 3 Peta Hiku, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Isaiah Papali’i, 12 Simon Mannering, 13 Adam Blair

Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Tevita Satae, 16 Ligi Sao, 17 Gerard Beale

Reserves: 18 Joseph Vuna, 20 Karl Lawton, 21 Sam Lisone, 22 Mason Lino

Team news: Tohu Harris (knee) and Bunty Afoa (elbow) are out for up to six weeks. Simon Mannering moves to the right edge of Harris, while Adam Blair makes a timely return from suspension at lock. Ligi Sao replaces Afoa on the bench. David Fusitu’a and Ken Maumalo return from injury. Gerard Beale moves to the bench, while Anthony Gelling returns to ISP.

SuperCoach analysis: Tohu Harris is a sell after being ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is the second most purchased player as SuperCoaches look to offload Ponga. But as with Dufty above, I’d prefer to play a number short this week and wait for Tom Trbojevic or James Tedesco next week. Shaun Johnson is the seventh most purchased player and an absolute must-have, averaging 15 more points than the next best active halfback in Daly Cherry-Evans. Isaiah Papalii has snuck under the radar to become one of the forward cheapies of the year, making $202,900 so far and regularly playing 80 minutes.

BULLDOGS V RAIDERS

Saturday 7 July, Belmore Sports Ground, 7.35pm

Bulldogs: 1 Will Hopoate, 2 Brett Morris, 3 Kerrod Holland, 4 Marcelo Montoya, 5 Reimis Smith, 6 Lachlan Lewis, 7 Jeremy Marshall-King, 8 Aiden Tolman, 9 Michael Lichaa, 10 Danny Fualalo, 11 Josh Jackson (c), 12 Rhyse Martin, 13 Adam Elliott

Interchange: 14 Fa’amanu Brown, 15 Clay Priest, 16 Ofahiki Ogden, 17 Greg Eastwood

Reserves: 18 Asipeli Fine, 19 Matthew Frawley, 20 Francis Tualau, 21 Josh Morris

Team news: Cheapies Reimies Smith, Kerrod Holland and Lachlan Lewis retain their spots and are all decent options this week. Danny Fualalo starts for David Klemmer (Origin). No sign of popular cheapie John Olive.

SuperCoach analysis: Reimis Smith is the purchased player this week, much to the frustration of those who jumped on John Olive for his “job security”. Smith produced a brilliant 84 — including a try, two try assists and two linebreaks — and emphatically passed the eye test. Lachlan Lewis is also a decent downgrade option in the halves after scoring 35 on debut, including 29 tackles — almost unheard of for a half.

While falling slightly short of “Corey Parker 2.0” predictions, Canterbury’s mature-age rookie Rhyse Martin is now a serious keeper for the run home after assuming goalkicking from the departed Moses Mbye, scoring the plum role ahead of accomplished sharpshooter Kerrod Holland. Martin’s 24 points in goals (no misses) was a welcome addition to his weekend score, as was the 80 minutes. However, Martin’s workrate in the thrashing of the Knights was considerably down on past output, scoring just 39 in base.

Raiders: 1 Brad Abbey, 2 Nick Cotric, 3 Jarrod Croker (c), 4 Joseph Leilua, 5 Michael Oldfield, 6 Sam Williams, 7 Aidan Sezer, 8 Dunamis Lui, 9 Josh Hodgson, 10 Shannon Boyd, 11 Joseph Tapine, 12 Elliott Whitehead, 13 Siliva Havili

Interchange: 14 Blake Austin, 15 Junior Paulo, 16 Liam Knight, 17 Iosia Soliola

Reserves: 18 Jack Murchie, 19 Charlie Gubb, 20 Royce Hunt, 21 Craig Garvey

Team news: Blake Austin drops back to the bench with Sam Williams earning a recall in the halves. Junior Paulo returns on the bench with Siliva Havili to start at lock. Joe Tapine has been named to start after copping a head knock against Brisbane last week.

SuperCoach analysis: Brad Abbey would be a cheapie option this week if not for the emergence of Reimis Smith. Joseph Tapine is on track to play after a heavy head knock last week. Jarrod Croker remains a safe purchase at CTW despite a 37 last week.

TITANS V BRONCOS

Sunday 8 July, Cbus Super Stadium, 4.10pm

Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Dale Copley, 4 Brenko Lee, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 AJ Brimson, 7 Ashley Taylor, 8 Jack Stockwell, 9 Nathan Peats, 10 Ryan James (c), 11 Kevin Proctor, 12 Will Matthews, 13 Keegan Hipgrave

Interchange: 14 Mitch Rein, 15 Morgan Boyle, 16 Konrad Hurrell, 17 Moeaki Fotuaika

Reserves: 18 Leilani Latu, 19 Kane Elgey, 20 Ryan Simpkins, 21 Brendan Elliott

Team news: Jack Stockwell and Will Matthews start for Origin pairing Jai Arrow and Jarrod Wallace. Konrad Hurrell and Morgan Boyle come onto the bench.

SuperCoach analysis: Ryan James is the ninth most purchased player, with Andrew Fifita to James the 10th most popular trade of the week. James has been named 18th man for the Blues but will be released for the Titans unless there is an injury in NSW camp. AJ Brimson gets one more week in the Sangster’s Paradise squad before being sold to Nathan Cleary.

Broncos: 1 Darius Boyd (c), 2 Jonus Pearson, 3 Tom Opacic, 4 Jordan Kahu, 5 Jamayne Isaako, 6 Anthony Milford, 7 Kodi Nikorima, 8 Matthew Lodge, 9 Jake Turpin, 10 Sam Thaiday, 17 Alex Glenn, 12 Jaydn Su’A, 13 Joe Ofahengaue

Interchange: 14 Patrick Mago, 15 Tevita Pangai Jnr, 16 Korbin Sims, 17 Kotoni Staggs

Reserves: 18 Patrick Carrigan, 19 David Fifita, 20 Sam Tagataese, 21 Sam Scarlett

Team news: In a major to blow to owners Tevita Pangai Jnr makes his return from injury off the bench, although it’s better than missing the side altogether. Jonus Pearson and Tom Opacic replace Corey Oates and James Roberts (both Origin) in the backline. Jake Turpin starts at hooker and would be a great nuff option if the majority of SuperCoaches hadn’t already locked in Damien Cook and Cameron Smith. Kotoni Staggs returns from injury and will give those who held a few valuable points, although presumably minimal.

SuperCoach analysis: Long suffering Anthony Milford owners finally have some good news. The Milf cracked his highest score of the year last week (despite being on -2 at half time) and is free to play for the Broncos this week after missing the Origin bench spot vacated by Kalyn Ponga (hamstring). Tevita Pangai Jnr’s demotion to the bench is a blow, but at least he’s in the side after missing last week with a rib injury. He’s a potential sell next week.

BYES: Eels, Sharks, Tigers, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Knights, Sea Eagles, Roosters

Originally published as NRL SuperCoach teams analysis round 17