SuperCoach NRL 2024 sneak peek: Kalyn Ponga biggest loser as key prices and positions revealed
We finally have a sneak peek at prices and positions for SuperCoach 2024 and reigning Dally M medallist Kalyn Ponga looms as one of the biggest losers.
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Prices and positions are in for SuperCoach 2024 and reigning Dally M medallist Kalyn Ponga looms as one of the biggest losers.
Despite playing five games at five-eighth last season, Ponga has lost dual position status and is available at fullback only.
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The new salary cap is $11.65m, up from last year’s $11.45m, which is in line with the actual NRL salary cap.
Below are the winners, losers, notable mentions and no-go’s.
WINNERS
Melbourne Storm’s fullback
We’re all but certain to get a bargain in the No.1 jersey at the Storm. After a horror season with injury, Ryan Papenhuyzen (FLB $645,600) will get first dibs if fit. Pap produced one of the great SuperCoach seasons in 2022 and therefore started last year at a massive $950,000. But he’s scored a discount of over $300,000 this season after playing just two regular season games – one off the bench for 18 minutes and the other starting for 78 minutes.
While Pap will no doubt be popular at the price, he does come with a huge injury warning and word out of the Storm suggests he may be held back for the opening rounds. Which brings us to young gun Sua Faalogo (FLB/CTW $339,000). He produced a brilliant debut in round 27 and went on to star in two Tests for Samoa. While he starts a fair way above bottom dollar, he still represents serious value given his billing as a generational player. Faalogo’s arrival and Papenhuyzen’s impending recovery means Nick Meaney almost certainly shifts permanently to the centres and he’s therefore a no-go.
Canberra’s five-eighth
Just like the battle for Storm’s fullback spot, SuperCoaches are all-but guaranteed a bargain at five-eighth for the Raiders. Jack Wighton has left the club and former Manly X-factor Kaeo Weekes (FLB/5-8 $273,400) is the early favourite. Weekes showed flashes of brilliance at the Sea Eagles last season – including 68 in 27 minutes against the Knights – but comes in well-underpriced after averaging just 45 minutes per game.
The other main contender is young gun Ethan Strange (5-8/CTW, $238,900), who starts at cheapie price after playing only one NRL game. Our teams guru Paul Crawley is tipping Weekes to get first crack at No. 6 with Strange in the centres, and Sebastian Kris at fullback. Translation: We may even end up with TWO backline cheapies at the Raiders with Weekes and Strange in the same side.
Viliame Kikau (2RF $468,500)
Big Billy Kiks starts extremely cheap after injury limited him to just nine games last season. He is priced on an average of 45.89, which is down due to a serious pectoral issue. He has averaged as high as 65 in the past and never below 58 in the last half-decade. Yes, the Bulldogs are hardly the attacking powerhouse of the Panthers, but he still has decent room for improvement.
Jayden Brailey (HOK $330,000)
The Newcastle rake starts at borderline cheapie price after a season ruined by an ACL injury, the second of his career. We eagerly await news on how Brailey’s recovery is tracking but there’s huge potential there given he was a picture of consistency over his last three seasons prior to last year’s aberration, averaging 58, 59 and 58.
*** MORE SUPERCOACH CONTENT ***
– Best rookie and cheapie at every club
– Winners, losers from off-season player movement
– Key positional battles and best 17 at every club
LOSERS
Kalyn Ponga (FLB $892,800)
Last year’s SuperCoach must-have has lost dual position status. Ponga started five games at five-eighth at the start of last season in what could be considered a failed experiment. The chances of him playing in the No. 6 jersey this year are next to nothing after storming home to the Dally M medal at fullback, so he’s been deemed fullback only for SuperCoach 2024. While the positioning is not ideal, he could still be considered underpriced given his worth is based on a season average of 87.44, yet he averaged 109 once moving to fullback.
Tohu Harris (2RF $680,000)
The ever-consistent Warrior has lost FRF status after starting every match at lock last year.
Corey Horsburgh (2RF $633,000)
Horse was a revelation in both SuperCoach and NRL last season, averaging 62 and making his Origin debut. However, he loses dual status after failing to play prop at all last season.
Sunia Turuva (CTW $518,900)
Last year’s popular cheapie loses fullback status after starting every game on the wing in 2023.
THE ‘TOO EXPENSIVE’ CLUB
The following young guns are red-hot in many of the forums after nice cameos last season, but have been priced too high to consider.
Zac Laybutt (CTW $465,600) – Cowboys
Thomas Jenkins (CTW $602,800) – Knights
Deine Mariner (CTW $569,700) – Broncos
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (CTW $539,600)
At first glance, the returning superstar is well-priced with his worth based on an average of approximately 52. He’s averaged 71 in the past so that could be considered unders. However, that figure doesn’t quite ring true given he’s averaged 58 other than that one big season. Those scores were also at fullback where he got plenty of ball. But he is expected to play centre this season at the Warriors and will therefore see less of the pill.
Bronson Xerri (CTW $345,100)
The Canterbury recruit returns from a four-year drugs ban at essentially a 40 per cent discount on his previous season average.
AJ Brimson (FLB $587,100)
Tough one. Des Hasler is keeping his cards close to his chest on Brimson, with suggestions he could play fullback, centre or five-eighth. We’ve added him as fullback only as that’s where he played all but one match last year. We can always add positions but can’t take them away, so have left his final position open and will add ahead of launch or round one once we get a clearer idea.
Joseph Manu (CTW $652,400)
Manu is CTW only but could easily end up at five-eighth (where he played six games last year) or fullback (where he played four games last year). We’ll keep his final position up our sleeve for closer to season kick-off.
Stephen Crichton (CTW $649,600)
Will he play centre or fullback at the Bulldogs? We have no idea and Cameron Ciraldo probably doesn’t know either. We’ve therefore named him at CTW and can add FLB later.
Zac Lomax (CTW $630,500)
Another watch-this-space player. There’s talk Lomax will play fullback at the Dragons but the man himself says he’s keen on playing five-eighth. He played all games at centre last year so we’ve kept that as his only position and can add another later.
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Originally published as SuperCoach NRL 2024 sneak peek: Kalyn Ponga biggest loser as key prices and positions revealed
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