KFC SuperCoach NRL 2022: 11 things we learned from final week of NRL trials

Forget the hype, rumours and pre-season whispers — the real trial matches are done and dusted and this is what KFC SuperCoaches need to know.

All the trials for 2022 are in the rear window, and the countdown to kickoff for Round 1 gets closer each day.

Another round of trial footy (still ongoing) has shown us plenty about this season, so let’s check out what we learned.

1 To Turbo or not to Turbo?

It’s the $1,256,100 question and one that will continue to be hotly debated. For the record, I’ve been firmly in the “no Turbo” camp since the prices were released, just due to the disparity in price tag between Turbo and the next best options who may close the gap in averages significantly this season.

With his score revealed to be only 32 (albeit not from an 80 minute game), it shows that just one game could have a significant impact on his price tag given the lofty heights and standards that Turbo has set for himself after his 2021 season. To be fair though, he was not far off from crashing over for a potential 30-35 point play (try, line break, hit-up over eight metres and multiple tackle busts) but in a game as tightly contested as the NRL, it’s still a LOT of money to risk.

Tom Trbojevic “only” scored 32 points (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

2 Tolutau Koula is ascending the depth chart quickly

Koula is an exciting prospect earmarked as a potential replacement for Turbo at fullback, but he was given a chance at playing centre in this game and was more than serviceable. With the incumbent in Morgan Harper dealing with injury suffered in the All Stars game, plus having a questionable finals series where he was repeatedly exposed in defence, Koula is certainly nipping at his heels as well as the heels of the other members of the backline for a starting jersey. It may not happen Round 1 but I wouldn’t write it off entirely either! One to definitely keep an eye on throughout this season.

3 The Raiders continue to frustrate for KFC SuperCoach purposes

They demonstrated a renewed defensive intensity and shutdown the most potent attacking player in the game. The ‘Green Brick Wall’ was on full display and that’s great – but for KFC SuperCoach, the Raiders continue to make it impossible to start with many of their players. Whether it’s uncertainty of the minutes played, the constant adjustments to their role (even Origin players get benched for ‘rotation’ purposes) and while potentially good coaching, adjustments to starting/bench players based off form is an absolute nightmare for SuperCoaches. It may be that the simplest answer is to avoid all Raiders players for KFC SuperCoach purposes!

4 The Roosters backline is still unclear

This genuinely feels like a “TLT” answer, who lines up at left centre and who lines up on the right wing? You may assume it’s Paul Momirovski and Kevin Naiqama but do they stay there? We saw Momirovski start the trial at right centre (with Manu playing five-eighth) and Adam Keighran at left centre, but they swapped in the second half. And the ever-present rumours that as soon as they are fit and healthy, Joseph Suaalii could take that right wing spot and even Billy Smith could step back into the left centre spot. The reports are that Billy is officially ‘available for selection’ for Round 1, but Trent Robinson may choose to give him some time in reserve grade to prove he is physically ready for first grade again.

5 Sam Walker looks set for a strong sophomore year

2021’s ‘boom rookie’ seems to have bulked up a little too, and with the question marks hanging over Luke Keary, Sammy W may be the one holding the keys to the Lamborghini that is the Roosters’ attacking juggernaut from Round 1. He was involved, he was threatening with ball in hand, and you get the feeling that attacking stats will flow freely in almost every game – something he needs given his lower base. What also seems likely is that he won’t be goalkicking, with only Adam Keighran taking shots at goal in this trial, and only Momirovski (and Keighran) practising goalkicks during warm-ups – not Walker.

Clint Gutherson and Dylan Brown are strong options. Picture: Brett Costello

6 The Eels are changing things up

Not so much in terms of their actual roster, as the Eels are potentially the most settled roster-wise of all the NRL clubs as far as 2021 to 2022 goes. However, they have swapped their halves back (Mitchell Moses on the right, Dylan Brown on the left) which is a return to 2020. This makes Brown more appealing as an option as it was no secret he struggled in attack playing on the right edge, given his significant dry spell attacking-stat wise last year. Only four tries, and three try assists (from 19 games) in 2021 means that Brown has a lot of potential for growth – but it cannot be ignored that in 2020, he also only scored four tries and assisted five tries (from 16 games). He is such a safe option though, due to his massive workrate in defence and attack.

7 King Gutho to the rescue?

With Turbo prohibitively expensive, an injury cloud hanging over Ryan Papenhuyzen and even James Tedesco to an extent, suspension ruling out the likes of Latrell Mitchell and Reece Walsh, is Clint Gutherson the answer at fullback? The Eels have an easy early draw, and Gutho just scored a cheeky 90 points in this trial game, heavily involved in attack on both sides of the field. It would not be a shock to see Gutho keeping pace with the other premium fullback options; he burst out the starting blocks with an eight game average of 89.5 points per game across Rounds 1-8 last season after all. At 3.3% ownership and “only” setting you back $655,300, he warrants serious consideration.

8 This is Cody Walker’s world

The Charity Shield is technically a trial match but don’t say that to the Rabbitohs or the Dragons – it clearly means something to them. All the more reason to feel encouraged by Cody Walker’s 89 KFC SuperCoach points, which featured heavy involvement on both sides of the field. There is a world where Cody goes to another level due to being ‘the man’ for the Rabbitohs and everything comes through him. Does that happen straight away? Does a horror run from Rounds 2-4 (Storm, Roosters, Panthers) make him a no-go? Those are probably the key questions for prospective Walker managers to consider.

9 Tyrell Sloan is really pushing his way into KFC SuperCoach teams

And fair enough – he is shining brightly this preseason and looks better with each game he plays, and seems to have easily won the battle for the fullback spot with Cody Ramsey playing on the left. 54 points in the Charity Shield, without scoring a try and with only one try assist/line break assist is solid, and he has steadily seen his percentage ownership creep up to 13.3%. The uncertainty for Sloan isn’t so much whether he is good at football – he clearly is – but whether or not he will have the workrate and attacking opportunities to score well enough to justify his starting price. The Dragons have quite a tough draw on the whole, with some easier games mixed amongst tougher games. Ultimately, this one seems to be a gut call!

10 The Cowboys backrow situation is still unclear

There has been a lot of interest in the backrow stocks of the Cowboys, with expectations that Taumalolo moves into a prop role, and the emergence of promising young options Luki ($351,500), Nanai ($343,700), Gilbert ($363,500) and Cotter ($381,400) all in the mix to start on the edge, or at lock, or play big minutes off the bench. There is definite value here – the big question is, where is it?!

That’s still unclear, with Nanai missing this trial due to illness, Taumalolo not being in the team either (hence unclear if he’s prop or lock) and both Luki and Gilbert playing a mixture of edge and middle. This is one team setup that I’ll be extremely interested in come TLT for Round 1, and in the early rounds too!

11 Cam Munster could be the best fullback at the Storm … if he wanted

Munster was an absolute gun fullback coming through the younger grades and he burst onto the NRL scene as Billy Slater’s successor. He was legitimately great but then due to the setup of the Storm roster, he transitioned to five-eighth earlier than expected in his career. To his credit, he became one of the best, if not the best five-eighths in the NRL for some time.

But there was always a nagging feeling that Munster’s ceiling as a player was actually at fullback, and the fact he has just filled in at fullback for brief stints and looked so natural and at home just reinforces that nagging feeling to me. Of course, this isn’t KFC SuperCoach relevant – not unless Papenhuyzen actually misses time early in the season, in which case Munster could be a cheat code – playing fullback but available at the five-eighth spot only in our teams. He looks pretty good at five-eighth too…

Bring on Round 1!

Originally published as KFC SuperCoach NRL 2022: 11 things we learned from final week of NRL trials